Fishing on Bornholm

Why Bornholm is a sea trout destination

Bornholm is known above all for one fish – the sea trout. The island has a wild, self-sustaining population that is genetically distinct and reproduces solely in the island's own streams. Bornholm has 27 sea-trout-producing watercourses where the fish spawn. Notably, biologists and anglers have deliberately rejected proposals to stock the population with faster-growing hatchery trout, in order to preserve the original island strain. Anyone fishing here is therefore fishing a genuine wild population, not a stocking programme.

The coast offers the full range of fishing grounds – rugged granite headlands in the north around Hammerknuden, jagged rocky coastline with small bays on the north-east and east coast, and bright sandy beaches with offshore reefs in the south near Dueodde. In total the coastline runs for around 150 kilometres, with 27 harbours spread across the island, so access to the fishing spots is practically unrestricted wherever you base yourself.

Best time to fish for sea trout

The strong season runs from mid-November to around Sankt Hans, in other words mid/late June. Winter in particular is considered prime time – many large fish are caught then, regularly over 60, 70 and 80 centimetres. Anglers after big sea trout who don't mind the cold should plan their trip outside the classic summer holiday window.

Summer is considerably harder work. In June, July and August the water is warm, the fish feed little, and catch rates drop noticeably. Summer fishing isn't impossible, but it's demanding and yields are modest for beginners. The best chances come at early morning and dusk – the "magic hour" between 21:30 and 22:30 is considered especially productive.

Coastal fishing is done mainly with spinning or fly tackle. A light onshore wind is considered favourable, as it stirs up food and brings trout closer inshore. For the often rocky, slippery coastline, a wading staff is a sensible aid for keeping your footing.

Salmon trolling and the April meet

Bornholm sits in the middle of one of the Baltic's best salmon grounds, and boat trolling has a long tradition here. The well-known "Trolling Master Bornholm", run by TV2/Bornholm since 2005, was paused in 2024 and permanently discontinued in September 2024 – the new salmon restrictions made a competition format unworkable. That classic event is therefore gone.

In its place came the "Trolling Træf Bornholm", organised out of the Melsted area (Eastside Marine Company). It runs over eight days during Easter week in April – in 2025 it started on Saturday 12 April at 06:00. In 2026, weather allowed fishing on only 4.5 of the 8 days, yet twice as many salmon were caught as the previous year. The winning fish weighed in at around 10 kilograms – Team Augusta led with 10.34 kg, followed by Team Henriksen (10.08 kg) and Grandy White (9.54 kg). That's roughly 21 to 23 lb, realistic top weights rather than 30-pounders.

The hub for trolling is the Melsted Trolling Center (Melstedvej 39, 3760 Gudhjem, tel. +45 5648 5211). It has over 25 years' experience, organises the annual meet (entry fee 400 DKK per boat including up to 2 people, 200 DKK per extra person) and offers guided tours plus fully equipped trolling boats. Anyone chartering independently – for instance through Fiskers Bådudlejning – should plan for a daily window of 7:00 to 18:00; rates there start at 6,000 DKK for a minimum of 2 days and 18,000 DKK for a full week, with a 3,500 DKK deposit. If you just want to be out on the water without fishing ambitions, the guide to sailing has the harbour information you need.

2026 catch rules – what has changed

The rules on what you can keep have shifted noticeably compared with older write-ups. Worth checking before you travel:

• Salmon: in the Baltic Sea, in both 2025 and 2026 each angler may keep a maximum of one salmon per day – and only one with a clipped (removed) adipose fin, i.e. a hatchery-marked fish. Wild salmon with an intact adipose fin must be released unharmed. The European Commission had proposed closing recreational salmon fishing entirely for 2026; on 28 October 2025 fisheries ministers agreed instead to extend the 2025 rule.
• Cod: the catch ban in the western and central Baltic remains in force for 2026. Recreational anglers may not keep cod – contrary to what older texts still say.
• Sea trout: a bag limit of 3 fish per angler per day, minimum size 40 cm. The closed season for coloured (spawning-condition) trout runs from 16 September to the end of February (28/29 Feb); only silver (sea-bright) fish may be kept during this period.

On top of this there is river-mouth protection – a year-round no-fishing zone within a 500-metre belt applies at six river mouths: Øleå, Læså, Blykobbe Å, Baggeå, Kobbeå and Gyldenså. A further 22 watercourses carry a half-year protection period (16 Sep–15 Jan). Worth knowing before heading for a stream mouth.

Fishing licence – requirement, cost and exemptions

Fishing in Denmark requires the state fisketegn licence. 2026 prices – day pass 46 DKK, week pass 150 DKK, annual pass 214 DKK. No fishing test is required.

Anyone under 18 or 65 and over is exempt and can fish licence-free. International visitors without a Danish address can buy the licence conveniently online at fisketegn.dk, selecting "Other country" in the form. Keep proof of purchase on hand in case of a check.

A quieter alternative – the forest lakes

Anyone who prefers to avoid the sea, or wants a relaxed family day out, can fish the island's lakes – freely accessible with just the state fishing licence, no extra club permit needed. These include Rubinsøen, Smaragdsøen, Safirsøen, Kaolinsøen, Snorrebakkesøen, the Kanegårdssøerne, Åsedam and Ferskesø. Typical species are pike, perch, eel, carp and roach. Lake fishing is free of charge for anglers under 18 and 65 and over.

Two spots stand out, both in Hasle Lystskov – Rubinsøen has a good stock of pike and perch, with pike of 5 to 6 kilograms caught regularly. The neighbouring Safirsøen also holds coarse fish, including carp. That makes the forest lakes a solid plan B when coastal conditions are difficult.

Buying tackle and using your catch

Bait, lures and flies are all available on the island. Check Point Marine (Sdr. Hammer 6, 3730 Nexø) stocks sea trout tackle; Sport Dres (St. Torvegade 96, 3700 Rønne) is the Bornholm branch of Fiskegrej.dk; Butik Maritim (Rebslagervej 7, Tejn, 3770 Allinge) covers pike, perch and coastal gear. So you can replace forgotten kit locally without losing a day's fishing.

Whatever you don't cook yourself fits well with the island's culinary side – Bornholm is famous for its smoked herring from the traditional smokehouses, and freshly caught fish is served in harbourside restaurants covered in the food and drink guide. If you want to explore the coast between fishing days, the beaches overview has the spots at a glance.