Hi all yes it can be difficult to obtain a German license, but there are a few ways that may help.
1) Are you active US Military or contracted worker, ie a ID Card holder with logistic support?
If so check the Local MWR on your base and you can get a basic license for up to 3 years after taking a basic week long course of like 4 or 5 days.
2) If not and simply here as a tourist, check the local rathause or local city hall and ask them about a basic visitors fishing permit, which can be in some locals up to 6 months if here on a visitors visa or such. They may ask if you hold a internaiotnal or fishing license form a different country so if oyu have one best to take it along just ot be safe as they simply want ot confirm that you have a basic angeling knowledge before giving you a temp license. if oyu have a friend in the area who has a regular german license they cna go and vouch for you as a visiting angler and may help make the process less problematic. I do this once a year for friends coming out of ireland and England when we do our annualo germany 2 weeks fishing trips.
Yes there is historical reasons for the fishing requirements. And if you think the fishing license is hard try the hunting license LOL.
I have both life time fishing and hunting license from Bayern Germany which is considered one of the toughest regions to get them from and it was a shock to my system as well when I first got here and went to go fishing.
Basic fishing laws and why.
Originally Germany was broken into small kingdoms and only the royalty could hunt or fish unless you were like a gorunds keeper or a beater which gave oyu certain special priviladges or special permisisons. As time went on these formulated into special clubs if you will. Once the entire monarchy system was demolished by the end of WWII, they needed a new way to establish fishing laws and rules, the same for Hunting as well.
So the basic scholastic format was developed with permits requirements. There is no Open water in germany, someone or some city owns the water and all items in it. As such why the need for water or daily fishing permits, if you are not part of one of the fishing clubs which monitor and have fishing rights to specific waters for that club. Fishing clubs can be expüensive items just on their own with memebrship fees, and registration processing, I have seen some that require upü to 500 Euro just to register with the club so be careful if going into a club about monthly memberhisps, required times to be on the water for cleaning and upkeep and such.
Baits and Fishing seasons:
The green movement really put a hamper on fishing and hunting as well as Germany does not have the concept of trophy or Sports fishing.
Hunting in germany as well as fishing is more oriented towards livestock management that trophy hunting. So a hunter gets more points if they take down say a deer with deformed antlers than one who gets a perfect 12 point buck at any hunting gathering. Actually the guy who shot the perfect specimen may face fines or at the least be shunned by fellow hunters unless he had gotten special permissions form the Waldmiester first.
Yes you can shoot good stock but this is usually again based on the local populaiton, the need to cull that populaiton and the available male to female ratios at any given time. This same principle is in effect for fishing as well. So a much more green or wildlife mamagement concept and as such why the reasons for classes to cover species, seasons, local and regional laws and such.
Also fishing with certain baits is prohibited. Any bait can not be fished if it is live and has a vertebra as it is considered causing undue pain to the animal and yes this includes Minnows and the like. I almost failed my class test because I placed down Crickets as a viable live bait, instead of the expected earth worm reply. I had to bring in a photo of the cricket neural system to show my instructor that they like worms, had gangleon and not a vertebra nervious system. I then was passed.
So the classes are required partially due to developed customs, to insure the individual has a full understanding of the laws, regulaitons, seasons, and such for the different fish species, as well as knows the required legal avenues for obtaining use of water rights, AND if needed as the land may be owned by a different person than the water rights, what is needed to get permissions to be on the land while fishing the water.
It can seen confusing for those of us who come form contries where you simply walk up to a house and knock asking "hey can I fish your pond", or simply stop at the local river and dorp in a line for the evening. but as with all conutries there are reasons and history behind why each country does things the way that they do and us as fishermen have to show our respect for such traditoins and laws by adhearing to them no matter how insane they may seem to us.
Where are you located in germany anyway? I am down near the Ansbach Bayern region, if close by I will do what I can to assist you if wished.
I will be gone July 4th through 19th fishing in france, then back for 4 days then off fishing in the netherlands for a week, then back until August 14th when I am off to the RSI Star Citizen gaming party in Colonge for the weekend. After that or inbeteeen those trips you can easily reach me via my gaming groups Teamspeak 3 server. Most updated TS3 log in info is here for anyone who wishes to grab me via voice comms. Since the password changes it is best you check here first for current info. : http://starcitizen-spams.weebly.com/contact.html
Login and check for Avalean, Voidrunner or Dark Uncle, those are usually my call signs when in TS3.
If not able then PM me here and we can exchange SKYPE info privately.
Galwin
