Baits and techniques
Fishing in Scandinavia: baits, baitfish and techniques
Scandinavian fishing is dominated by lures on the coast, in fjords and in lake archipelagos, and moving fish and water between waters is tightly controlled.
Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland
Guide sections: Learn to fish
LIVE BAITFISHCHECKED 2026-10-23
VARIES BY COUNTRY
Norway: banned, according to the environment agency Miljødirektoratet. Sweden: according to the Board of Agriculture, baitfish fall under the animal welfare act and must be killed before hooking (only documented via an SVT report). Denmark: not confirmed; a 2015 draft ban could not be found as a regulation in force. Finland: not confirmed.
Source: Miljødirektoratet: Ny rapport: Spredning av fremmed ferskvannsfisk (Meldung vom 23.02.2023) · SVT Jönköping: Död eller levande betesfisk? (zitiert Jordbruksverket und Sportfiskarna, Sekundärquelle) (Artikel vom 04.03.2026) · Fødevarestyrelsen: Udkast til bekendtgørelse om forbud mod brug af levende hvirveldyr som agn ved fiskeri (nur Entwurf, Høringsportalen) (Entwurf, Inkrafttreten war für Juni 2015 vorgesehen, Annahme nicht gefunden) · Kristeligt Dagblad, Meinungsbeitrag Bengt Holst: Hvordan kan det stadig være tilladt at bruge levende fisk som madding? (01.01.2023 (Meinung, keine amtliche Quelle))
Lures
- Pike in Sweden and Finland: big soft baits, jerkbaits and spoons, in shallow bays in spring.
- Sea trout on the Danish and Swedish coast: slim coastal spoons and wobblers, flies in spring and autumn.
- Cod and coalfish in Norway: pirks and large soft baits from the boat, over drop-offs and reefs.
- Halibut: very large soft baits and pirks on heavy tackle.
- Perch and zander: small soft plastics, spinners and ice jigs in winter.
Natural baits
- Strips of mackerel or herring from the boat for cod, ling and halibut
- Worms and maggots for float fishing and ice fishing for perch and whitefish
- Shrimp and mussels on the coast
- Avoid maggots and worms brought from abroad: Swedish authorities recommend bait sourced near the water
Dead baitfish
Dead baitfish are common for pike. In Sweden: use baitfish only from the water you are fishing, and when ice fishing only dead, according to the authorities.
More rules
Sweden: moving fish or crayfish from one water to another without a permit is banned. Never empty leftover baitfish into a different water.
Source: Fiskeriverket (heute Havs- och vattenmyndigheten): Faltblatt Faror med levande agn (Faltblatt ohne Datum, Datei von 2012)
Norway: gear must be dried or disinfected before it goes into another water system (to stop the salmon parasite Gyrodactylus). Moving or releasing fish without permission is banned.
Source: Mattilsynet: Help us keep our fish healthy from Gyro (veröffentlicht 17.03.2022)
Denmark: bait made from saltwater fish is not allowed in freshwater (disease control), according to the anglers' association citing the food authority. Legal text not checked.
Source: Sportsfiskeren (Danmarks Sportsfiskerforbund): Fokus på regler for brug af agnfisk i ferske vande (22.08.2019, bezieht sich auf ein Schreiben der Fødevarestyrelsen vom 09.08.2019)
Techniques
Target species
Lures by species
Quick answers
Is live bait fishing allowed in Norway?
No, Norway's environment agency says fishing with live fish as bait is banned. Use lures or fish strips instead.
Why do I need to dry my gear in Norway?
The Gyrodactylus parasite can survive on wet gear and infect salmon rivers. That is why you must dry or disinfect your gear before moving to another water.
What bait do I need for cod from a boat?
Pirks and large soft baits are standard, plus fish strips on a teaser hook. Weight depends on depth and drift.
Other regions
Rules change and often apply to one country, state or water only. Check the permit for your water before you fish. No guarantee, every rule with its source.