Rules & closed seasons
Protect tomorrow's fishing: respect closed seasons and minimum sizes - and always check your permit.
Please note
The values below follow the Bavarian AVBayFiG. Binding are the current ordinance and the conditions on your permit; local rules may be stricter. Fish below the minimum size or caught during the closed season must be returned to the same stretch immediately and carefully.
Species at a glance
| Species | Closed season | Min. size | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Eel Anguilla anguilla |
1 October – 31 December | 50 cm | |
|
Brown trout Salmo trutta fario |
1 October – 15 March | 26 cm | |
|
Barbel Barbus barbus |
1 May – 30 June | 40 cm | |
|
Bream Abramis brama |
none | - | |
|
Perch Perca fluviatilis |
none | - | |
|
Pike Esox lucius |
15 February – 30 April | 50 cm | |
|
Carp Cyprinus carpio |
none | 35 cm | |
|
Bullhead Cottus gobio |
1 February – 30 April | - | Strictly protected Habitats-Directive species and an indicator of clean water – please release carefully. |
|
Nase Chondrostoma nasus |
1 March – 30 April | 30 cm | Population under threat; locally the nase is protected more strictly than required by law – the permit is binding. |
|
Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss |
15 December – 15 March | 26 cm | |
|
Roach Rutilus rutilus |
none | - | No closed season in the AVBayFiG; the district ordinance lists 1 Apr – 15 May for the Main – check applicability to the Saale on the permit. |
|
Rudd Scardinius erythrophthalmus |
none | - | |
|
Burbot Lota lota |
none | 40 cm | |
|
Tench Tinca tinca |
1 May – 30 June | 26 cm | |
|
Zander Sander lucioperca |
15 February – 30 April | 50 cm | |
|
Grayling Thymallus thymallus |
1 January – 30 April | 35 cm |
Fishing licence, Angelschein, fishing card - what's what?
Three words that are easily mixed up: the fishing licence (Fischereischein), colloquially called Angelschein, is your personal proof after the fishing exam, issued by your local authority. The fishing card is the permit (Erlaubnisschein) from the holder of the fishing rights for one particular stretch - here Section 7 or the Three-Section card. You always need both at the water: the licence as the basic entitlement, the card for the specific section.
Fishing licence basics
Anyone fishing independently needs a valid fishing licence (Fischereischein) and a permit (Erlaubnisschein) for the water, plus proof of the fishing fee. The exam covers fish biology, waters, conservation, tackle and the relevant law.
- Fishing exam from age 12; own licence (for life) from age 14.
- Since 1 Jan 2025 no more youth fishing licence: from age 7 to 18 only in the responsible company of an adult licence holder - a permit is still required.
- Max. two rods, no live bait fish; treat fish humanely (stun, then kill).
No residence in Germany? Fishing on holiday
Anyone without a residence in Germany can obtain a Bavarian fishing licence without the exam. The local authority issues it on self-declaration, currently for around €22.50 a year, valid in freely chosen periods totalling up to three months. With that and one of our guest cards you can fish the Saale - handy for camping and spa guests in the Saale valley. People resident in Germany take the fishing exam first.
No papers? The honest way is easier
Fishing with no papers at all gets expensive fast: fishing without a licence is a regulatory offence, and without a permit it even counts as poaching, a criminal offence. The honest way is simple and cheap - a valid fishing licence plus one of our guest cards from €8 a day, and you are all set. Just ask us if you are unsure which card you need.
Bavarian fishing law
The full texts are official works and freely available:
- Bayerisches Fischereigesetz (BayFiG)
- Ausführungsverordnung (AVBayFiG) - incl. closed seasons
- District of Lower Franconia - fishery
Each species profile carries its own closed-season band, see Fish of the Saale; which permit you need is on Permits & prices.
Status of the evaluated sources: BayFiG/AVBayFiG 2024/2025. No guarantee of legal accuracy or completeness.