What is a closed season?

A closed season is a legally defined period during which a fish species may not be caught or taken. It usually falls in the spawning season so that stocks can reproduce and recover. Fish caught during the closed season must be released carefully.

What does the minimum size mean?

The minimum size states the length a fish must have reached before it may be taken. Undersized fish are protected all year and must be released. Some states additionally have a maximum size (slot limit) to protect large spawning fish.

Do closed seasons apply equally in every state?

No. Closed seasons and minimum sizes are regulated in the state fisheries laws and ordinances and sometimes differ significantly between states. So always select your state.

Is the information legally binding?

No. The information is a community reference without warranty. The current state fisheries laws and the rules of the respective water manager are authoritative. Please check the requirements yourself before fishing.

How do I report incorrect information?

Click „Report correction“ on the relevant species and send us the correct closed season or minimum size - ideally with a source. We check every tip and update the data.

Closed Seasons

Closed seasons & minimum sizes by state

Check for 26 fish species in 16 states when each species is protected and which minimum size applies. Choose country and state or filter by species.

Country

State

Species

26 fish species in Nordrhein-Westfalen

Full overview for Nordrhein-Westfalen

Arctic charopen
Closed season
Oct 1 - Feb 28
Minimum size
from 25 cm
Aspopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
from 40 cm
Barbelopen
Closed season
May 1 - Jun 30
Minimum size
from 40 cm
Brook troutopen
Closed season
Oct 1 - Feb 28
Minimum size
from 25 cm
Brown troutopen
Closed season
Oct 1 - Feb 28
Minimum size
from 25 cm
Burbotopen
Closed season
Jan 1 - Feb 28
Minimum size
-
Catfishopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
-
Chubopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
from 30 cm
Codopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
from 38 cmOstsee – zusätzlich Fangmengen-/Saisonbeschränkungen beachten.
Common carpopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
from 35 cm
Common naseopen
Closed season
Mar 1 - May 31
Minimum size
from 30 cm
Crucian carpopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
-
Eelopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
from 50 cm
Graylingopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
from 30 cmVielerorts ganzjährig geschont oder mit strenger Schonzeit – bitte regional prüfen.
Huchenopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
from 70 cmStreng geschützt – in vielen Gewässern ganzjährig geschont.
Ideopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
from 30 cm
Lake troutopen
Closed season
Oct 1 - Feb 28
Minimum size
from 60 cm
Mirror carpopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
from 35 cm
Perchopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
-
Pikeopen
Closed season
Feb 15 - Apr 30
Minimum size
from 50 cm
Pikeperchopen
Closed season
Apr 1 - May 31
Minimum size
from 50 cm
Rainbow troutopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
from 25 cm
Sea troutopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
from 40 cm
Tenchopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
from 26 cm
Whitefishopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
from 25 cmFelchen/Maräne – Schonzeit meist im Winter (Laichzeit), regional prüfen.
Wild carpopen
Closed season
No closed season
Minimum size
from 35 cm

Species	Closed season	Minimum size	Status
Arctic char	Oct 1 - Feb 28	from 25 cm	open
Asp	No closed season	from 40 cm	open
Barbel	May 1 - Jun 30	from 40 cm	open
Brook trout	Oct 1 - Feb 28	from 25 cm	open
Brown trout	Oct 1 - Feb 28	from 25 cm	open
Burbot	Jan 1 - Feb 28	-	open
Catfish	No closed season	-	open
Chub	No closed season	from 30 cm	open
Cod	No closed season	from 38 cm Ostsee – zusätzlich Fangmengen-/Saisonbeschränkungen beachten.	open
Common carp	No closed season	from 35 cm	open
Common nase	Mar 1 - May 31	from 30 cm	open
Crucian carp	No closed season	-	open
Eel	No closed season	from 50 cm	open
Grayling	No closed season	from 30 cm Vielerorts ganzjährig geschont oder mit strenger Schonzeit – bitte regional prüfen.	open
Huchen	No closed season	from 70 cm Streng geschützt – in vielen Gewässern ganzjährig geschont.	open
Ide	No closed season	from 30 cm	open
Lake trout	Oct 1 - Feb 28	from 60 cm	open
Mirror carp	No closed season	from 35 cm	open
Perch	No closed season	-	open
Pike	Feb 15 - Apr 30	from 50 cm	open
Pikeperch	Apr 1 - May 31	from 50 cm	open
Rainbow trout	No closed season	from 25 cm	open
Sea trout	No closed season	from 40 cm	open
Tench	No closed season	from 26 cm	open
Whitefish	No closed season	from 25 cm Felchen/Maräne – Schonzeit meist im Winter (Laichzeit), regional prüfen.	open
Wild carp	No closed season	from 35 cm	open

„protected“ = currently not allowed to be taken per the closed season

Closed seasons by state

Open the overview for your state - with all fish species, closed seasons and minimum sizes on one page.

Baden-Württemberg Bayern Berlin Brandenburg Bremen Hamburg Hessen Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Niedersachsen Nordrhein-Westfalen Rheinland-Pfalz Saarland Sachsen Sachsen-Anhalt Schleswig-Holstein Thüringen

Frequently asked questions

Here you'll find answers to the most frequently asked questions

Handy tools for anglers

Data-driven helpers from Angelradar - find the right water, the right lure and the best time to fish.

Bite score

Estimate your chances from real catch data - factoring in moon, air pressure, weather and time of day.

Lure guide

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Fish identifier

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Fish stock

Discover where which species occur - based on real community catch data.

Fish calculator

Calculate weight and condition factor using Fulton's formula - quick and easy.

Species

Closed season

Minimum size

Status

Correction

Arctic char

Oct 1 - Feb 28

from 25 cm

open

Asp

No closed season

from 40 cm

open

Barbel

May 1 - Jun 30

from 40 cm

open

Brook trout

Oct 1 - Feb 28

from 25 cm

open

Brown trout

Oct 1 - Feb 28

from 25 cm

open

Burbot

Jan 1 - Feb 28

open

Catfish

No closed season

open

Chub

No closed season

from 30 cm

open

Cod

No closed season

from 38 cm

Ostsee – zusätzlich Fangmengen-/Saisonbeschränkungen beachten.

open

Common carp

No closed season

from 35 cm

open

Common nase

Mar 1 - May 31

from 30 cm

open

Crucian carp

No closed season

open

Eel

No closed season

from 50 cm

open

Grayling

No closed season

from 30 cm

Vielerorts ganzjährig geschont oder mit strenger Schonzeit – bitte regional prüfen.

open

Huchen

No closed season

from 70 cm

Streng geschützt – in vielen Gewässern ganzjährig geschont.

open

Ide

No closed season

from 30 cm

open

Lake trout

Oct 1 - Feb 28

from 60 cm

open

Mirror carp

No closed season

from 35 cm

open

Perch

No closed season

open

Pike

Feb 15 - Apr 30

from 50 cm

open

Pikeperch

Apr 1 - May 31

from 50 cm

open

Rainbow trout

No closed season

from 25 cm

open

Sea trout

No closed season

from 40 cm

open

Tench

No closed season

from 26 cm

open

Whitefish

No closed season

from 25 cm

Felchen/Maräne – Schonzeit meist im Winter (Laichzeit), regional prüfen.

open

Wild carp

No closed season

from 35 cm

open

Species

Closed season

Minimum size

Status

Correction

Arctic char

Oct 1 - Feb 28

from 25 cm

open

Asp

No closed season

from 40 cm

open

Barbel

May 1 - Jun 30

from 40 cm

open

Brook trout

Oct 1 - Feb 28

from 25 cm

open

Brown trout

Oct 1 - Feb 28

from 25 cm

open

Burbot

Jan 1 - Feb 28

open

Catfish

No closed season

open

Chub

No closed season

from 30 cm

open

Cod

No closed season

from 38 cm

Ostsee – zusätzlich Fangmengen-/Saisonbeschränkungen beachten.

open

Common carp

No closed season

from 35 cm

open

Common nase

Mar 1 - May 31

from 30 cm

open

Crucian carp

No closed season

open

Eel

No closed season

from 50 cm

open

Grayling

No closed season

from 30 cm

Vielerorts ganzjährig geschont oder mit strenger Schonzeit – bitte regional prüfen.

open

Huchen

No closed season

from 70 cm

Streng geschützt – in vielen Gewässern ganzjährig geschont.

open

Ide

No closed season

from 30 cm

open

Lake trout

Oct 1 - Feb 28

from 60 cm

open

Mirror carp

No closed season

from 35 cm

open

Perch

No closed season

open

Pike

Feb 15 - Apr 30

from 50 cm

open

Pikeperch

Apr 1 - May 31

from 50 cm

open

Rainbow trout

No closed season

from 25 cm

open

Sea trout

No closed season

from 40 cm

open

Tench

No closed season

from 26 cm

open

Whitefish

No closed season

from 25 cm

Felchen/Maräne – Schonzeit meist im Winter (Laichzeit), regional prüfen.

open

Wild carp

No closed season

from 35 cm

open

Species

Closed season

Minimum size

Status

Correction

Arctic char

Oct 1 - Feb 28

from 25 cm

open

Asp

No closed season

from 40 cm

open

Barbel

May 1 - Jun 30

from 40 cm

open

Brook trout

Oct 1 - Feb 28

from 25 cm

open

Brown trout

Oct 1 - Feb 28

from 25 cm

open

Burbot

Jan 1 - Feb 28

open

Catfish

No closed season

open

Chub

No closed season

from 30 cm

open

Cod

No closed season

from 38 cm

Ostsee – zusätzlich Fangmengen-/Saisonbeschränkungen beachten.

open

Common carp

No closed season

from 35 cm

open

Common nase

Mar 1 - May 31

from 30 cm

open

Crucian carp

No closed season

open

Eel

No closed season

from 50 cm

open

Grayling

No closed season

from 30 cm

Vielerorts ganzjährig geschont oder mit strenger Schonzeit – bitte regional prüfen.

open

Huchen

No closed season

from 70 cm

Streng geschützt – in vielen Gewässern ganzjährig geschont.

open

Ide

No closed season

from 30 cm

open

Lake trout

Oct 1 - Feb 28

from 60 cm

open

Mirror carp

No closed season

from 35 cm

open

Perch

No closed season

open

Pike

Feb 15 - Apr 30

from 50 cm

open

Pikeperch

Apr 1 - May 31

from 50 cm

open

Rainbow trout

No closed season

from 25 cm

open

Sea trout

No closed season

from 40 cm

open

Tench

No closed season

from 26 cm

open

Whitefish

No closed season

from 25 cm

Felchen/Maräne – Schonzeit meist im Winter (Laichzeit), regional prüfen.

open

Wild carp

No closed season

from 35 cm

open