Species

Wels catfish

Europe's largest purely freshwater fish: a scaleless night hunter with long barbels and enormous strength on the line.

Silurus glanis

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

Spawning: May to July in Central Europe, from around 17 to 18 °C water temperature (general guide, varies by region)
German Red List: not threatened
Typical method: Bottom fishing with a tethered rig (Abspannmontage)
Top bait: Bait fish

Plan a day fishing for Wels catfish

How to recognise it

Broad, flat head with two long barbels on the upper jaw
Scaleless, slimy skin with dark marbling
Very small dorsal fin, extremely long anal fin

How to catch it

Methods: Bottom fishing with a tethered rig (Abspannmontage), Sub-float rig (U-Pose), Calling with a clonk (Wallerholz)

Baits: Bait fish, Bunch of lobworms, Large soft plastic shad

At night and at dusk from spring to autumn; after spawning in August it feeds especially heavily.

Habitat and food

Large, warm rivers and lakes with deep areas. During the day it rests on the bottom, under overhanging banks or among roots.

An opportunistic predator: mainly fish, plus crustaceans, amphibians, young waterfowl and small mammals.

Size and age

Usually 1 to 1.5 m and around 10 to 50 kg (Wikipedia). Documented rod catches according to Wikipedia: 2.85 m and 144 kg (Po) and 2.92 m and 130 kg (Poland). Highest documented age 80 years in the wild (Wikipedia).

Protection and rules

Conservation status: German Red List (freshwater fish 2023): not threatened. IUCN: not threatened (Least Concern, 2022).

Wels catfish: 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).

Berlinminimum size 75 cm
Mecklenburg-Western Pomeraniaminimum size 70 cm · closed season 01.05. to 30.06.
Lower Saxonyminimum size 50 cm
Schleswig-Holsteinminimum size 70 cm (coast)
Thuringiaminimum size 50 cm

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

White, mild flesh with few bones; eaten fresh and pan-fried, smoked or salted.

Sources (3)

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

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