Fish species in Lake Constance

Probably the best-known and most popular Lake Constance fish is the whitefish. It is the “bread fish” of Lake Constance fishermen and is often called “whitefish” in Bavaria and “vendace” in northern Germany. The whitefish can be caught in the net with a length of 40 to 60 cm and is then served blue, smoked, grilled or fried.

If you read “Egli” on a menu, it is the Kretzer, which is what our Swiss neighbours call it. When the Kretzer leaves Lake Constance, it is also called river perch.

Because of the low nutrient content and the very clean lake, which is of drinking water quality, fewer and fewer fish live in Lake Constance: in recent years, fishing yields have dropped by about a third. This will lead to significantly fewer professional fishermen having a livelihood on Lake Constance in the long term. Fish farming could at least partially cover the existing demand for Lake Constance fish.

Fishing in Lake Constance

Fishing in Lake Constance is only possible with a fishing licence. This allows you to fish from a boat all year round in the following areas:

• In Lake Constance upper lake from the Bavarian shore.
• On the Bavarian shore (25 metre depth line)
• On the “Hohen See” (Lake Constance-Obersee including Lake Überlingen)
• Fishing from the shore is not permitted in nature conservation areas and jetties.
  In Lake Constance, fishing is only allowed during the day (eel fishing from the shore is allowed until 01:00 at night)

The shore map of Lake Constance in Bavaria with information on the fishing zones provides detailed information on fishing in Lindau. In order to safeguard the species populations, closed seasons and minimum fish sizes are regulated by law in Bavaria.

Youth anglers are only allowed to fish in the German part of Lake Constance when accompanied by an adult fishing licence holder. A maximum of 2 fishing rods with a maximum of 2 hooks each are allowed per angler. To protect against fish diseases, only tadpoles and white fish from Lake Constance may be used as bait fish.