It is probably the most well-known river among the general public in the northern part of Haute Savoie. Often impossible to fish in the summer, I invite you to discover my tips for a river I know well.
The Arve, a true mountain river!
In its valley (between Bonneville and Geneva), the Arve is an extremely wide river with an impressive flow rate. For example, in autumn 2023, during the flood season, the Arve reached a flow of 1000 cubic meters per second.
In summer, due to the melting of snow and ice, the Arve receives all the water from the Chamonix valley, notably from the two glaciers (Mer de Glace and Glacier d’Argentière) and more broadly the snow from the highest peak in Europe. Consequently, the flow is so violent that it is literally IMPOSSIBLE to fish there... in principle!
A crazy flow in summer. Why?
As I explained, this flow is due to the melting, especially of the Mer de Glace.
This water flows into a torrent called the Arveyron, which itself flows into the Arve at the Chamonix sports center. It is the main factor in the color and flow of the Arve as people know it in summer.
What type of fish are found in the Arve?
In the Chamonix area, you'll mainly fish for wild brown trout.
So, how do you go about fishing in the Arve?
"Firstly, fish upstream of the confluence with the Arveyron to access clear waters and a reasonable flow rate".
I would also add that if you want to fish this upstream part before the confluence with the Arveyron, it's preferable to choose August in summer because the snow has already melted and the water level is lower than in June-July.
The Arve is also fishable downstream of its confluence with the Arveyron in the city center of Chamonix, but only during very short periods (early opening and late closure), but I won't elaborate due to lack of experience.
How to fish despite high flow? My technique.
Upstream of this famous confluence, the flow remains high, and the river is much narrower, with a stream of approximately 3-4 meters wide. Fishing here requires precision and a special approach.
The technique involves fishing in the opposite direction of our usual habits. Instead of moving upstream, you'll move downstream, exiting the riverbed at each fishing spot. The strategy is to position yourself (if possible) on the riverbank or a rock and fish the spot downstream, casting at a 3/4 angle.
As for the lure, I highly recommend fishing with a spoon in sizes 0, 1, or 2. This lure allows you to fish effectively at the spot, almost staying in place above it. With the current, it will spin naturally without needing to reel, giving the trout more time to strike.
Other alternatives?
Finally, there are other alternatives such as fishing with a "toc" technique using a heavy and compact weight to quickly reach the bottom due to the strong current, even in calm areas.
As bait, I would recommend using fresh earthworms and potentially grasshoppers if they are present near the river. Even though we are in a valley over 1000 meters above sea level, grasshoppers are still very abundant in summer.
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