Special Minimum Size Regulations:

Deviating from the legal minimum sizes, the following apply:

• Pike: 60 cm / Closed season: February 1 – April 30
• Whitefish (Reinanke): 36 cm / Closed season: November 1 – January 31
• Zander: 50 cm / Closed season: February 1 – May 31
• Trout: 50 cm / Closed season: September 16 – March 15
• Carp: 40 cm / Closed season: May 1 – May 31
• Tench: 32 cm / Closed season: May 1 – June 30
• Catfish (Wels): Mandatory removal / no closed season / no minimum size

What are you allowed to fish with?

Up to 3 fishing rods, each with one bait, may be used.
Fishing with a Hegene rig is only permitted with one rod, with a maximum of 6 nymphs and a hook size not smaller than 0.14 (smaller means 0.16, 0.18, etc.).

If fishing with a Hegene, no additional rods may be used.

The use of a hand net (1x1 m) for catching bait fish is permitted.

A maximum shoreline length of 30 m may be used for placing the 3 rods.

Fishing rods must not be anchored in the water or on unattended boats.

All fishing equipment must be personally supervised by the license holder.

Floats/markers/feed buoys may not be placed more than 30 m from shore, boat, or rod.
They must be supervised and removed immediately after fishing.
A maximum of two markers per angler is allowed.

What is not allowed:

• Live bait fish (§ 32, para. 5 Upper Austrian Fisheries Act)
• Use of bait fish from other waters
• From November 1 to January 31: use of Hegene (paternoster rigs), longlines, or nets of any kind
• Holding more than one valid annual license

In May, bottom fishing and float fishing for all carp species is prohibited.
Exception: In May, bottom fishing for pike using whole dead bait fish of at least 15 cm is allowed.
(Fish pieces are strictly prohibited in May; no size limit applies outside this rule.)

General:

The use of an electric motor is only permitted for license holders with a “boat annual permit with e-motor” while actively fishing.

For trolling, the electric motor may be used from March 16 to December 31.
From January 1 to March 15, the motor must be lifted out of the water during trolling.

A maximum of 3 rods per boat is allowed when trolling.
At night, boats must be lit to avoid collisions:

• White light at the bow
• Red light at the stern

The use or possession of a fish finder (echo sounder) is prohibited.

A distance of 50 m must be kept from marked consortium marker buoys (nets or protected zones) and measurement buoys.
Fishing or navigating within 50 m of marked zander and lake trout protected zones is strictly prohibited.
This applies to both anglers and bait.

Catch limits:

Per day, you may keep:

• 3 whitefish (Reinanke)
• 3 carp
• 3 tench
• 1 lake trout or 1 zander

Caught legal-sized whitefish, pike, and catfish (no minimum size for catfish) must be kept.

Zander: max. 5 per fishing season
Carp: max. 1 over 80 cm per season, total max. 25 carp per season
Lake trout: max. 3 per season
Bream: max. 10 per day

All retained fish (except bait fish) must be immediately recorded in the catch log with date and time, including length in cm.

For lake trout, record as precisely as possible:

• Length
• Weight
• Marking (adipose fin present?)
• Catch location
• Bait
• Water depth

If daily limits are reached, fishing for that species must stop immediately.
If annual limits are reached, targeted fishing for that species is no longer allowed.

Additional rules:

• Minimum distance between anglers: 20 m
• Casting towards another angler is strictly prohibited

For whitefish fishing, a rubber-coated landing net is mandatory. Nylon nets are prohibited.

Fish that are kept must be killed immediately, otherwise released at once.
Undersized fish must be released carefully and immediately.
The use of keep nets is prohibited.

Fish may not be sold, relocated, or exchanged.

Catch log obligation:

The catch log must be submitted by January 31 of the following year to:
SAB Office – 4840 Vöcklabruck, Gmundner Str. 75 or a license issuing office.

⚠️ New licenses will only be issued upon submission of the catch log.

Children:

Children under 12 may fish with one rod and one bait from shore or boat under supervision.
Catches must be recorded in the supervising adult’s catch log.
(Hegene fishing with more than one hook is not allowed.)

Storm warning:

If storm warning signals are issued, boat anglers must leave the lake immediately.
Violations result in 5–10 penalty points (license withdrawal possible).

Restrictions for boats and e-motors:

• Max boat size: 6.00 m length / 2.00 m width
• Max structure height: 1.20 m above waterline
• Only muted colors allowed
• Boat must be rowable (oars required)
• Max motor power: 1500 watts

Boats or motors outside designated boundaries must be removed immediately.

Violations:

Violations of regulations result in license withdrawal without compensation and possible reporting to authorities.

Acknowledgment:

By signing, the license holder confirms receipt and acceptance of the regulations and agrees to inspections (boat, bags, car, etc.).
The license becomes valid only upon signing.

SAB Office
Phone/Fax: +43 7672 77672
Email: fisch@sab.at

Office hours: Fridays, 14:00–18:00 (February to end of April)

Further information can be found at “SAB Zeller Irrsee”.