Species

European eel

A snake-like migratory fish that swims all the way to the Sargasso Sea to spawn and is now critically endangered.

Anguilla anguilla

Photo: Damien Delaunay, Ifremer, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, adjusted to 3:2

Spawning: Does not spawn in Europe but in the Sargasso Sea; silver eels migrate away in autumn (September to December).
German Red List: highly threatened
Typical method: Bottom fishing
Top bait: Lobworm

Plan a day fishing for European eel

How to recognise it

Snake-like, round body with thick, slimy skin
Dorsal, tail and anal fins form one continuous fringe
Lower jaw slightly longer than the upper jaw

How to catch it

Methods: Bottom fishing, Float fishing close to the bank

Baits: Lobworm, Brandling (manure worm), Fish strips, Small dead bait fish

At dusk and at night, especially on warm summer nights.

Habitat and food

Rivers, lakes, ditches and coastal waters into brackish water. Hidden on the bottom during the day, it migrates to the sea to spawn.

Worms, small crustaceans, insect larvae, fish eggs and small fish.

Size and age

Females up to 150 cm and 6 kg, males only up to 60 cm; even a female of 1 m counts as very large (Wikipedia). FishBase: heaviest published weight 6.6 kg.

Protection and rules

Conservation status: IUCN: critically endangered (Critically Endangered). German Red List (marine fish 2025): highly threatened. Listed in CITES Appendix II, protected by the EU Eel Regulation (EG) Nr. 1100/2007; check the local rules before you go fishing.

Check the rules

Closed seasons and minimum sizes are set by each German state (and by each country abroad) and can be stricter on individual waters. We are building an overview with sources and check dates. Until then, check the local fishing regulations and the rules of the club or permit for your water.

In the kitchen

Very oily flesh, classically smoked; because it is so endangered, only keep eels where it is allowed, and do so with care.

Sources (4)

Last checked 2026-10-10. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].

Know more?

Additions, photos of your catches or a mistake in the text: write to us and we will gladly credit you as a helper.

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