Pike, zander and perch in Europe 2027: closed seasons, sizes and lure bans
There is no European predator season: in 2027 pike reopens on 24 April 2027 in most of France, between 1 April 2027 and 1 June 2027 in Germany, and on the dates of each canton or region elsewhere. This guide puts France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Benelux and Spain side by side for pike, zander, perch and black bass, with the source of every line.
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What the guide contains
- France: the national pike calendar 2027 calculated from the Code de l’environnement, the lure ban, and 96 departments (sizes, daily limits, 2026 dates of the orders)
- Germany (16 states) and Austria (9 states): pike and zander closed seasons, first angling day 2027, minimum sizes, plus perch
- Switzerland (23 cantons) and Italy (16 regions and provinces): pike, zander, perch and black bass, water by water, as written in the regulation
- Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg: seasons, sizes, daily limits; Spain: where pike, zander and black bass are invasive and what that changes
- Lure and bait-fish bans during the closures, country by country, and a month-by-month planner for pike and zander
- Catch and release after a published study, a glossary of regulation words in five languages, a checklist and the source of every line
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The reference guide to freshwater fishing rules, zone by zone
- 279regulated zones
- 22countries covered
- 1,069sources cited, line by line
- 32species followed
- 7languages
Figures for the whole site (all countries, all zones), counted in our data when it is built. Texts last checked: 22 October 2026. Our method
Checked51 automated checks on every site update, texts last checked on 22 October 2026
Method
- Primary sources: official texts of fishing authorities
- Every rule linked to its source, line by line
- Check date shown on every page
SourcesThe whole site: 1,069 cited sources, in 22 countries
This guide: official texts checked on 22 October 2026 (the date above is for the whole site).
In pictures
Illustrative photos, published by their authors under free licences.
Contents
- The 2027 predator season in one minute
- France: national calendar 2027 and departments
- Germany: pike and zander in the 16 states
- Austria: the 9 states
- Switzerland: canton by canton
- Italy: region by region
- Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg
- Spain: pike, zander and black bass are invasive
- Lure and bait bans during the closures
- Monthly planner 2027
- Measuring, unhooking, releasing
- Reading a foreign regulation: glossary
- Checklist before a fishing trip abroad
- Sources and method
Free extract: the Austria table and two zone pages
The Austria table from chapter 4 and two zone pages from chapters 5 and 6, exactly as they appear in the guide.
| State | Pike: closed season | Pike: first day 2027 | Pike min. | Zander: closed season | Zander: first day 2027 | Zander min. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burgenland | closed 1 Feb – 30 Apr | Saturday 1 May 2027 | 50 cm | closed 1 Apr – 31 May | Tuesday 1 June 2027 | 35 cm |
| Carinthia | closed 1 Jan – 30 Apr | Saturday 1 May 2027 | 55 cm | closed 1 Jan – 31 May | Tuesday 1 June 2027 | 45 cm |
| Lower Austria | closed 1 Feb – 30 Apr | Saturday 1 May 2027 | 50 cm | closed 1 Apr – 31 May | Tuesday 1 June 2027 | 35 cm |
| Upper Austria | closed 1 Feb – 30 Apr | Saturday 1 May 2027 | 60 cm | closed 1 Mar – 30 Apr | Saturday 1 May 2027 | 50 cm |
| Salzburg | closed 1 Feb – 30 Apr | Saturday 1 May 2027 | 50 cm | closed 16 Mar – 31 May | Tuesday 1 June 2027 | 40 cm |
| Styria | closed 1 Jan – 15 May | Sunday 16 May 2027 | 40 cm | closed 1 Mar – 31 May | Tuesday 1 June 2027 | 40 cm |
| Tyrol | closed 1 Mar – 30 Apr | Saturday 1 May 2027 | 50 cm | closed 1 Apr – 31 May | Tuesday 1 June 2027 | 45 cm |
| Vorarlberg | closed 1 Apr – 30 Apr | Saturday 1 May 2027 | 40 cm | closed 1 Apr – 31 May | Tuesday 1 June 2027 | 40 cm |
| Vienna | closed 1 Feb – 30 Apr | Saturday 1 May 2027 | 55 cm | closed 1 Apr – 31 May | Tuesday 1 June 2027 | 45 cm |
Ticino
| Species | Waters (as named in the regulation) | Season rule | Min. size | Daily limit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike | general rule | — | 45 cm | — | — |
| Pike | Lakes Maggiore and Lugano | closed 15 Mar – 30 Apr | — | 2/day | — |
| Zander | Lakes Maggiore and Lugano | closed 1 Apr – 31 May | 40 cm | 5/day | Temporary protection zones (all fishing banned) during the same period. |
| Perch | general rule | — | 18 cm | — | — |
| Perch | Lakes Maggiore and Lugano | closed 1 Apr – 31 May | — | 50/day | — |
Lombardy
Day and month fixed by the regulation in force: the same dates apply in 2027 unless the text is amended.
| Species | Waters (as named in the regulation) | Season rule | Min. size | Daily limit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike | general rule | closed 20 Feb – 31 Mar | 40 cm | 2/day | — |
| Perch | general rule | closed 5 Apr – 20 May | 16 cm | — | — |
Who it is for
- The lure angler who drives to France, Germany or Austria for pike and zander and does not want a fine on the first day
- The perch angler who wants to know where a small soft plastic is illegal in spring
- Anglers who fish border waters (Rhine, Moselle, Lake Constance, Lake Geneva, Lake Maggiore) and need both sides
- Guides, clubs and tackle shops asked every spring “when does pike open over there?”
Who it is not for
- Anglers looking for spots or rigs: the guide covers the rules
- Sea anglers: coastal and sea fishing are not covered, apart from the German coastal rules for pike and zander
- Anglers fishing only in the UK or Ireland: those countries are not covered
How to use the guide
The guide is not an official document: the regulation of the country and the rules of the water owner apply, and they can be stricter. 2027 dates are calculated from the written rule or taken from texts in force, and marked as such; when a rule is missing from our records the guide says so. Lake and river names without an English form stay as written in the regulation, and a glossary helps you read the original texts.
Frequently asked questions
When does pike season open in 2027?
It depends on the country and region. France (2nd-category waters): 24 April 2027 under the national rule. Germany: from 1 April 2027 in Brandenburg to 1 June 2027 in Hamburg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. Austria: mostly 1 May. Switzerland and Italy: on the dates of each canton or region, listed in the guide.
Can I fish for perch with lures while pike is closed?
Often not. France bans lures able to catch pike in 2nd-category waters during the pike closure; Wallonia, Flanders, the Netherlands and several German states ban lures or bait fish in spring. Chapter 9 lists the rules we found and their sources.
Is there a closed season for zander?
In most countries yes, but not always on the same dates as pike: in Germany often until 31 May, in Austria until 31 May in most states; Hesse has none. In France there is no national zander closure, but many departments set one.
How current is the information?
The official texts were last checked on 22 October 2026; every line names its source and the status of its dates.
Further reading
- Zander: biology, closed seasons and methods
- Northern pike: biology, closed seasons and methods
- Fishing regulations in Germany
€24.00 · $26.90 VAT included, one-off payment
Get my pike & zander guide — €24.00
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For €65.00 more, the bundle: 5 PDF guides, €17.80 per guide. →