Fishing in Montenegro
Photo: FLAVIA BRILLI · CC BY-SA 4.0
Fishing in Montenegro needs a permit everywhere, and who sells it depends on the water. On rivers it is the club or firm holding the fishing rights; inside national parks it is the park (Skadar Lake €5 a day, Black Lake on Durmitor €20 a day); on the sea it is the local clubs, whose permit is valid along the whole coast at €15 for ten days or €30 for a month. The national rule is five fish a day in total, two per species for trout and grayling, one Skadar lake trout. Fly fishing has its own waters, led by the Tara between Kolašin and Mojkovac, catch-and-release all year.
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See all toursPermits
| Water | Issuer | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Rivers and lakes outside parks | the club or firm holding the fishing rights; daily, monthly, annual, zone ("revirska") and night-carp permits | set by each club |
| Skadar Lake National Park | the park | €5 a day, €20 for 7 days, €100 a year |
| Durmitor (Black Lake) | the park | €20 a day |
| Sea (whole coast) | local clubs | €15 for 10 days, €30 for one month |
Closed seasons are set by a national order; the main dates are in the list of daily limits and closed seasons below.
Sea fishing
The club permit covers the whole coast and allows up to 3 kg a day. Spearfishing counts as sea sport fishing and needs the same club permit; its daily limit is 3 kg or one fish over 5 kg. Montenegro issues 2,000 sea permits in total, 300 of them for tourists; the Budva clubs are Širun, Delfin and TUNA. Marine protected areas exist at Platamuni, Katič and Stari Ulcinj.
Rivers and fly fishing
The fly-fishing waters include the Tara (Kolašin to Mojkovac, catch-and-release all year), the Lim and its tributary the Zlorečica, the Bistrica, the Ljuboviđa, the Ljuča and Lake Plav, the Ćehotina, the Morača in Podgorica, the Cijevna, the Mrtvica, the Komarnica and the Šavnik rivers, and the lakes: Biogradsko and Kapetanovo, and Durmitor's Crno, Riblje, Vražje and Zminičko lakes from May to September. Fly zones allow a single barbless hook and most are catch-and-release. The Tara has three zones: a protected 6 km below Kolašin, the 30 km from Kolašin to Mojkovac, and the stretch inside Durmitor National Park, artificial lures only. The park stretch is fished from May to October. The national catch rules name the Skadar lake trout (blatnjača) and the Adriatic and Danube brown trout.
Lakes
Black Lake in Durmitor: fishing 14:00-19:00 except Mondays, limit four trout of at least 25 cm, permit €20 a day. Biogradsko Lake: one rod, artificial lures, five trout of at least 25 cm. Skadar Lake: the popular species are carp, bleak and eel, with night-carp permits in the national rulebook and the park's €5, €20 and €100 permits.
Daily limits and closed seasons
- Five fish a day in total; two per species for trouts and grayling; one Skadar lake trout.
- Sea: up to 3 kg a day; spearfishing 3 kg or one fish over 5 kg.
- Fly zones: single barbless hook; most catch-and-release.
- Closed seasons: in the northern municipalities and Nikšić all trout 1 November-15 March and grayling 1 March-1 June; in Podgorica, Danilovgrad, Bar, Ulcinj and the Skadar area trout 1 November-1 April, carp and other cyprinids 15 March-15 May and eel 1 June-1 December; huchen, pike, marble trout, Zeta soft-mouthed trout and burbot closed in all waters until 1 April 2029. Fish caught in a closed season must be returned alive.
Common questions
Do I need a fishing permit in Montenegro?
Yes, on every water. Rivers: from the club or firm holding the fishing rights. Parks: from the park (Skadar Lake €5 a day, Black Lake €20 a day). Sea: from local clubs, €15 for ten days or €30 for a month, valid along the whole coast.
What is the daily limit?
Five fish in total, two per species for trout and grayling, one Skadar lake trout. At sea, 3 kg a day.
Where is the fly fishing?
The fly waters include the Tara between Kolašin and Mojkovac (catch-and-release all year), the Lim, Zlorečica, Bistrica, Ljuboviđa, Ljuča and Lake Plav, Ćehotina, Morača, Cijevna, Mrtvica, Komarnica and the Šavnik rivers, plus Biogradsko, Kapetanovo and the Durmitor lakes. Single barbless hook.
Can I fish Black Lake?
Yes, 14:00-19:00 except Mondays, four trout of at least 25 cm, permit €20 a day from Durmitor National Park.
Is spearfishing allowed?
Yes, with a club permit as sea sport fishing; daily catch 3 kg or one fish over 5 kg.
When are the closed seasons?
In the north and Nikšić all trout 1 November-15 March and grayling 1 March-1 June; in Podgorica, Danilovgrad, Bar, Ulcinj and the Skadar area trout 1 November-1 April. Huchen, pike and marble trout are closed in all waters until 1 April 2029, and some waters have extra bans.
Can a tourist buy a permit online?
Permits come from the club or firm holding the rights, or from the park; there is no official online sale. 300 of the 2,000 sea permits are set aside for tourists.
Do children need a permit?
The rulebook names no age exemption; ask the issuer.
What can you catch?
Trout and grayling in the rivers, trout in the park lakes, carp, bleak and eel on Skadar Lake, and sea fish up to 3 kg a day on the coast.
Related
Sources
- NTO: Fly fishing
- Pravilnik o dozvoli za sportsko-rekreativni ribolov (2019), FAOLEX
- TO Kolašin: Ribolov
- National Parks of Montenegro: Durmitor, active holidays
- National Parks of Montenegro: Durmitor price list
- National Parks of Montenegro: Biogradska gora, active holidays
- National Parks of Montenegro: Skadar Lake, active holidays
- National Parks of Montenegro: Skadar Lake price list
- TO Budva: Activities
- Government of Montenegro: Marine protected areas
- Onogošt, 6 Jul 2026: new closed-season order (Naredba)
- Ministarstvo poljoprivrede, šumarstva i vodoprivrede, Naredba o ribolovnim zabranima, lovostaju i minimalnim veličinama riba (Sl. list CG 75/2026), Art. 2-3