GUIDE · FISHING · FLENSBURG FJORD

Fishing on the Flensburg Fjord — Where cod and sea trout are waiting for you

The Flensburg Fjord is one of the finest fishing grounds in Schleswig-Holstein. Brackish water means a unique mix of Baltic and freshwater species. From the Villa Boreal jetty you have everything you need — and no more than 20 minutes' drive to every other top spot in the region.

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Shore fishing

From the jetty to the peninsula — the best spots on foot or a short drive away

5 spots

Villa Boreal private jetty

0 m · right at the house

Target species: Cod, sea trout, flatfish, garfish
Season: year-round (garfish: May–June)
Gear: Spinning rod 2.70–3.00 m, casting weight 20–40 g, pilker 20–30 g or lugworm rig

Villa Boreal's biggest advantage: you don't have to drive anywhere. Cast straight from your own jetty into deeper water — at six in the morning, when mist hangs over the fjord and no one but you is awake. In spring (April/May) and autumn (September–November) cod come in close, and in May/June garfish shoals explode right in front of the jetty.

💡 Fresh catch can be filleted and cooked next door in the villa's designer kitchen — pan, sharp knives, smoker connection on the terrace.

Bockholmwik shore

approx. 800 m · 10 min on foot

Target species: Sea trout, cod, garfish
Season: March–May & September–December (sea trout)
Gear: Waders, spinning rod 3.00 m, casting weight 12–28 g, coastal wobbler or Snaps

Right along the bluff at Bockholm the seabed drops quickly to 3–5 m — a classic sea-trout spot. The best times are the hours around sunrise and sunset, ideally with an onshore north-easterly. In waders, push out 30–50 m and cast parallel to the shore.

💡 Trophy fish over 70 cm regularly show up here in April/May. Dark wobblers in clear water, lighter ones when it's cloudy.

Langballigau pier

approx. 15 km · 18 min

Target species: Cod, flatfish, eel, herring (spring)
Season: year-round — herring runs March–May
Gear: Surf rod 4.20 m, claw lead 100–150 g, lugworm or herring rig

Langballigau's harbour mole is one of the most accessible and productive spots on the fjord. The deeper channel between pier and harbour mouth produces flatfish and cod all year. In spring during the herring run it's a German folk festival here with feathered rigs — often 20+ herring per hour.

💡 Smoke your fresh catch right at the harbour smokehouse — and grab a fish roll at the kiosk.

Holnis tip

approx. 7 km · 12 min

Target species: Sea trout, cod, garfish
Season: March–May & October–December (top sea-trout spot)
Gear: Waders, spinning rod 3.00 m, casting weight 18–28 g, coastal spoons

The peninsula's tip juts far into the fjord and offers prime current edges on both sides — arguably the most famous sea-trout spot in the entire region. Caution: parts lie in the nature reserve where fishing is forbidden or restricted — heed the on-site signs.

💡 Weekends in April are crowded. For peace, come midweek or in rough weather — the spot empties out and the trout often bite better.

Solitüde shore Flensburg

approx. 12 km · 15 min

Target species: Cod, sea trout, flatfish
Season: year-round
Gear: Waders or surf gear — versatile

In the Solitüde forest, at the end of the inner Flensburg Fjord, lies one of the lesser-known stretches of coast. Unspoilt beach, hardly any tourists, quiet bays with varied depth edges. Especially magical in the evening — the sun sets right in front of you over the fjord while your rod hums in its holder.

💡 Perfect for an evening surf session for flatfish — bring a picnic, don't forget the head torch.

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Boat fishing

Guided trips, boat hire and charters — for every level of experience

3 providers

Fishing trips from Flensburg harbour

approx. 18 km · 20 min (Flensburg)

Target species: Cod, flatfish, whiting
Season: May–November
Price: approx. €60–90 per person · full-day with catering €100–130

Guided fishing trips set off regularly from Flensburg harbour onto the fjord and into the open Baltic towards Geltinger Bucht. Trips usually last 4–8 hours, gear is on board, and the skippers know the productive jigging spots. Ideal for beginners and guests arriving without their own gear.

💡 In November/December the cod fishing is often the best of the year — book early.

Boat hire Glücksburg

approx. 5 km · 8 min (Glücksburg marina)

Target species: Your call — fjord, cliff coast, Ochseninseln
Season: April–October
Price: from approx. €80/day (motorboat up to 15 hp, no licence required)

If you'd rather skipper yourself, hire a motorboat directly at Glücksburg marina. No licence required up to 15 hp — plenty to reach the productive jigging spots around the Ochseninseln and along the Bockholm cliff coast. A boat licence is only needed for larger engines.

💡 Bring a fishfinder or ask at the rental — the fjord has its sweet spots, and without a sounder you're fishing blind.

Charters from Schausende

approx. 10 km · 14 min

Target species: Cod, sea trout, flatfish — anything is possible on a charter
Season: March–December
Price: half-day from approx. €250 (whole boat up to 4 people) · full-day from €400

Schausende, on the fjord's west coast, is home to several private charter skippers offering bespoke half- or full-day trips — often including trolling for sea trout or targeted jigging trips for big cod. Maximum 4–6 anglers per trip, hands-on guidance.

💡 Ideal for groups — share the boat and spend a full day on the fjord without the tourist bustle.

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Species & season

What bites when, on what, and where — plus the minimum sizes in Schleswig-Holstein

14 species

Species	Best time	Technique	Where	Note
Sea troutSalmo trutta trutta	year-round (peak Mar–May & Oct–Nov)	Spinning (coastal wobblers/spoons), fly, sbirolino	Both	The fjord's prize fish. Spring from approx. 4 °C water temp.; „herring-eaters“ follow the shoals. Closed season 1 Oct–31 Dec for coloured fish.
GarfishBelone belone	May–Sep (peak May–Jun)	Float with fish strips, spinning, fly, garfish „pills“	Both	„When the rapeseed blooms, the garfish arrives.“ Calm, lightly rippled water is ideal.
CodGadus morhua	autumn–spring (peak Oct–Dec)	Jigging, natural bait (lugworm), spinning, surf	Both	⚠ Retention currently heavily restricted — check the EU regulation & SH coastal-fishing rules before fishing.
HerringClupea harengus	Feb–May & a 2nd run in autumn (peak April)	Herring rig (paternoster) with several hooks	Both	Spawning run into the fjord; from jetties & boat. Autumn herring are bigger and fattier.
PlaicePleuronectes platessa	Jun–Dec (peak Aug–Oct)	Surf fishing with lugworm/ragworm, flatfish rig	Shore	„Golden flounder“. Over sandy ground; also from boat with a drift rig.
FlounderPlatichthys flesus	year-round (peak Sep–Dec)	Surf fishing, flatfish rig with natural bait	Shore	Robust, also in brackish water; sandy-stony ground (Bockholmwik).
DabLimanda limanda	year-round (peak autumn–winter)	Surf fishing, fine flatfish rig	Shore	Frequent by-catch when fishing for flatfish over sand.
TurbotScophthalmus maximus	year-round (peak May–Aug)	Natural bait (fish strips/sandeel), surf & drift	Both	Culinarily the finest flatfish; rather rare, over sandbanks & reef edges.
SaithePollachius virens	autumn–winter (peak Oct–Jan)	Jigging, soft baits, natural bait	Boat	Increasingly common in the outer fjord; usually deeper water from the boat.
EelpoutZoarces viviparus	year-round (closed 15 Sep–31 Jan)	Bottom fishing with worm, flatfish rig	Shore	Live-bearing; frequent by-catch.
EelAnguilla anguilla	May–September (evening/night)	Bottom fishing with worm	Shore	Dusk and night fish. ⚠ Currently banned EU-wide year-round for recreational anglers in the Baltic — only possible in inland/brackish waters under their respective rules.
Pike (Schlei)Esox lucius	May–February (closed 15 Feb–30 Apr)	Spinning, baitfish	Boat	Brackish-water predator of the Schlei — only ~30 min away.
Zander (Schlei)Sander lucioperca	June–February (closed 15 Feb–15 May)	Soft baits, baitfish	Boat	In the Schlei, mainly in murkier, deeper water.
MackerelScomber scombrus	July–August (occasionally from June; peak August)	Mackerel paternoster (feather rig), trolling, spoons, fish strips	Boat	A North Sea migrant with no Baltic stock of its own; not in shoals every year. In the fjord mostly from the boat (e.g. off Habernis); shore chance at Danish harbours such as Egernsund.

💡 Brackish-water bonus: on the Flensburg Fjord, Baltic and freshwater species mingle in close quarters. Cast for garfish at the jetty in the morning and 30 minutes later troll for pike on the Schlei in the afternoon — two completely different fish worlds in one day.

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Licence & rules

Schleswig-Holstein licence, tourist option, nature reserves, the Danish border

Required info

Schleswig-Holstein fishing licence

Schleswig-Holstein distinguishes between the standard fishing licence (annual, requires a fisher's exam) and the tourist-friendly holiday fishing licence. The holiday licence is valid for 28 consecutive days, costs €10 (plus €10 fishing levy) and can be renewed several times a year — ideal for Villa Boreal guests.

Both licences can be applied for online and downloaded immediately as a PDF — no trip to the authorities required.

Apply for the holiday fishing licence online →

Holnis nature reserve

Parts of the Holnis peninsula (especially the bird-protection zone at the tip) are a nature reserve — seasonal or permanent fishing bans apply there. The currently closed areas are signposted on site. The main beach and the west side of the peninsula are usually freely fishable.

Fishing in Denmark (north side of the fjord)

If you drive 15–20 minutes from Bockholm via Krusau onto the Danish side of the fjord (Sønderhav, Kollund, Wassersleben DK), you need a separate Danish fishing licence — buy it online for DKK 40/day, DKK 130/week or DKK 185/year. The German licence does not apply there. Minimum sizes and closed seasons differ slightly.

Danish fishing licence (fisketegn.dk) →

💡 Cook your fresh catch right in the Villa Boreal kitchen — the designer kitchen is fully equipped: sharp filleting knives, large pans, a smoker connection on the terrace and, of course, fjord views while you cook.

Ready for your first rod on the jetty?

Villa Boreal sits right on the water — with private jetty, designer kitchen and smoker connection. Check availability and plan your fishing trip.

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Sailing & surfing

Courses, hire and the best spots

Day trip to the Schlei

Pike and zander territory

Fish restaurants

For when your own catch eludes you

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