Fishing in Croatia: how and where?

As if stunning beaches, fascinating history and breathtaking natural parks weren’t already enough, Croatia is blessed with a wealth of fantastic outdoor pursuits to keep you occupied while you’re on holiday in this beautiful country. Among them is various kinds of fishing, which is a great way to spend time in the fresh air and enjoy the scenery while you see what you can catch. Let’s find out more about fishing in Croatia for carp and other popular species of fish.

Types of fishing in Croatia

Sea fishing is an exciting activity when you’re on holiday in Croatia, with sports angling and recreational fishing both popular pastimes here, and the Adriatic Coast a scenic place to catch fish of all shapes and sizes. You have the choice of fishing from a boat, staying on the shore, or even having a go at underwater spear-gun fishing.
In the Adriatic, you’ll find a diverse array of potential catches, with over 400 species including sea bream, mullet, sea bass, squid and cuttlefish. There’s plenty of fishing to be had all along the coast in popular resorts such as Porec, while islands such as Svetac, Mali Lošinj and Jabuka also offer interesting fishing opportunities for sea anglers. There’s lots more inspiration here.

Of course, there’s also lots of opportunity for freshwater fishing (angling). Why not fish for trout and pike in the Korona, a river that runs from the popular Plitvice Lakes National Park (which we’ve written about here)? When it comes to carp fishing, Croatia also boasts over 12,000 hectares of carp fisheries, so if that’s your catch of choice, Croatia is the place to be.
Another option, if it’s carp you’re after, is to try fishing from a boat or fishing kayak on Vransko Lake, the largest in Croatia, where good fishing is guaranteed. Head there in February or March for pike, April or May for carp, or from mid-April to mid-June for catfish (note that eel fishing is strictly prohibited here). Lake Sumbar is touted as the next big thing in carp fishing, with plentiful fish growing up to 90lb or more; find out more here.

Fishing regulations in Croatia

You need a licence for fishing in Croatia, and you can buy these for different periods of time from tourist agencies. There are certain restrictions in place governing things like how much you can catch, what species are off-limits, and where you can fish. You’ll find more detail on sea fishing regulations here and on freshwater fishing regulations here.
For more inspiration for activities you can look forward to on your Croatia holiday, take a look at some of our other Croatia posts.