Sport fishing in Calabria: where it is practised and what to know

If fishing is your great passion, Calabria, with its long coastline and variety of seas and rivers, will give you great satisfaction.

Waters rich in fish, natural environments that will make you feel at one with your surroundings. If you already have the right equipment and a licence, all you need to do is find out which are the best places to fish in Calabria and, of course, find out about regulations and prohibitions.

Ready to cast your hook?

Sport fishing is popular at all ages and can be practised in both freshwater courses and the sea. In Calabria, inland lakes and rivers have characteristics that vary depending on the area, so every angler has his favourite spots and is often careful not to share them.

As for the coast, the choice is so varied that you can visit a new stretch every time you go fishing. In summer, however, it is good to make sure that it is not too crowded a beach, otherwise your fishing rod might trigger complaints from bathers. The mountain ranges and plains enrich the rivers and lakes in Calabria with fish. 

The main rivers - the Crati, the Coscile, the Lao and the Mesima - are frequented all year round by anglers. So are the waters of Lakes Ampollino, Arvo and Cecita, populated by a varied fish fauna. The queen species is in this case the trout. Also present are the common mullet and the common cobite. There are many eels, while among the cypriniformes we have the tench (introduced for sport fishing and present in the main lakes), the carrassio, abundant in the most marshy waters, the chub, bleak, rudd and carp. Widespread in lakes and coveted by anglers is the royal perch, but also the stickleback. There are also small private artificial lakes, both in Sila and Aspromonte, managed by associations, where you can learn fishing techniques, entertain children and put your catch back in the water.

There are some limitations on the catch, depending on the type of fish. It is forbidden to catch fish that are too small, e.g. barbel must be over 15 cm. Calabrian seas are rich in sea bass, but they must be at least 25 cm. Groupers, cod and hake also abound, which must not be smaller than 45 cm and 20 cm respectively. Mackerel and gilthead bream can only be taken home if they exceed a size of 18 and 20 cm.

Sport fishing at sea is regulated by various rules. There are bans on fishing in specific areas, such as within 500 metres of busy beaches and 1 km of harbours, and professional fishing gear and nets are prohibited. It is forbidden to fish in sea areas where ships pass and at a distance of less than 100 metres from nets set by professional fishermen. The daily catch is limited to 5 kg of fish in total, with a maximum of one grouper and approximately 50 sea urchins, the catch of which is prohibited in May and June. 

Night fishing is generally prohibited. Even for freshwater fishing there are rules to be followed and of course there is the obligation to possess a licence. To take home the delicious trout, they must be longer than 30 cm. There are also catch bans for certain species at certain times of the year. For example, fishing for char and trout of all species is prohibited from 15 October to 15 March, pike from 1 January to 31 March, and crayfish from 1 April to 30 June. Finally, in some inland waters, a pass is compulsory for amateur fishing.