Species

Huchen (Danube salmon)

The Danube salmon: the largest salmonid in Central Europe, endangered and a rare trophy fish for anglers, the fish of a thousand casts.

Hucho hucho

Photo: Liquid Art, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, adjusted to 3:2

Spawning: March or April, after a short upstream migration, in shallow pits (general guide, varies by region)
German Red List: endangered (stark gefährdet)
Typical method: Lure fishing (spinning) in large, fast-flowing rivers
Top bait: Huchenzopf (traditional braided lure)

Plan a day fishing for Huchen (Danube salmon)

How to recognise it

Elongated body, almost round in cross-section, with a flattened head
Back brownish to greenish grey, flanks reddish or coppery with small dark spots, no red spots
Large mouth reaching far behind the eyes, very small scales, relatively large adipose fin

Easily confused with: Can be confused with large brown trout or lake trout; the huchen, however, has an almost round body, a flat head, very small scales and no red spots (Wikipedia, FishBase).

How to catch it

Methods: Lure fishing (spinning) in large, fast-flowing rivers, Fly fishing with large streamers

Baits: Huchenzopf (traditional braided lure), Large plug (crankbait), Large soft plastic, Streamer

Mainly in the winter months, when the huchen is more active (Wikipedia).

Habitat and food

Native only to the Danube basin, in deeper stretches of fast-flowing, oxygen-rich rivers of the grayling and barbel zones, for example the Inn, Isar, Lech, Regen and Ilz; it lives permanently in fresh water as a territorial loner (Wikipedia, Red List).

When young, invertebrates of all kinds; as adults mainly fish, but also amphibians, swimming mice or ducklings (Wikipedia).

Size and age

On average 60 to 120 cm, maximum 150 cm (Wikipedia). FishBase: max. 150 cm, heaviest published weight 52.0 kg, maximum age 20 years.

Protection and rules

Conservation status: German Red List (freshwater fish 2023): endangered (stark gefährdet), unchanged since 2009; Germany bears a particularly high responsibility for the species, and according to the Red List only three known populations are fully self-sustaining. IUCN: Vulnerable (2024, according to FishBase); Wikipedia still gives the older rating Endangered. Listed in Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive (FFH-Richtlinie). Fishing is strictly regulated, check the rules of your federal state and the water before fishing.

Huchen (Danube salmon): closed season and minimum size by German state

Baden-Württembergminimum size 70 cm · closed season 01.02. to 31.05. only in some waters
Bavariaminimum size 90 cm · closed season 15.02. to 30.06. only in some waters

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

A food fish, but rare and strictly protected (Wikipedia); whether a huchen may be kept is decided by the rules of the federal state and the water.

Sources (3)

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

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