The river Loue, one of the most famous of Franche Comté is dead. It was one of our last good river, of high quality water and well stocked with natural wild fish... Many french forums and blogs are dealing with this matter and I suggest you this one as it is written in english:

LA LOUE : AUX ARMES ! / FIGHT ! LE MOUCHING

Despite all political promises and scattered local dramatic actions, things are getting worse every day for french rivers.

that is a total disaster for you ,the fungal death is a long one ,but it usually doesnt attack healthy fish ,which is why i dont understand how it has killed off fish in the headwaters which would be above any form of pollution surely ??

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WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

Can this be spread around by wading per chance, carrying the parasite into the headwaters? Do we need to worry about foam waders etc and more thorough cleaning of kit, especialy if we have been fishing on the continent.

Just to inform you taht situation is getting worse... Fishing, bathing and canoeing are now forbiden on what was a really magnificent river (remember "La Loue a Ornans", painted by Courbet). Human is seen as the major cause: sewage plants deficiencies, pig farms extensions, water overcomsumption by agriculture, pesticides and even residues from Worl War I!! All this may has cause slight but continuous damage, weakening fish natural defences and finally leading to this nightmare... Environnemental situation is more or less the same on our country, despite everybody in Paris says it is getting better and they work hard on it, nothing is really done (less than 200 salmons in the river Loire this spring, after 30 years of salvage politics and millions of euros waste)

As one bad news is not alone, contamination is now reaching others rivers of the basin and it has been reported that even carps are sick!!

I know that France is not the favourite destination of fly fishermen (indeed it was until the 60's!!) but Franche Comte and Jura were maybe some of the last places that could welcome people for fishing (may be not as good as Scotland, Ireland or Central Europe but not so bad). Well if you have plan to spend holidays there, you can cancel it....

Friend of mine was planning a week long trip on the Loue but is now going to Austria instead. Question is when will the French Government realize how much money can be generated by fishing tourism? I have been fishing the Marne near Chaumont for over forty years and have watched it go downhill for exactly the reasons you site. Where once the river was filled with reeds it is now coated with moss, algue and silt. The final desecration was when they, "cleaned and straightened", the river bed. No more places to spawn, no more cover and no more fish. Now I go to tempt the occassional chevesne but even they are becoming rare.

Terry

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"He either fears his fate too much,
Or his desserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the touch,
To win or lose it all!"

Iam travelling to the Bearn region in 16 days for a two weeks fishing the Saison and the D'oloron and possibly the head waters into the pyrenes. This was sourced by my wife (for which I am v grateful). This is to be my first fly fishing trip in France and for numerous reasons I am horrified by this news from the East of the country. I have been trying to obtain specific information about the ecology, entomology etc of the region, being glacial sourced apos to chalk stream etc. I'm now wondering If I should wade or not. For the reasons highlighted recently regarding felt soled waders and the possibilty of them harbouring diseases, I purchased rubber stud soled wading boots. Whilst I am excited at the thought of two weeks fishing on what is reported to be a 1st class trout/salmon and sea trout river, this excitement and anticipation (that for me preceeds all fly fishing trips) it has been somewhat tempered by this news. The last thing that I want to do is to contribute to the demise of another river and the sustainability of wild fish in any river course in any country. I like to feel that I respect my quarry, whether C&R or for those destined for the plate.
Comments, thoughts, advice gratefully received in order to temper or re-affirm my concerns please.
Thanks
Foggy B