Fishing and Angling on Lake Balaton
 

FISHING REGULATIONS ON LAKE BALATON

 

Fishing on Lake Balaton and its water system is performed by Balaton Fish Management Non-Profit Ltd.(1 Horgony street, Siófok, 8600). Anglers on Lake Balaton must be aware and keep the stricter local Balaton Fishing Regulations in addition to the valid state regulations. Not knowing the rules means no exemption from the consequences.

The rules of fishing are firstly controlled by the Act XLI of 1997 and relating regulations. Secondly, Balaton Fishing Regulations reflecting local specialities must also be kept. Thirdly, there are some unwritten ethical rules which should not be broken either.

Our rules promote the real aims of fishing: fair catch of fish, careful treatment of the fish caught; as well as spending free time in a useful, relaxing and healthy way. Besides these, we have tried to establish a set of rules which can provide a solution to the common problems of anglers on Lake Balaton, tries to protect the fish stock of the lake and only minimally limits the fair, sportsmanlike anglers.

 

  1. Fishing can be pursued on Lake Balaton and its water system – listed on the area licence – only with a valid state angling ticket and an area licence.
  2. Local fishing regulations must be known before angling and must be kept during it.
  3. Anglers must show their personal documents, fishing licence and fish catch record book and let their vehicle be checked when it is asked by the authorities. (police, fishing authority officials, fishing guards, field guards or rangers)
  4. It is illegal to fish using live bait, dead fish slice or artificial bait and keep asp, pike, catfish, Volga pikeperch, perch and pikeperch between 1st March and 31st March.
  5. Fishing is allowed only from the shore between 1st April and 30th April. It is illegal to fish from a craft (including sailing ships, boats, etc.), bathing equipment or a pier not joined to the land during this time period.
  6. It is illegal to use fish sonar between 1st November and 31st March to protect the inactive fish resting at the bottom.
  7. It is illegal to fish at night (between 10 pm and 4 am) from a craft (including sailing ships, boats, etc.) between 1st November and 31st March. This restriction is not placed on shore fishing.
  8. For adult anglers the daily quota of the species protected with a size limit is 5 pieces altogether but no more than 3 pieces of each species or 10 kilograms of each species. When the 10 kg limit is over with the particular fish caught – it can be kept but that species cannot be fished on again that day. In case of species without a size limit a total quantity of 10 kg per day is allowed to catch.
  9. For junior anglers (between 14 and 18 years) the daily quota of the species protected with a size limit is 3 pieces altogether but no more than 2 pieces of each species or 10 kilograms of each species. When the 10 kg limit is over with the particular fish caught – it can be kept but that species cannot be fished on again that day. In case of species without a size limit a total quantity of 5 kg per day is allowed to catch.
  10. Children anglers (under 14 years) are not allowed to catch fish species protected with a size limit. In case of species without a size limit a total quantity of 3 kg per day is allowed to catch.
  11. You are allowed to catch fish enabled for only one day by the regulations when you have a 24-hour area licence.
  12. You are allowed to catch fish enabled for only three days by the regulations when you have a 72-hour area licence and you must keep the daily limits according to the regulations.
  13. It is allowed to catch only one predatory fish protected with a size limit per day on Kis-Balaton.
  14. Adult anglers may use two fishing rods at the same time, with maximum 3 hooks on each.
  15. Junior anglers (between 14 and 18 years) may use one rod at the same time, with maximum two hooks on each.
  16. Children anglers (under 14 years) may use one rod at the same time, with maximum one hook on it and they can use the float method only.
  17. Trolling is allowed only with one rod kept in your hand.
  18. It is compulsory to record all the fish caught in Lake Balaton in the fish catch record book issued by Balaton Fish Management Non-Profit Ltd. It is the only valid fish catch record book on Lake Balaton.
  19. It is compulsory to record the date in the fish catch record book at the beginning of angling. In case of fishing from a craft (including sailing ships, boats, etc.) the time of departure is the date and it is compulsory to record it when the craft leaves the shore.
  20. It is compulsory to record the eel or the fish protected with a size limit immediately after the catch. Other fish species (ziege /Pelecus cultratus/ and other species) have to be recorded after the fishing but not later than leaving the shore.
  21. It is compulsory to record the exact time (minute, hour, day) of the catch in case of the eel or a fish protected with a size limit.
  22. It is compulsory to record the exact place of the catch. In case of the shore of Lake Balaton you have to write the name of the nearest town or village, in case of fishing from a craft (including sailing ships, boats, etc.) you have to write the name of the town or village where the craft left the port.
  23. The fish must be released immediately in a gentle way even it is injured or dead if it must be released because of any limitations.
  24. It is illegal to pain the fish caught. You have to kill it immediately or keep it alive until you leave the angling spot.
  25. If you want to take the fish caught in a legal way and protected with a size limit you have to kill it before leaving the angling spot in a quick and humane way. It is illegal to transport living fish.
  26. It is illegal to replace or release the fish caught and put in a keepnet, on a string or on a metal keeper later. You have to release the fish you want to immediately after the catch.
  27. It is strictly illegal to sell or financially barter the fish caught.
  28. It is illegal to give the fish away on the shore.
  29. It is illegal to take in the bait or carry it on a feeding boat. The only legal way to put the bait into the water is to throw it.
  30. It is illegal to process the caught fish on the angling spot or in the boat until the end of angling.
  31. It is compulsory to keep the temporary restrictions on the fish-introducing spots.
  32. It is illegal to leave the angling spot, leave the fishing rods unattended or let them to another person during your fishing.
  33. It is strictly illegal to use the so called ‘raking’ method or another method in which the hook is put into the body of the fish from outside.
  34. It is illegal to keep the fish hooked from outside.
  35. It is compulsory to light the angling spot at night and in poor visibility.
  36. It is strictly illegal to use stone moroko (Pseudorasbora parva) or Prussian carp (Carassius auratus) as live bait or release them into Lake Balaton - to protect its native fish.
  37. It is illegal to destroy or damage aquatic plants, plants on the shore or the shore protecting objects.
  38. It is illegal to start or continue fishing if there is rubbish on the spot. It is compulsory to leave the angling spot clean after fishing.
  39. You are not allowed to reserve an angling spot except for the piers with official permission.
  40. It is illegal to use highly nutritive feeding and a big amount of feeding materials (over 2-3 kg/day) to make fish get used to the given place.

These regulations are valid from 1st January 2013.