Stillwater · Granite · Vosges / Haut-Rhin (Rimbach-près-Masevaux)

Lac des Perches (Sternsee)

Lac des Perches (Sternsee), a forested mountain lake near Rimbach-près-Masevaux, Haut-Rhin, France
Marginal · Trout
Bibio Hopper · 10-12
New ruleReported 23 Jul 2026

Severe drought restrictions (crise) in force

The bassins de la Doller amont, de la Fecht, de la Weiss et de la Lauch zone (Dept 68) is at crise — the second-highest French drought tier — under a préfectoral arrêté. Fishing itself is not named as prohibited, but water is severely restricted and flows are likely very low; fish with care and check locally.

Arrêté préfectoral n°37430 ↗

Temporary notices from official orders and recent fishery reports — they clear automatically once out of date. Always confirm locally before travelling.

A patient day, if you fancy it
Water temperature is the limiting factor today, not the wave. Fish dawn or dusk if you go at all, and handle everything with extra care.
39% confidence
limited data

Lac des Perches (Sternsee) is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindNE 8 km/hLight breeze
Today's fly
Bibio Hopper
Bibio Hopper10-12
Upstream dry
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Light breeze
NE 8 km/h
N
NE
from the north-east
WaveRipple
Water temp—
Air temp33°C
CloudClear
Pressure—
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for Trout
When
May–September
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
The plan
Plan A

Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.

Plan B

If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.

Watch for

Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.

Bank

Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.

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Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
1
2
1
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Trout fly box
SD
Small Damsel
8-12 · Pattern
Retrieve
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Vosges AAPPMA permits.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
55%
Cloud25%
Wind100%
Temp25%

A reasonable day here, though temperature isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Other water nearby · 5
Moselotte
41 km
28
Brown trout · Grayling
Doller
50 km
28
Brown trout
Lacs du Neuweiher
2.0 km
Brown trout · Char
Lac d'Alfeld
5.0 km
Brown trout · Char
Domaine de Champs sur l'Eau
38 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout · Char
Gallery · 2
  1. Lac des Perches (Sternsee), a forested mountain lake near Rimbach-près-Masevaux, Haut-Rhin, France
    Lac des Perches, Vosges
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Unknown
  • Chemical: Unknown
What this classification means

WFD code removed 2026-06-18: this alpine lake was incorrectly sharing the Doller river's code FRCR53 (and showing the river's status). EEA WISE has no dedicated lake (LW) water body for Lac des Perches, so status is left Unknown. Source: discodata.eea.europa.eu. | Prior note: WFD ecological status Moderate → Good corrected to EEA WISE 2022 (3rd RBMP) classification for waterbody FRCR53 (was a stale earlier-cycle value). Source: EEA WISE SWB_SurfaceWaterBody (discodata.eea.europa.eu), verified 2026-06-18.

Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
  • High temperatures may push fish deeper and reduce surface activity.
  • Daddy longlegs are in their seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 2nd Saturday of March → 3rd Sunday of September
  • Char varies_by_lake → varies_by_lake

    French lake char (omble chevalier / omble de fontaine) — seasons and retention rules are set by departmental regulations and local fishing associations (AAPPMA). French char lakes are often managed with strict rules. Check the local AAPPMA or departmental fishing regulations before targeting char.

Related guides
Scotland Playbookloch & river fishingThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperaturePyrenees PlaybookFrench rivers
Booking & contacts