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.

European eel: closed season and minimum size by German state

These rules apply in Germany only. Fishing in the UK, the USA or elsewhere? The local rules apply there (link below).

Baden-Württembergminimum size 50 cm · closed season 15.09. to 01.03. only in some waters
Bavariaminimum size 50 cm · closed season 01.10. to 31.12. only in some waters
Berlinminimum size 50 cm
Brandenburgminimum size 50 cm
Bremenminimum size 45 cm
Hamburgminimum size 45 cm
Hessekeep only from 50 to 70 cm · closed season 15.09. to 01.03.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomeraniaminimum size 50 cm · closed season 01.12. to 28.02.minimum size 50 cm (coast)
Lower Saxonyminimum size 35 cmminimum size 45 cm (coast)
North Rhine-Westphaliaminimum size 50 cm only in some watersminimum size 50 cm · closed season 01.10. to 01.03. only in some waters
Rhineland-Palatinateminimum size 50 cmminimum size 50 cm only in some waters
Saarlandminimum size 50 cmminimum size 50 cm only in some waters
Saxonyminimum size 50 cm
Saxony-Anhaltminimum size 50 cm
Schleswig-Holsteinminimum size 50 cmminimum size 45 cm (coast)
Thuringiaminimum size 50 cm · closed season 01.11. to 28.02.
EU law (coast)protected all year

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

Check the rules

In Germany, closed seasons and minimum sizes are set by each state and can be stricter for single waters. All German rules by state, with the legal source. Outside Germany, the local rules apply: licence and agency by country.

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 2026-10-18. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].

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