Trout Fisherman rated it 4/5 stars

An émigré to France 10 years ago, angler Philip Pembroke has put the knowledge acquired since to good use and now presents this detailed guide for anyone wishing to pursue game fish on the far side of the Channel.

From this vast country, Philip focuses in what he calls “the best places to go fly fishing in France”: Brittany and Calvados on the north-west coast, the Corrèze region of west-central France and the Ariège and Lozère areas at the southern end of the country.

An introduction to each of these districts conveys something of its character, as well as adding details such as the fishing season duration and the type of licence required and well as the procedure for obtaining one.

The principal flyfishing rivers and lakes in each region are then covered, as Pembroke describes the fishable parts of the rivers and the tactics suited to each.

Directions are offered in conjunction with simple maps showing the location of rivers and lakes in each region, in relation to nearby towns and villages. The book concludes with a brief glossary of French fishing terminology and is illustrated throughout with black and white photography.

The wealth of information offered is impressive but be aware that the instructions on where beats start and end are not always clear from the text alone and are best read in conjunction with Google Maps or the like. This can be far more of a pleasure than a chore, however but be warned, switching to Streetview to enjoy all those delightful rural French villages can become addictive…

Overall, Pembroke has decisively pierced the mysteries of this particular foreign land with a book that will be invaluable to the touring angling.

August 31st, 2017

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