North Macedonia
North Macedonia Lakes & Rivers Fishing Map
Find your stretch of water. Explore the lakes and rivers, get to know the species and plan your next day by the water.
Lakes and riversAll 41 grounds on the map
01 / Discover the waters
North Macedonia Lakes & Rivers fishing spots 41
Choose a place, explore its details or go straight to its pin on the map.
A total of 41 grounds; the first 41 of them are below.
Matching grounds:
Crna River middle reaches
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Kavadarci · Crna River (tributary of Vardar) middle reaches - montainous
Explore ground →Crna River middle reaches at Bučin
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Kruševo · Crna River (tributary of Vardar) middle reaches at Bučin [41
Explore ground →Show 35 more grounds
No matching grounds. Try another place or explore all grounds on the map.
02 / Species
What can you catch in the lakes and rivers of North Macedonia?
Meet the species recorded in these waters. Open a species for its techniques, bait and fishing grounds.
Matching species:
Common carp
Cyprinus carpio
European chub
Squalius cephalus
Brown trout
Salmo trutta
Wels catfish
Silurus glanis
European perch
Perca fluviatilis
Danube barbel
Barbus balcanicus
Prussian carp
Carassius gibelio
Rudd
Scardinius erythrophthalmus
Pumpkinseed
Lepomis gibbosus
Rainbow trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Silver carp
Hypophthalmichthys molitrix
Roach
Rutilus rutilus
Northern pike
Esox lucius
Tench
Tinca tinca
Brown bullhead
Ameiurus nebulosus
Black bullhead
Ameiurus melas
Ruffe
Gymnocephalus cernua
Pikeperch
Sander lucioperca
No matching species. Try another name or see every species in the catalog.
In season · November
North Macedonia Lakes & Rivers fishing calendar
Species with a productive season this month. Seasonal data is a guide, not a guarantee of a catch.
Species counts peak in the lakes and rivers of North Macedonia in Aug, Jul, Sep — the strip shows how many species are productive in each month.
- 0 Jan
- 0 Feb
- 3 Mar
- 2 Apr
- 3 May
- 8 Jun
- 14 Jul
- 16 Aug
- 14 Sep
- 8 Oct
- 4 Nov
- 3 Dec
The height of the strip is the number of productive species in that month; it is not a guarantee of a catch. The turquoise column is the current month.
What is caught in the lakes and rivers of North Macedonia month by month
For each month, the species in season — the most seasonal ones first.
- Jan
- No records
- Feb
- No records
- Mar
- Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Roach
- Apr
- Rainbow trout, Brown trout
- Jun
- Pumpkinseed, Prussian carp, Silver carp, Brown bullhead, European perch, Ruffe and 2 more species
- Jul
- Tench, Black bullhead, Wels catfish, Rudd, Pumpkinseed, Common carp and 8 more species
- Aug
- Danube barbel, Tench, Black bullhead, Wels catfish, Rudd, Pumpkinseed and 10 more species
- Sep
- Danube barbel, Wels catfish, Rudd, Common carp, Northern pike, Silver carp and 8 more species
- Oct
- Common carp, Northern pike, Pikeperch, European perch, Ruffe, European chub and 2 more species
- Nov
- Northern pike, Pikeperch, Rainbow trout, Roach
- Dec
- Northern pike, Rainbow trout, Roach
What bites in the lakes and rivers of North Macedonia this month
Ranked by this month’s research score at the lake and river spots of this region.
Good
- Rainbow trout
- Pikeperch
- European chub
- Northern pike
- European perch
- Common carp
- Brown trout
- Roach
- Ruffe
Weak
- Rudd
- Wels catfish
- Silver carp
- Tench
- Danube barbel
- Prussian carp
- Pumpkinseed
- Black bullhead
- Brown bullhead
A 0–100 score from season, water temperature, habitat and local records; a general trend, not a guarantee.
Before you cast
Rules specific to this region 41
The entries are summaries compiled from that country’s fishing legislation; each lists its legal basis and official source. The official text is binding, and rules can vary by state and by water. Check the rules on your permit before you fish.
Legal framework and permits
Fisheries and Aquaculture Act (Службен весник на РСМ 64/2024 (March 2024), 160/2025; replaced the former Act No. 7/2008 (last amended 150/21) (Art. 112)). Art. 4: fishing waters are standing and flowing waters; waters of strictly protected areas, protection zones of water bodies intended for human consumption, waters subject to a special prohibition decision and waters lying entirely on private property are not considered fishing waters. Art. 5: fishing areas are designated by ministry list as commercial 'риболовни зони' and 'рекреативни зони (ревири)'. Art. 37: fishing is permitted all year outside the natural spawning closed period; closed periods, gear and minimum sizes are set by the minister. Art. 83 prohibitions, Art. 84 minister's power to impose additional area/period-based bans (aquaculture prohibited in Ohrid, Prespa and Dojran). Permit: Arts. 40-43: First a 'легитимација за рекреативен риболов' (angler ID), issued once by the МРФ through clubs and renewed annually, is required. Then a 'дозвола' is obtained: state permit (1 year, all recreational zones except attractive zones; issued by the ministry, 9,000 MKD in 2026), zone-based annual, monthly, 3-day and daily permits (issued by users). Under-15s may fish with the legitimacija only, accompanied by an adult with a permit. Foreigners may obtain monthly, 3-day and daily permits without a legitimacija. Persons with disabilities pay 50%. Keeping a catch record is mandatory. Competent authority: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy (МЗШВ); State Agricultural Inspectorate; Macedonian Fishing Federation (МРФ) for supervision and documentation.
Legal basis: Закон за рибарство и аквакултура communiqué text
Legal framework and permits
Regulation on closed periods, permitted fishing gear, minimum sizes and marking of boats/gear (Бр. 33-2706/3, 29.10.2025 (Sl. vesnik issue could not be determined); repealed the minimum size regulations 24/11, 57/13, 48/17 and the gear regulations 24/11, 57/14). Art. 2: closed period of at least 30 days per year for all species, at least 90 days for trout species. Framework closed periods by species in Table 1; users set the exact dates within this framework. Table 2 lists permanently protected species. At Dojran the closed period is set each year with Greece within 15.04-30.06. Art. 5: recreational gear. For species other than trout, a maximum of 2 rods with 3 hooks each or 3 rods with 1 hook each may be used. For trout, 1 rod and 1 spoon (single hook), 2 hooks on 1 wobbler or 3 flies may be used. On Lake Ohrid trolling (2 rods from a boat, max. 10 spoons per rod) is permitted only on Sundays and public holidays. Art. 6: minimum sizes. Competent authority: МЗШВ.
Legal basis: Правилник за времето на забрана, дозволените риболовни средства, големината на… communiqué text
Legal framework and permits
Ohrid Gölü: Lake Ohrid fisheries plan (Sl. vesnik 222/2024; recreational use contract МЗШВ 33-2837/1, 21.02.2025 (user: ПИТОН ФИШИНГ)). For the recreational zone 'Охридско Езеро' the user announces species-specific closed periods each year. Permit: the zone permit is obtained from the user. Competent authority: МЗШВ / user Питон Фишинг ДОО.
Legal basis: Ohrid Lake: Риболовна основа за Охридско Езеро communiqué text
Legal framework and permits
2026 fishing bans (user notifications) (2026; 30 documents on the МРФ website). Each user notifies the МРФ and the inspectorate of the annual closed periods for its own zone. Examples: Vardar-Skopje, Gradče, Mladost, Mantovo, Bregalnica-Vinica, Crna Reka, Crn Drim-Globočica, Mavrovo-Radika, Ohrid, Prespa, Debar, Tikveš, Dojran, Kozjak, Strežево, Kruševo, Pčinja. Competent authority: Users + МРФ.
Legal basis: Забрани за риболов 2026 (концесионери / корисници) communiqué text
General closed season
Fishing is permitted all year, except for the ban during the natural spawning period. Species not in the table may be fished all year without restriction. Exact dates are set by the users. Period: by species, at least 30 days; for trout at least 90 days.
Legal basis: Law Art. 37; Pravilnik 29.10.2025 Art. 2 communiqué text
Methods and bait
Prohibited: catching fish by forcibly snagging them with tackle (snatching/grabuljanje) and with treble hooks; landing net attached to the rod; dividing, draining or diverting water; installing devices at culverts, canals and dams; being at the water's edge with explosives, firearms, chemicals or nets. Also prohibited: fishing in declared protected areas (art. 83 item 2), fishing within 15 m of cages (item 11) and selling recreational catch (item 4). Period: All year.
Legal basis: Law Art. 83 items 4, 12, 14 communiqué text
General provision
Fishing and sale of permits are prohibited in fishing areas without a user (concessionaire). Transport of unlicensed catch or of caught fish is prohibited. Fine: MKD equivalent of 250 EUR for fishing during the closed period or fishing without a permit. Period: All year.
Legal basis: Law Art. 83 items 1, 19, 20 communiqué text
Night fishing
No national night fishing ban was found in the law or the 2025 regulation. Night fishing rules may be contained in the users' zone rules.
Legal basis: - communiqué text
General provision
Mavrovo-Radika (NP Mavrovo): Fishing for Radika trout is permitted only on weekends and public holidays. In July and August permitted every day on the Radika and its tributaries. Period: During the trout season.
Legal basis: Mavrovo-Radika (NP Mavrovo): NP Mavrovo 2026 annual protection and recreational fishing… communiqué text
Protected species
Prespa trout (Lake Prespa) (Salmo peristericus): fishing prohibited.
Legal basis: Pravilnik 33-2706/3 (29.10.2025) Art. 2 st. 4 Table 2 communiqué text
Protected species
Prespa chub, Prespa barbel (Lake Prespa) (Squalius prespensis, Barbus prespensis): fishing prohibited.
Legal basis: Pravilnik 2025 Table 2 communiqué text
Protected species
Crucian carp (middle and lower Vardar basin, Crna Reka) (Carassius carassius): fishing prohibited.
Legal basis: Pravilnik 2025 Table 2 communiqué text
Protected species
Tench (lower Vardar basin) (Tinca tinca): fishing prohibited.
Legal basis: Pravilnik 2025 Table 2 communiqué text
Protected species
Balkan streber (vretenar) (Zingel balcanicus): fishing prohibited.
Legal basis: Pravilnik 2025 Table 2 communiqué text
Closed season and minimum size
Ohrid trout (Salmo letnica), Lake Ohrid — Closed season: 01.11 – 31.03. Minimum size: 35 (trout in still waters). Framework period; the user sets the exact period of at least 90 days within it. It was 40 cm in the old regulation 24/2011. There was a commercial fishing moratorium between 2004 and 2014. Today recreational fishing is permitted outside the closed period.
Legal basis: Pravilnik 29.10.2025 Art. 2 Table 1; Art. 6 communiqué text
Closed season and minimum size
Ohrid Gölü (Питон Фишинг 2026): Ohrid trout (Salmo letnica), recreational zone Охридско Езеро — Closed season: 01.12 – 28.02. Minimum size: 35 cm. 2026 application.
Legal basis: Ohrid Lake (Питон Фишинг 2026): User report бр. 09-11/1, 15.01.2026; Ри… communiqué text
Closed season and minimum size
Ohrid belvica (Salmo ohridanus), Lake Ohrid — Closed season: 01.11 – 31.03. Minimum size: 22 cm. The Ohrid user's 2026 dates: 01.12-28.02.
Legal basis: Pravilnik 2025 Art. 2, Art. 6 communiqué text
Closed season and minimum size
Brown trouts (Macedonian, Pelagonian, Drin) (Salmo macedonicus, Salmo pelagonicus, Salmo farioides), Rivers and other waters — Closed season: 01.10 – 31.01. Minimum size: 30 (rivers). NP Mavrovo applies 01.10-31.01 for the Radika trout in 2026. An older source gives 01.10-15.02 for Crna Reka.
Legal basis: Pravilnik 2025 Art. 2, Art. 6 communiqué text
Closed season and minimum size
Carp (krap) (Cyprinus carpio), All waters — Closed season: 15.04 – 30.06. Minimum size: 40 cm. User dates: Ohrid 15.05-15.06; Mavrovo 15.05-30.06 (2026). Extraordinary carp ban at Kozjak reservoir for 2026.
Legal basis: Pravilnik 2025 Art. 2, Art. 6 communiqué text
Closed season and minimum size
Chubs (klen, utman, bušar) (Squalius vardarensis, S. orpheus, S. squalus), All waters — Closed season: 15.04 – 30.06. Minimum size: 30 cm. User dates: Ohrid 15.05-15.06; Mavrovo 05.05-15.06 (2026).
Legal basis: Pravilnik 2025 Art. 2, Art. 6 communiqué text
The first 20 of 41 entries are listed.
Frequently asked
What can you catch in the lakes and rivers of North Macedonia?
18 species are on record in the lakes and rivers of North Macedonia: Common carp, European chub, Brown trout, Wels catfish, European perch, Danube barbel, Prussian carp, Rudd and others.
What can you catch in the lakes and rivers of North Macedonia in each month?
The month with the most species in season is August (16 species). By season: winter: Northern pike and Rainbow trout; spring: Brown trout and Roach; summer: Pumpkinseed and Tench; autumn: Common carp and Pikeperch.
How many fishing grounds are there in the lakes and rivers of North Macedonia?
There are 41 fishing grounds on record in the lakes and rivers of North Macedonia; each has its own page with the location, the species caught and the conditions that suit it.
