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Fishing

Fishing is a long tradition around the lakes of the Balkans. Carp, pike, zander and catfish are typical of the lowland lakes and reservoirs, while trout and other cold-water fish live in many mountain lakes and the rivers that feed them.

In most places you need a permit, and seasons, size limits and protected species are set locally. Some lakes are managed by angling clubs that sell day tickets, and in protected areas fishing may be restricted or banned, so ask before you cast.

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  • Natural lake
  • Natural, regulated
  • Artificial lake (reservoir)

Highlights

Where to start

Albania (Southeastern Albania) · North Macedonia (Southwestern Region)

Lake Ohrid

Lake Ohrid lies in a mountain basin on the border between North Macedonia and Albania, with the towns of Ohrid and Struga on the Macedonian shore and Pogradec on the Albanian one. It is among the oldest lakes in the…

358 square kilometresarea
693 metreselevation
289 metresmax. depth
CampingFishingSwimming
Photo: Albinfo · CC BY-SA 3.0

Albania (Southeastern Albania) · Greece (Western Macedonia) · North Macedonia (Pelagonia)

Lake Prespa

Tectonic · natural

254 square kilometresarea
849 metreselevation
48 metresmax. depth
BoatingFishing

Albania (Northern Albania) · Montenegro (Central Montenegro)

Lake Skadar

Karst, Tectonic · natural

372 square kilometresarea
5 metreselevation
8.3 metresmax. depth
BoatingCampingFishing

All lakes

12 lakes

Lake type
Lake type
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Size
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Swimming
Protected area

Albania (Southeastern Albania) · North Macedonia (Southwestern Region)

Lake Ohrid

Tectonic · natural

358 square kilometresarea
693 metreselevation
289 metresmax. depth
CampingFishingSwimming
Photo: Albinfo · CC BY-SA 3.0

Albania (Southeastern Albania) · Greece (Western Macedonia) · North Macedonia (Pelagonia)

Lake Prespa

Tectonic · natural

254 square kilometresarea
849 metreselevation
48 metresmax. depth
BoatingFishing

Albania (Northern Albania) · Montenegro (Central Montenegro)

Lake Skadar

Karst, Tectonic · natural

372 square kilometresarea
5 metreselevation
8.3 metresmax. depth
BoatingCampingFishing
Photo: Whitepixels · CC0

Bosnia and Herzegovina · Central Bosnia

Veliko Plivsko jezero

Dam-regulated, Karst · natural, regulated

1.3 square kilometresarea
425 metreselevation
36 metresmax. depth
BoatingCampingFishing
Photo: tomo109 · CC BY 3.0

Croatia · Central Croatia

Lake Varaždin

Reservoir · artificial

10.1 square kilometresarea
158 metreselevation
FishingSwimming

Bosnia and Herzegovina · Northeastern Bosnia

Modrac Lake

Reservoir · artificial

17.1 square kilometresarea
200 metreselevation
20 metresmax. depth
Fishing

Croatia · Central Croatia

Rakitje

Quarry or pit lake · artificial

2.2 square kilometresarea
Fishing