Species

Common dace

A small, fast shoaling fish of clear rivers that is easily confused with chub and ide because of its typical whitefish shape.

Leuciscus leuciscus

Photo: Lennart Hudel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, adjusted to 3:2

Spawning: March to April at water temperatures below 10 °C, usually at night on shallow, stony spots with current (general guide, varies by region)
German Red List: not threatened
Typical method: Float fishing
Top bait: Maggots

Plan a day fishing for Common dace

How to recognise it

Spindle-shaped, slightly flattened body, rarely longer than 25 cm
Small, slightly underslung mouth that does not reach the edge of the eye
Outer edge of the dorsal and anal fins curved inwards (concave)

Easily confused with: Often confused with young chub: the chub has a wide mouth and an outward-curved anal fin, the dace a small mouth and a concave anal fin. The reddish tint of the pectoral and pelvic fins is weaker in the dace than in the chub.

How to catch it

Methods: Float fishing, Pole fishing, Fly fishing

Baits: Maggots, Bread flake, Small dry fly, Nymph

It usually feeds most intensively around dawn and dusk; the dace is shy and very fast.

Habitat and food

Mostly hard-bottomed rivers from the trout to the barbel zone, also river lakes and reservoirs, more rarely still waters. It prefers clear water in calmer or slow-flowing sections; widespread in Germany, becoming rarer towards the north.

Mainly aquatic invertebrates, larvae and algae, plus insects falling onto the water and occasionally water plants or seeds of bank plants.

Size and age

Rarely more than 25 cm; average life expectancy 10 years, under optimal conditions up to 16 years (Wikipedia). FishBase: max. 40 cm, heaviest published weight 1.0 kg, maximum age 16 years.

Protection and rules

Conservation status: German Red List (freshwater fish 2023): not threatened. IUCN: not threatened (Least Concern, 2023).

Common dace: closed season and minimum size by German state

Bavariaclosed season 01.03. to 30.04.
Berlinminimum size 15 cm
Brandenburgminimum size 15 cm
Hamburgprotected all year
Mecklenburg-Western Pomeraniaclosed season 01.03. to 31.05.
Rhineland-Palatinateminimum size 15 cm
Schleswig-Holsteinprotected all year
Thuringiaminimum size 20 cm · closed season 01.04. to 31.05.

From the official state fisheries regulations, retrieved 2026-10-11. All rules by state

Check the rules

Closed seasons and minimum sizes are set by each German state and can be stricter for single waters. All rules by state, with the legal source

In the kitchen

Of little economic importance in Europe; it is eaten in some parts of Europe but is not highly regarded as a food fish (English Wikipedia).

Sources (4)

Last checked 2026-10-13. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].

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