Species

Common nase

A shoaling fish of fast-flowing rivers that grazes algae off stones with its sharp, horny lower lip and has become rare in many places.

Chondrostoma nasus

Photo: André Karwath aka Aka, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5, adjusted to 3:2

Spawning: March to May, after spawning migrations in large shoals upriver or into side streams, over shallow gravel (general guide, varies by region)
German Red List: early warning list (Vorwarnliste)
Typical method: Float fishing
Top bait: Small worm

Plan a day fishing for Common nase

How to recognise it

Strongly underslung mouth, the tip of the head looks like a blunt nose
Straight, transverse mouth with a sharp-edged, horny lower lip
Blue-grey to grey-green back, pectoral, pelvic and anal fins yellowish pink to violet

Easily confused with: Resembles the vimba bream, which also has a nose-like snout; the vimba, however, has a lower lip without a horny edge and a much longer anal fin (19 to 25 rays instead of 13 to 14).

How to catch it

Methods: Float fishing, Bottom fishing with a heavy feeder

Baits: Small worm, Caddis larva (Sprock in German), Caddis larva imitation

Not specifically documented; nase gather in shallow, fast-flowing water, often beside the swirls at bridge piers and rocks (FishBase).

Habitat and food

Fast-flowing waters of Central and Eastern Europe with sand and gravel beds in the barbel and grayling zones, for example the Rhine and Danube. In winter the adults gather in dense shoals in the lower river sections.

Grazes algae with its hard lower jaw, FishBase mainly lists diatoms and detritus; less often it eats small animals on the bottom.

Size and age

Usually 25 to 40 cm and up to 1000 g, more rarely 50 cm and 2000 g (Wikipedia). FishBase: max. 50 cm, heaviest published weight 1.5 kg, maximum age 15 years.

Protection and rules

Conservation status: German Red List (freshwater fish 2023): early warning list (Vorwarnliste); Germany bears a high responsibility for its global conservation. IUCN: near threatened (Near Threatened, 2023). Check the local rules before you go fishing.

Common nase: closed season and minimum size by German state

Baden-Württembergminimum size 35 cm · closed season 15.03. to 31.05.
Bavariaminimum size 30 cm · closed season 01.03. to 30.04.
Berlinprotected all year
Brandenburgprotected all year
Hessekeep only from 25 to 40 cm · closed season 15.03. to 30.04.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomeraniaprotected all year
Lower Saxonyprotected all year · minimum size 25 cm only in some waters
North Rhine-Westphaliaminimum size 30 cm · closed season 01.03. to 30.04.
Rhineland-Palatinateminimum size 30 cm · closed season 15.03. to 30.04.minimum size 30 cm only in some watersminimum size 30 cm · closed season 01.03. to 14.06. only in some waters
Saarlandminimum size 35 cm · closed season 15.03. to 15.06.minimum size 30 cm · closed season 01.03. to 14.06. only in some waters
Saxonyminimum size 40 cm · closed season 01.01. to 15.06. only in some watersprotected all year only in some waters
Saxony-Anhaltprotected all year
Thuringiaprotected all year

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

Very bony and, according to Wikipedia, not very tasty, so hardly ever sold; FishBase calls the flesh good but bony. Because the species is threatened, it is better to release it.

Sources (3)

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

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