Fishing in Thüringen: rules & closed seasons
To fish in Thüringen you need the state fishing licence and a permit for the water. Pike closed season: 15 Feb – 30 Apr. Closed today (2026-10-23): Bachforelle, Lachs. Checked 2026-10-23
Closed seasons and minimum sizes
| Species | Closed season | Minimum size | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hecht | 15 Feb – 30 Apr | 50 cm | open |
| Zander | 1 Apr – 31 May | 45 cm | open |
| Bachforelle | 1 Oct – 31 Mar | 30 cm | closed |
| Aal | 1 Nov – 28 Feb | 50 cm | open |
| Lachs | protected all year | – | closed |
| Äsche | 1 Feb – 31 May | 35 cm | open |
| Barbe | 1 Apr – 31 Aug | 40 cm | open |
| Quappe | 1 Nov – 31 Mar | 30 cm | open |
Compare all states: closed season Pike · closed season Zander (pikeperch) · closed season Brown trout · closed season Eel · closed season Salmon
Licence
State fishing licence (1, 5, 10 years or lifetime) after the fishing exam. Fees per ThürFischAVO §37 (2020 text): licence fee EUR 8 (1 yr), 15 (5 yrs), 20 (10 yrs), 45 (lifetime), plus fishing levy EUR 10 / 30 / 50 / 200. Youth licence fee EUR 5 + levy EUR 7.
Visitors
Quarter-year licence (Vierteljahresfischereischein) without exam, rod angling only, from age 14, once per calendar year; fee EUR 10 + levy EUR 15 (ThürFischAVO §35, §37, 2020 text).
Notes
ThürFischAVO of 11 Aug 2020, §1 table, as published in the official Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt für den Freistaat Thüringen 2020 Nr. 23, p. 457 ff. (copy hosted by the Thuringian Landtag). Amended 2 Jul 2024 (GVBl. S. 277); consolidated texts show §1 unchanged, but fees in §37 were not re-checked. Hand-line anglers may keep at most two eels per day (§3). 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.