Main

River

The Main is the Rhine's main right-bank tributary, linked to the Danube by the Main-Danube Canal.

River system: Rhein
Length: 527 km
Species: 37
Threatened (Red List): 5

Federal states

Bavaria Hesse Baden-Württemberg

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.

Bavaria

Guest licence for non-residents

Without the exam for adults not resident in Germany, for up to three months; issued by the municipality.

Fishing licence BayFiG AVBayFiG

Hesse

Guest licence for non-residents

Visitor licence without the exam for people not resident in Germany, one month per year.

Fishing licence HFischG HFischV

Baden-Württemberg

Guest licence for non-residents

Without the exam for people staying in Germany for up to one month; issued by the municipality.

Fishing licence FischG LFischVO

Species	Bavaria	Hesse	Baden-Württemberg
Common Carp	35 cm	45–60 cm · 15 Mar – 31 May	35 cm
European Eel	50 cm · 1 Oct – 31 Dec	50–70 cm · 15 Sep – 1 Mar	50 cm · 15 Sep – 1 Mar
Grayling	35 cm · 1 Jan – 30 Apr	30–45 cm · 1 Mar – 15 May	30 cm · 1 Feb – 30 Apr
Northern Pike	50 cm · 15 Feb – 30 Apr	50–90 cm · 1 Feb – 15 Apr	50 cm · 15 Feb – 15 May
Pike-perch (Zander)	50 cm · 15 Feb – 30 Apr	50 cm	45 cm · 1 Apr – 15 May

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 (grayling zone, barbel zone, and bream zone), habitat type and the federal states a species lives in, and checked against GBIF records — not a record of observations here.