Filter by species, night fishing, boats and bivvy. Find rivers and lakes near Bas-Rhin and across all of France.
The Hellwasser is a productive river in the Bas-Rhin department of Grand Est, flowing through the Alsatian countryside and offering excellent opportunities for coarse and game fish anglers. This stretch supports healthy populations of brown trout and grayling alongside cyprinids like chub and barbel, providing versatile fishing across multiple species and techniques. The river permits night fishing and allows boats and bivouacking, making it ideal for extended fishing trips; anglers must obtain a valid Carte de Pêche from the local AAPPMA to fish legally.
Water level data from Hub'Eau / Vigicrues. Nearest hydrometric station, updated every 15 minutes. Always verify conditions on arrival.
Hellwasser holds brown trout, grayling, chub, barbel, pike. Pike fishing is a highlight of this stretch — both lure and deadbait tactics are effective.
A valid Carte de Pêche is required to fish Hellwasser. Licences are available online before your trip.
Join to unlock full rules, night sectors, access notes and local camping spots for Hellwasser and 96,200+ venues across France, Belgium, Netherlands, UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Czechia.
France is the closest mainland European fishing destination for UK anglers. The Channel Tunnel (Folkestone–Calais, ~35 min) is the fastest crossing, while P&O Ferries (Dover–Calais, ~90 min) offer good value for heavy kit. Most northern French venues are within 2–4 hours of Calais; southern venues require a full day of driving.
A Carte de Pêche (French fishing licence) is required for all freshwater fishing. Buy online at cartedepeche.fr before you travel. Annual, weekly and daily options are available and include your AAPPMA affiliation for the selected department.
To fish Hellwasser, you need a valid Carte de Pêche, available from cartedepeche.fr before you leave the UK and affiliation with the local AAPPMA covering this stretch. Annual, weekly and daily licences are all available online.
Bas-Rhin is home to numerous public fishing rivers and canals. Browse all venues in Bas-Rhin or explore all of Grand Est.
France offers outstanding fishing year-round. The main coarse close season applies to some rivers (typically January–March for certain species), but still-water carp fishing on private and AAPPMA-managed lakes is available throughout the year. Spring (March–June) is the classic French carp season, with fish actively feeding and moving into shallow margins. Summer nights (June–August) are ideal for big-fish sessions on the large public reservoirs and rivers. Autumn (September–November) is particularly productive on the Auvergne and Languedoc lakes as temperatures drop. The Loire and Saône river systems produce excellent catfish sport from June through September, while the Dordogne and its tributaries fish well for chub, barbel and trout from spring through autumn.
Other public fishing rivers and canals near Hellwasser on PiscaMaps: