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Fishing in Austria

Browse 4,457 public fishing venues across all 9 Austrian states — 3,605 lakes & reservoirs, 558 rivers and 294 canals. From carp in Burgenland to grayling in Tyrol.

Browse by Bundesland

Notable Fishing Lakes

Fishing Licence & Permits

State Licence
Fischereischein required per Bundesland
Water Permit
Gastkarte / Angelkarte per venue
Visitor Shortcut
Gastkarte available without exam
Night Fishing
Allowed Burgenland — restricted alpine

Fishing in Austria requires both a Fischereischein (state fishing licence) and a water-specific Gastkarte (guest permit) for each venue. Austrian residents must pass a formal exam to obtain the Fischereischein, but visiting foreign anglers can fish on a short-term Gastkarte without needing to sit the test — making Austria one of the most visitor-friendly central European destinations.

The fishing landscape divides sharply by geography. The lowland states of Burgenland and Lower Austria hold the Danube system and Neusiedler See, home to carp, bream, pike-perch, asp and wels catfish — familiar coarse fishing for UK anglers. Move west into Carinthia, Upper Austria, Styria and Tyrol and the waters turn alpine: clear, cold lakes like Wörthersee, Attersee and Weissensee, and fast mountain rivers holding brown trout, grayling and Arctic char.

Night fishing rules vary between states. Burgenland lowland lakes generally allow it; Carinthia permits it on designated waters; alpine rivers and streams in Tyrol and Salzburg typically restrict it to daylight hours. Always confirm with the permit issuer before fishing after dark.

Explore Fishing in Other Countries