fishing

To fish in Hesse, I need a fishing license and a fishing permit, often also called a fishing card. The fishing license is an official document that certifies the right to fish. It can be obtained from your local residents' registration office for a fee after successfully passing the fishing examination. 

The fishing permit allows fishing in a specific body of water and is obtained from the owner or lessee of the fishing rights. 

Those who are not residents of Germany can obtain a tourist fishing permit from the local registration office (e.g., Edertal Town Hall in Giflitz, Bad Wildungen Town Hall). They must present their fishing license for this. Issuance is not possible without a fishing license. With the tourist fishing permit, a fishing license can then be purchased from the nature park.

Fishing with two rods is permitted at Lake Edersee. Fishing with one rod is allowed at Lake Affoldern.

Am Edersee There are several boat rental companies that offer technically equipped fishing boats. Rowboats and electric boats are permitted. Trolling with a motor is allowed from October 1st to February 1st. 

Am Lake Affoldern Only rowing boats may be used. The Kellerwald-Edersee Nature Park has its own jetty on Lake Affoldern. Anglers can easily and conveniently rent rowing boats there.

Contact for boat rental at Lake Affoldern: 

Michael Kargus
Prior registration by phone. 0174 4743460 necessary!
Cash only! Up to 3 hours €8,00 / Over 3 hours €14,00

Fishing with all legally permitted baits is allowed at Lake Edersee. Live bait fish are, of course, not permitted.

Only artificial lures are allowed at Lake Affoldern.

According to the reservoir regulations, camping at Lake Edersee is not permitted – except, of course, at the numerous campsites. This also applies to people fishing at night.

There are several areas around Lake Edersee where fishing is prohibited:

• Diving zone
• Water skiing zone
• Lido
• Nature reserve near Herzhausen
• immediately in front of the dam 

Furthermore, a distance of 50 meters to jetties and buildings must be maintained.

With standard fishing licenses (from day licenses to season licenses), fishing is generally permitted from sunrise to midnight. Those wishing to fish between midnight and 5:00 a.m. require an additional night fishing license. This allows fishing from the shore south of Waldeck and between Rehbach and Bringhausen ("night fishing zones"). Fishing from a boat is strictly prohibited at night.

The Eder Fishing Club holds the fishing rights in this area. Membership in the club is required to fish there. Alternatively, the section between Affoldern Lake and Edersee is suitable for fly fishing. You can obtain a fishing license for this area through the Kellerwald-Edersee Nature Park (fishing license "Affoldern Lake").

In general, the entire Eder River is very well suited for fly fishing. From the second bridge at Hemfurth to the service bridge at the Eder Dam, ONLY fly fishing is permitted.

Children under 10 years of age may fish when accompanied by an adult who possesses a fishing license and permit. This rule also applies to young people up to the age of 16. 

Furthermore, young people between the ages of 10 and 16 can obtain their own fishing license if they pass the fishing license exam. Then, like adults, they can buy a fishing permit and fish independently.

Furthermore, in Hesse, young people between the ages of 10 and 16 can purchase their own fishing license even without having passed the fishing examination. They are then only permitted to fish when accompanied by an adult who possesses a valid fishing license and fishing permit. To take advantage of this option, a fee must be paid for the young person at their local residents' registration office. The fishing license can then be purchased upon receipt of the confirmation of payment of the fishing fee.

Under fishing law, young people aged 16 and over are treated the same as adults. They need a fishing license and a fishing permit to fish.

Adults who take children and teenagers fishing must live in the same household. They can take a maximum of two children (friends rule).

Vouchers for Lake Affoldern and Lake Edersee can be purchased online via the booking platform Hejfish. Unfortunately, this requires a customer account, which can only be created with a valid fishing license.

The fishing permit, as an official document, should always be carried while fishing. The fishing license can also be presented digitally. It should definitely be downloaded beforehand, as internet access is not available everywhere on Lake Edersee.