Fishing in Hamburg: rules & closed seasons
To fish in Hamburg you need the state fishing licence and a permit for the water. Pike closed season: 1 Feb – 31 May. Closed today (2026-10-23): Bachforelle, Lachs. Checked 2026-10-18
Closed seasons and minimum sizes
| Species | Closed season | Minimum size | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hecht | 1 Feb – 31 May | harvest slot 45–75 cm; max 2/day in free waters | open |
| Zander | 1 Feb – 31 May | harvest slot 45–75 cm; max 2/day | open |
| Bachforelle | 15 Oct – 15 Feb | harvest slot 20–40 cm | closed |
| Aal | – | harvest slot 45–75 cm; max 3/day | – |
| Lachs | protected – no targeted fishing or killing | – | closed |
Compare all states: closed season Pike · closed season Zander (pikeperch) · closed season Brown trout · closed season Eel · closed season Salmon
Licence
Visitors
Notes
HmbFAnGDVO consolidated to amendment of 1 Feb 2022 (PDF dated 25.09.2023); newer changes not checked. Hamburg uses harvest slots. During Zander closed season no dead bait fish, fish strips or lures (exceptions: parts of Bille, Alster and the flowing main Elbe). Licence fields UNVERIFIED – Hamburg fishing act not yet extracted. Licence vs permit: the Fischereischein is a personal, state-issued licence; the Fischereierlaubnis/Angelkarte is a separate permit sold by the owner or tenant of a specific water. You normally need both. Local waters (club/lease rules, Hegeplan, local orders) may be stricter; the conditions on your water permit always apply on top of state law.