Man fishing in the sea at sunset

Fishing in East Jutland

Photo: Nicolai Perjesi

From the east coast of Jutland to the lakes of Søhøjlandet and the river Gudenå, the Coastal Land has fishing for all tastes. With 3 fjords, 266 kilometres of coastline, an archipelago and all types of good fishing experiences await, it’s perfect for a wonderful and varied angling holiday.

Where would you like to fish?

Questions and answers about fishing

Er fisken på krogen for lille, så du ikke må tage den med hjem? Via denne fredningsberegner kan du undersøge, om fisken skal smides ud eller kan hjemtages.
Du kan også se kalendere for mindstemål på Fiskeristyrelsens hjemmeside.

The many landowners own the right to fish by the Gudenå river on the stretch. In order to get permission to fish by the Gudenå river, with a few exceptions, a fishing licence must be purchased from the local fishing association.

Fishing licences for the stretch between Tørring and Aastedbro must be purchased from Horsens and Omegns Sports Fishing Association, which has the right to almost the entire stretch. You can buy a day pass for a stretch between Uldum Marsh to where the Gudenå river meets Raskvej, a little south of Åle.

Further north, at Gammelstrup, the association also has a shorter stretch in stunning countryside.

Further north, by Mos Lake, Silkeborg Fishing Association has the fishing rights on the lake’s western shore. If you spend the night at the canoe campsite at The Monastery Mill (Klostermølle), you can fish in the stream in the site’s area by buying a pass from the attendant.

The Danish put & take lakes are trout lakes. You will mainly catch rainbow trout, but river trout and golden trout are also common. In some lakes, you will also be able to catch pike and eel.

Most fishing lakes are affiliated with a local fishing association, which holds the right to fish. Some fishing associations require membership, while others sell fishing licences that give temporary access to fishing. In return, the fisheries association cares for and maintains the waters.

The Vestbirk Lakes: Brædstrup og Omegns Sportsfiskerforening (fishing licences can be purchased at Vestbirk Camping).

Mossø: Mainly Silkeborg Fiskeriforening (fishing licences can be purchased via their website).

Bygholm Lake: Bygholm Lystfisker- og Baadejerforening (fishing licences can be purchased at Bygholm Sø Camping).

The Danish Fisheries Agency administers the national fishing licence. On their website, you can buy fishing licences, which give access to fishing throughout the country. You can choose to buy a fishing licence for a day, a week or a whole year.

Many put & takes have a shop where equipment is often sold, and Fyelmose Put & Take does just that in its shop, Fyelshop. In Horsens, there is a large outdoor shop with a large section with fishing tackle, including starter packs for put & take fishing. If you can’t get to Horsens, you can also visit their large webshop.

On Fishingindenmark’s digital map, you can see if a fishing association has fishing rights for a particular lake. If so, you need a fishing licence to fish there. If the lake is not marked on the map, fishing is generally not allowed. Fishing is free in a number of state-owned forest lakes. In the Coastal Land, this applies to Elverdam Lake in Bjerre Forest. Please note, however, that fishing from a boat is never allowed in state-owned areas. On some lakes, fishing is permitted on a limited stretch of the lakeshore. In the Coastal Land, this applies to Mos Lake and Ring Lake.

As with pier fishing, when fishing from a dock you have the opportunity to get to deep water without pulling on your waders.
In general, harbour fishing does not require much in terms of equipment - everyone can join in. A fishing rod, a leader and bait are all you need.
In the narrow, inner Horsens Harbour area, fish may have difficulty finding their way out, once they have entered. There are, therefore, good chances of a catch here.

On an island, you are relatively independent of wind and weather conditions. It is easy to move to another spot on the island where there is shelter, if the wind were to change. Islands in fjords often mean that the fairways are narrow which, in turn, means that there is often a high concentration of fish in one particular area.

Put & take is a fun form of fishing with good chances of catching fish. There are plenty of fish in the lakes, and they are also easily accessible, so you can pick several different spots. Put & take lakes have good facilities such as a shop where you can buy and hire equipment, lakeside parking and a cleaning room so you can prepare your fish and take it home. At the same time, put & take is a more social form of fishing with good opportunities to take a break and lunch at the tables/benches set up and chat with strangers.

For families, put & take is the obvious way to try fishing for the first time, to hone your technique or just to have a fun and different nature experience. And if the children get impatient, there’s often a playground near the lakes.

Piers are unique places to fish because there is a good chance of a catch. The large rocks attract small fish which, in turn, attract the larger predatory fish.
At the same time, the pier is a great way to get to deep water without pulling on your waders.

Har du styr på, hvornår du kan fange de forskellige fisk? I denne kalender kan du danne dig et overblik over, hvornår du har optimale vilkår for fangst af de forskellige fiskearter. 

Du kan også se kalendere for mindstemål på Fiskeristyrelsens hjemmeside.

No. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to fish while in a canoe - fishing must be done from land.

There are several campsites and canoeing campsites along the Gudenå river, and fishing is often permitted from their grounds during overnight stays. Here is an overview:

Tørring Camping: Fishing is allowed from the campsite grounds during overnight stays. 

Åle Tent Site: Fishing is not allowed.

Camp Åstedbro: Fishing is not allowed.

Gudenå Camping & Canoe Rental: Fishing is allowed from the campsite grounds during overnight stays. 

Vestbirk Camping: Association fishing licences can be purchased for the three Vestbirk Lakes, which are part of the Gudenå river.  

Voervadsbro Tent Site: Fishing from the site is allowed during overnight stays. 

 

 

No. Fishing is free on Danish coasts. As always, you must have your national fishing licence when fishing in Denmark, but you do not have to go to your local fishing association to buy an association fishing licence.

Some put & take lakes have equipment hire so you can try your hand at fishing without having to spend a lot of money. You can hire a rod and buy bait in Fyelshop at Fyelmose Put & Take.

Fishing licences

You must have a fishing licence and often an association fishing licence to fish in Denmark. But what exactly is the difference?

A fishing licence is mandatory and gives access to fishing throughout Denmark. You can buy the national fishing licence, which gives access to fishing for a day, a week or a whole year on the Danish Fisheries Agency's website.

A fishing license is required, whether you are fishing in the sea, on the coast or in streams. And regardless of whether you are fishing or catching crabs or shellfish. Everyone aged 18-65 must have a fishing licence.

Furthermore, there are local fishing associations, each offering fishing waters in Denmark. Often you need to buy an association fishing licence from the local fishing association that gives access to fishing in a particular area. In return, the fisheries association cares for and maintains the waters.

At fiskekort.dk you can find information about fishing waters and buy fishing licences

Where shall we sleep tonight?

Tunø Tent Site on Tunø in the East Jutland Archipelago - part of Destination Coastal Land

Find accommodation for your fishing holiday

Photo: Destination Coastal Land