Information checked: September 2026. Local details such as opening hours, prices, timetables and regulations change – please check them with the linked source before your visit.
Sources: LALLF M-V – fishing permits online · Amt Mönchgut-Granitz – fishing licence · South-East Rügen Biosphere Reserve
Kurz beantwortet
Do you need a licence to fish on Rügen?
Yes. For the coastal waters of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern you need a valid fishing licence – for visitors the time-limited tourist fishing licence – plus a fishing permit (water map) for the particular water.
The tourist fishing licence includes the fishing levy, but that does not replace the fishing permit. Both documents are available through the state portal.
Apply for fishing authorisations online (LALLF M-V)Where can you get a tourist fishing licence in Baabe?
At the spa administration of the seaside resort of Baabe in the Haus des Gastes, Am Kurpark 9. Alternatively digitally via the LALLF state portal.
The same documents are available at the spa administrations of Göhren (Poststraße 9) and Mönchgut (tourist information Middelhagen, Dorfstraße 4). Opening hours change with the season – please check in advance.
Amt Mönchgut-Granitz: fishing licenceCan you fish from the beach?
Surf fishing from the Baltic coast is generally possible with a valid permit – but there are protected zones and closed areas, for example in the South-East Rügen Biosphere Reserve and on bathing beaches.
Which sections are closed in season is regulated by the local authorities. Find out before your first cast from the spa administration or via the water map.
South-East Rügen Biosphere ReserveWhat is the fishing levy in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern?
The fishing levy is a state charge for practising fishing. It is already included in the tourist fishing licence.
For holders of an annual or lifetime licence it is kept as a levy stamp. The state sets the amount – current figures are available from the LALLF.
Current levies and permits at the LALLFWhere people fish on Mönchgut
Mönchgut offers two very different grounds. Towards the Baltic lie the open beaches of Baabe, Sellin and Göhren with surf, sandy bottom and changing currents. Towards the bodden lie calmer waters with reed belts, harbour structures and mixed ground.
The Selliner See and the Greifswald Bodden are shallow bodden lakes. They react quickly to wind and temperature – with an onshore wind the water clouds and conditions change.
For beginners the bodden shores are more pleasant than the open Baltic: less current, no surf, but also fewer fish. Surf anglers on the Baltic need heavier tackle, because waves and current demand more weight.
Fishing on the Baltic: surf and coast
Surf fishing works well on the open Baltic above all in the cooler months. In spring and autumn fish move closer to the coast as the water cools. In high summer the bathing beaches are busy as well.
Watching weather and waves matters. On the Baltic the wind can turn quickly; fishing with onshore wind and high waves is dangerous and usually yields little.
Typical species on the Baltic coast are cod, herring, plaice, flounder and garfish – depending on the season and water temperature. Herring and garfish matter above all in spring, cod and flatfish more in the cooler season.
Shore fishing and fishing spots
Shore fishing is possible from accessible coastal sections, piers and harbour moles, provided you do not fish where it is forbidden. At piers and in harbours special rules often apply – ask locally.
Good spots are recognisable by structure: groynes, stone packing, harbour entrances and transitions between sand and mixed ground. You find such places more often on the bodden coast than on the open Baltic beach.
An overview of the waters and their leaseholders is in the state's water map. Local angling clubs know the current conditions and are happy to advise.
Fishing in spring, summer and autumn
Spring: as water temperatures rise, herring and garfish come closer to the coast. This is the classic time for fishing on the Baltic.
Summer: the bathing beaches are full, the water is warm and the fish sit deeper. The early morning hours and dusk are better.
Autumn: as the water cools again, cod and flatfish come closer. Stormy days restrict fishing – safety first.
Fishing permit and licence: how to get the documents
| Document | What it is for | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist fishing licence | Permission for inland and coastal waters in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, time-limited; fishing levy included | Online from the LALLF or at the spa administrations in Baabe, Göhren and Mönchgut |
| Fishing permit (water map) | Permission for the specific water within the state's own fishing rights | Online from the LALLF; for inland waters from the owner or leaseholder |
| Fishing levy stamp | Levy for inland and coastal waters where it is not included in the licence | Online from the LALLF |
| Renewing the licence | Extension of the digital tourist fishing licence | Online from the LALLF |
Information according to Amt Mönchgut-Granitz and the LALLF M-V, as of September 2026. Legal basis and prices can change – the authorities' current information always applies.
Legal notes and how current this is
Fishing law is state law and changes. Closed seasons, minimum sizes, protected zones and levies can change without much public announcement. So do not rely on pages like this one, but check the authorities' current information before every fishing day.
Especially important: in the South-East Rügen Biosphere Reserve protection rules apply, and on bathing beaches fishing is not allowed everywhere during bathing hours.
This page gives an overview and links to the official bodies. It does not replace legal advice.