Skagerrak & Kattegat · fish in season in November

Pollack Pollachius pollachius

Prefers nearshore rocky ground at 40–100 m; spawns in the Skagerrak in March–April. On the Swedish west coast it may not be fished inside the trawl limit from 1 January to 31 March.

Where: Rocky points and reef edges on the Bohuslän and Norwegian Skagerrak coast.

Shore spinning Boat spinning Float fishing Soft plastic Jig head Minnow (hard bait) Sand eel Ragworm Mackerel strip

Source: Havforskningsinstituttet · Länsstyrelsen Västra Götaland

Atlantic cod Gadus morhua

From shore it is usually caught in autumn, winter and spring; in the Kattegat it spawns in January–February. Restrictions are very strict here: banned all year in the Oslofjord; on the Swedish west coast cod, pollack and haddock may not be fished inside the trawl limit from 1 January to 31 March, and some protected areas are closed all year. In Denmark, cod caught in the Øresund may not be taken home since 2024. Not legal advice; check current rules before fishing.

Where: Stone reefs, wrecks and deep coastal slopes.

Jigging Bottom fishing Surfcasting Metal jig Soft plastic Jig head Peeler crab Lugworm Squid

Source: DTU Aqua – Fiskepleje.dk · Fishing in Denmark · Havforskningsinstituttet

Common dab Limanda limanda

Spawns in spring at about 20 m and then moves towards the coast to feed. Late summer and autumn are usually the most productive.

Where: Sandy bottoms, beaches and piers.

Surfcasting Bottom fishing Ledgering Lugworm Ragworm Mackerel strip

Source: Fishing in Denmark · Länsstyrelsen Västra Götaland

Atlantic herring Clupea harengus

Can be met along the coast all year, but big shoals usually enter the straits and fjords on the spring and autumn spawning runs; the Øresund is known for autumn herring. In early spring it can be caught from land very close in.

Where: Harbours, piers and the edges of straits.

Sabiki / feather rig Sabiki feathers

Source: DTU Aqua – Fiskepleje.dk · Fishing in Denmark

Brown trout Salmo trutta

CLOSED SEASON

On the coast the best season is usually spring, then autumn. In summer it is mostly caught in the evening and at night; in autumn and winter much of the stock is in the rivers. In Denmark coloured (spawning) sea trout are protected from 16 November to 15 January. In Sweden fishing for sea trout and salmon in coastal waters is banned from 1 October to 31 March, and an angler may keep at most two fish a day (salmon and trout combined). River mouths have no-fishing zones.

Where: Shallow mixed stone-and-weed shores, points and eelgrass edges.

Shore spinning Fly fishing Spoon Minnow (hard bait) Fly Small live fish Mackerel strip

Source: Fishing in Denmark · Fiskeristyrelsen / DTU Aqua – Fiskepleje.dk · Länsstyrelsen Västra Götaland

European flounder Platichthys flesus

Feeds close to the shore in spring and summer, and moves deeper to overwinter and spawn. Flatfish fishing is best in the warmer months, especially late summer and autumn.

Where: Sandy beaches, around piers and inner fjords.

Bottom fishing Surfcasting Ledgering Ragworm Lugworm Peeler crab

Source: DTU Aqua – Fiskepleje.dk · Fishing in Denmark

Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus

CLOSED SEASON

Protected species: protected in Sweden and Norway. Visits Danish waters in summer and autumn; DTU Aqua has tagged bluefin in the Skagerrak–Kattegat since 2017. Rod fishing is only possible within permitted catch-and-release programmes.

Trolling Live bait Boat spinning Trolling lure Popper Stickbait Sardine Mackerel strip Small live fish

Source: DTU Aqua – Fiskepleje.dk · Havforskningsinstituttet · Länsstyrelsen Västra Götaland

Spurdog Squalus acanthias

PROTECTED

Protected species: protected all year in Norway. Västra Götaland rules in Sweden allow one fish under 100 cm per angler per day, while the Halland list counts it as protected. Because the rule varies by area, releasing it is the safest choice. Dense schools are thought to be present all year in the Skagerrak and Kattegat.

Source: Fiskeridirektoratet · Länsstyrelsen Västra Götaland · Länsstyrelsen Halland

Ling Molva molva

Lives on hard ground in fairly deep water in the Skagerrak and Kattegat. An occasional catch when fishing deep from a boat.

Where: The edge of the Norwegian Trench and deep Skagerrak slopes.

Bottom fishing Jigging Drifting Metal jig Soft plastic Fish strip Mackerel strip Squid

Source: Havforskningsinstituttet

European plaice Pleuronectes platessa

Moves into shallower water in spring and deeper in autumn. In the Kattegat it spawns from late February to early March; fish are lean after spawning. Usually best in late summer and autumn.

Where: Sandy and mixed-bottom shores and shallow bays.

Surfcasting Bottom fishing Ledgering Ragworm Lugworm Peeler crab

Source: DTU Aqua – Fiskepleje.dk · Fishing in Denmark · Havforskningsinstituttet