Elbe

River

The Elbe drains much of central Germany and is one of Europe's last largely unobstructed river systems.

River system: Elbe
Length: 1094 km
Species: 40
Threatened (Red List): 10

Federal states

Saxony Saxony-Anhalt Brandenburg Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Lower Saxony Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein

Map: Natural Earth (public domain); © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

Fishing here

Besides a fishing licence (Fischereischein) you need a permit (Angelkarte) from whoever holds the fishing rights for the water.

Saxony

Guest licence for non-residents

Guest licence without the exam for people whose main residence is outside Germany, one month.

Fishing licence SächsFischG SächsFischVO

Saxony-Anhalt

No tourist licence

No tourist licence. Licences from other German states are recognised.

Fishing licence FischG LSA FischO LSA

Brandenburg

Exemptions instead

No tourist licence: anyone may fish for non-predatory fish without a Fischereischein, as may short-stay visitors not resident in Germany. The fishing levy and a permit are still required.

Fishing licence BbgFischG BbgFischO

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Tourist licence for everyone

Tourist licence without the exam for anyone, up to 28 days, renewable; also available online.

Fishing licence LFischG M-V BiFVO M-V

Lower Saxony

No licence required

No statutory licence: an ID card and a permit from the rights holder are enough. Many clubs still require the angling exam.

Fishing licence Nds. FischG BiFischO

Hamburg

Guest licence for non-residents

Licence until the end of the year for people not resident in Germany who hold a licence from their home country. Exam-free licences from other states are not recognised.

Fishing licence HmbFAnG HmbFAnGDVO

Schleswig-Holstein

Tourist licence for everyone

Holiday licence without the exam for anyone, up to 28 days, twice a year.

Fishing licence LFischG BiFVO

Species	Saxony	Saxony-Anhalt	Brandenburg	Mecklenburg-Vorpommern	Lower Saxony	Hamburg	Schleswig-Holstein
Asp	—	—	40 cm · 1 Apr – 30 Jun	—	—	—	—
Atlantic Salmon	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—
Barbel	—	—	40 cm · 1 May – 31 Jul	—	—	—	—
Bitterling	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—
Blue Bream	—	—	20 cm · 1 Mar – 31 May	—	—	—	—
Burbot	—	—	30 cm	—	—	—	—
Common Carp	40 cm	35 cm	35 cm	40 cm	no rule	35 cm	35 cm
Common Nase	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—
Dace	—	—	15 cm	—	—	—	—
European Bullhead	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—
European Eel	50 cm	50 cm	50 cm	50 cm · 1 Dec – 28 Feb	35 cm	45–75 cm	50 cm
European Perch	no rule	no rule	no rule	17 cm	no rule	10–35 cm	no rule
European Smelt	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—
Gudgeon	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—
Ide	—	—	30 cm	—	—	—	—
Northern Pike	50 cm · 1 Feb – 30 Apr	50 cm · 15 Feb – 30 Apr	45 cm · 1 Feb – 31 Mar	45 cm	40 cm · 1 Feb – 15 Apr	45–75 cm · 1 Feb – 31 May	45 cm · 15 Feb – 15 Apr
Pike-perch (Zander)	50 cm · 1 Feb – 31 May	50 cm · 15 Feb – 31 May	45 cm · 1 Apr – 31 May	45 cm	35 cm · 15 Mar – 30 Apr	45–75 cm · 1 Feb – 31 May	45 cm · 15 Mar – 15 May
Riffle Minnow	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—
River Lamprey	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—
Sea Lamprey	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—
Sea Trout	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—
Spined Loach	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—
Stone Loach	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—
Tench	—	—	25 cm	—	—	—	—
Twaite Shad	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—
Vimba Bream	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—
Wels Catfish	no rule	no rule	no rule	70 cm · 1 May – 30 Jun	50 cm	no rule	no rule
Whitefin Gudgeon	—	—	Protected year-round	—	—	—	—

Minimum size · closed season, per state; a range is a harvest slot. Statewide rules for anglers as of 24 Oct 2026, without guarantee. Clubs and waters can set stricter rules; the ordinance text is binding.

Fish species in this water body

Expected occurrence, modelled from the fish zones of this water (barbel zone, bream zone, and estuary (ruffe–flounder zone)), habitat type and the federal states a species lives in, and checked against GBIF records — not a record of observations here.