Sport

Fishing in Puck Bay: species, licences, fishing spots

A guide to fishing in Puck Bay. Fish species, recreational sea-fishing licences and the best spots near Jastarnia.

May 21, 2026Guide

Fishing cutter in a harbour on Puck Bay on the Hel Peninsula, near the popular fishing grounds close to Jastarnia

Fishing on Puck Bay requires a recreational sea-fishing fee. According to information from amatorskie-wedkowanie.pl, the fee for 2026 is 15 PLN for a week, 25 PLN for a month, and 65 PLN for a year. Holders of the Large Family Card pay 50 PLN for a year. An angling card is not required, but The Chief Inspectorate of Marine Fisheries (GIRM) states that from 2026, catches must be reported in the RecFishing app. From the shore you most often catch Prussian carp, roach, bream and garfish, and seasonally flounder and sea trout. EU regulations for 2026 prohibit keeping cod, and salmon may only be kept beyond 4 nautical miles from the shore, so from the beach and the bay itself keeping salmon is prohibited.

Why Puck Bay tempts anglers

Puck Bay is an interesting fishery because it combines the features of a large lake and a marine body of water. According to angling and nature descriptions, it forms part of the Gdansk Bay and covers about 360 square kilometres. In many places it is very shallow, mostly 2 to 3 metres, with stretches where in waders you can walk dozens of metres from the shore. At the same time it is large enough that you can find both calm reedbeds for carp-family fish and bars and shallows where predators like to hunt.

Anglers find Puck Bay attractive when inland waters go through a dry spell. Guidebook authors stress that in periods of weaker bites on lakes or rivers, the bay can still deliver very concrete excitement, for example during the garfish spawning run or intensive Prussian carp bites. Add the option of fishing both from the shore and from a boat, which gives a wide field of manoeuvre for different fishing styles.

For people living or holidaying in Jastarnia, logistics is also a plus. On one hand you have easy access to stretches of the bay in Jastarnia itself, and on the other, Puck, which has long had a reputation among anglers, is a short train trip away. Convenient car-free travel is well described in the Hel Peninsula without a car, and the cost questions for the whole trip can be set against the guide the Hel Peninsula: budget versus premium. The same water is also a watersports venue, described in windsurfing in Jastarnia.

Fish species worth targeting

Puck Bay has a very varied fish fauna. The angling portal Hooking.pl describes it as a fishery where the number one fish is the Prussian carp. Around the bay, specimens over a kilogram are caught regularly, and larger in places. That is interesting news for bottom and float anglers, especially those who like fishing from the shore. Add roach, bream and other carp-family species, which feed very intensively in many parts of the bay.

From a lure angler's perspective, the pike is above all attractive. The same article on Hooking.pl calls Puck Bay a "stronghold of large pike", which hide in the extensive underwater vegetation meadows and hunt roach and Prussian carp there. Pikeperch also appear in some accounts, though it is stressed that this is not a dominant species and targeting it alone can be risky.

A separate category is garfish, which enter the bay's waters in large numbers in May and June. Anglers describe how, at the peak of their density, they can be caught almost as if in a stocked pond, both from the shore and from a boat, using long, narrow spoons and characteristic traces with frayed teasers. In the deeper part of the Gdansk Bay, beyond Puck Bay itself, sea trout and other salmonid fish are also caught, but that is more a subject for organised trips with a guide.

Licences and rules you need to know

According to EU regulations on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2026, there is a complete ban on keeping cod. Salmon may only be kept beyond 4 nautical miles from the shoreline, with a limit of 1 fish that has a clipped adipose fin. This means that when fishing from the shore, from a port or on Puck Bay itself, salmon must be released. In addition, The Chief Inspectorate of Marine Fisheries (GIRM) also states that from 2026, every person practicing recreational fishing must report their catch in the RecFishing app.

Although Puck Bay often "feels" like a large lake, formally these are internal sea waters. That means the rules for recreational fishing at sea apply here. According to general information from the Chief Inspectorate of Marine Fisheries (GIRM), an angler does not need an angling card but must pay for recreational fishing, that is, in practice, make a payment to the GIRM account for a defined period. Angling services in 2024 quoted fees of 15 zloty for a week, 25 zloty for a month, and 65 zloty for 12 months, with a reduced annual rate for holders of the Large Family Card, as noted by amatorskie-wedkowanie.pl.

It is worth remembering that on marine waters you may use a maximum of two rods, and the permitted techniques include spinning, bottom fishing and surfcasting, that is fishing from the beach. Detailed rules also apply on protective sizes and daily bag limits, for example The Chief Inspectorate of Marine Fisheries (GIRM) outlines detailed rules on protective sizes and daily bag limits. These include a minimum flounder size of 25 cm and a maximum of 5 per day, a ban on amateur cod fishing, a minimum size of 60 cm for sea trout with a limit of 2 per day, and for salmon a minimum size of 60 cm with a limit of 1 per day, where only a fin-clipped fish caught beyond 4 nautical miles from the shore may be kept. There is also a limit of 10 garfish per day, and a ban on catching the European eel.

Permits for waters at river mouths managed by Wody Polskie or the Polish Angling Association (PZW) are also important. In such districts additional regulations may apply, as announcements from RZGW in Gdansk and local PZW branches stress. If you plan to fish in the area of the mouth of the Plutnica, the Reda or other watercourses, it is worth checking whether a given stretch is still the sea or already water belonging to a specific fishery district.

Shore fishing spots

The calm water of Puck Bay seen from a breakwater, a sailing boat in the distance. — The shores and breakwaters along Puck Bay give anglers easy access to the water for most of the year.

Fishing from the shore is the simplest way to get a "taste" of Puck Bay. A classic spot is the Puck area. According to a description in the monthly Wedkarz Polski, a huge reedbed stretches along the western part of the bay, with one convenient stretch of hard bank by a large car park on the Puck to Wladyslawowo route. The bank there is stone-lined, you can drive in rod rests, and leave the car behind you. Locals there mostly target the Prussian carp, as well as roach, bream, perch and other quiet-feeding fish.

Another type of spot is the mouths of smaller rivers and drainage ditches, which in winter and spring can concentrate fish in warmer, slightly brackish water. An example is the mouth of the Plutnica, where in winter anglers stand shoulder to shoulder catching Prussian carp, and in late spring and summer the fish spread more widely across the bay. From the shore you can also fish on the sandy beaches around the Hel Peninsula, though there it makes more sense to target garfish and marine species.

From Jastarnia's perspective it is worth treating Puck as an interesting day-trip destination, especially if you want to combine fishing with a short walk around the town. The plan for such trips is well complemented by Jastarnia as a base for the bay and Kashubia, which shows how to use Jastarnia as the centre of the region in practice.

Boat fishing on Puck Bay

Heading out by boat onto Puck Bay opens up a completely different scale of fishery. You can reach underwater meadows, mounds and channels that from the shore are either too far or too hard to reach in waders. Articles about fishing on the bay note that it is precisely on such vegetation meadows that it is best to look for large pike hunting Prussian carp, roach and other smaller fish. In the garfish season a boat makes it possible to work places where these fish actively patrol the water, which greatly increases the chances of dynamic bites.

Some anglers use their own boats, others choose to hire a vessel with a guide. Local companies from Gdynia, Puck or Wladyslawowo organise trips for garfish, herring and salmonid fish, with cod fishing banned in recent years, as boat operators and angling portals clearly communicate. With a boat you must all the more remember the formalities: the marine licence, mandatory safety equipment on board, knowledge of the rules for vessels and the rules of right of way on the water.

From the point of view of a guest from Jastarnia, a sensible scenario is to combine calm shore fishing during the stay with one organised trip for garfish or other marine species. It is worth planning it outside the most packed days of the holiday, especially if you combine it with other activities described in the guide a last-minute weekend on Hel.

How to fit fishing into a stay in Jastarnia

Fishing on Puck Bay does not have to mean a "trip of a lifetime" that dominates the whole holiday. A more realistic, family model is a few morning or evening trips to the water, combined with walks and ordinary time on the beach. Some equipment you can bring with you, some you can rent, but to start, one solid bottom set and possibly a light spinning rod are enough. What is best planned in advance is precisely the formalities, that is the recreational fishing fee and getting to know the current protective sizes.

For longer stays, a good solution is to combine fishing with other themes described by the existing guides. For families, a layout works where one person fishes and the other meanwhile takes the children for a walk at the calmer pace described in off-season Hel with children. For couples and people working remotely, an interesting option is morning fishing and an afternoon work block, or the other way around.

In this arrangement the base matters. Ideally you can calmly store equipment, dry clothes after a cooler morning and reach the beach or the harbour in reasonable time. All of this is made easier by Apartament Zdrojowy 323, a studio apartment (36 m²) at Hotel Dom Zdrojowy in Jastarnia, which works well as a calm base for fishing mornings on Puck Bay and trips deeper into Kashubia.

Sources and references

Frequently asked questions

How much does fishing on Puck Bay cost in 2026?

Fishing on Puck Bay requires a recreational sea-fishing fee, paid by transfer to the account of the Chief Inspectorate of Sea Fisheries. In 2026 the rates are 15 PLN for a week, 25 PLN for a month and 65 PLN for a year, with holders of the Large Family Card paying 50 PLN for a year. An angling card is not required, but from 2026 every angler must report their catch in the RecFishing app. The legal basis for 2026 is Council Regulation (EU) 2025/2454 on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities, while the practical rules are published by the Polish Chief Inspectorate of Sea Fisheries (GIRM). During an inspection you must carry an ID document and proof of payment.

What fish will I catch from the shore on Puck Bay?

From the shore of Puck Bay you most often catch calm-water fish, above all Prussian carp, as well as roach, bream and perch, especially around Puck and the mouth of the Plutnica. From May to June garfish enter the bay in numbers and take from the shore too. Flounder and sea trout appear seasonally. Remember the rules, though: cod may not be kept in 2026, and salmon may only be kept beyond 4 nautical miles from the shore.

Can you fish in Puck Bay without an additional licence?

No. Puck Bay is part of the internal sea waters, so amateur fishing requires paying for recreational fishing in the marine zone. According to the Chief Inspectorate of Marine Fisheries (GIRM) and angling services, paper permits have not existed for several years. Entitlement is obtained by making a transfer to the GIRM account with the appropriate reference, for example a week, a month or a year. As an example, fees for the marine zone quoted for the 2024 and 2025 seasons are about 15 zloty for a week, 25 zloty for a month and 65 zloty for 12 months. An angler must carry an identity document and proof of the transfer, most often as a printout or a file on a phone. No angling card is required on marine waters, but you must know the current rules on size limits and daily bag limits.

Which fish species are most often caught in Puck Bay?

Puck Bay is a large, shallow fishery and offers both typically freshwater and marine species. According to an analysis by an angling portal dedicated to Puck Bay, the number one fish in the western part of the bay is the Prussian carp, often over a kilogram in size. Large pike also live on the extensive underwater meadows, where they hunt roach and Prussian carp. In the garfish season, roughly from May to June, numerous garfish enter the bay, and according to anglers' accounts they can bite as if in a stocked pond. Pikeperch and perch turn up occasionally, especially in the areas of river and canal mouths. Add flatfish and other marine species caught closer to the open water.

What formalities must you complete to fish legally in Puck Bay?

The basis is the fee for carrying out recreational fishing on marine waters. According to current information from the Chief Inspectorate of Marine Fisheries (GIRM), the fee is paid by transfer to the GIRM account, and the transfer reference includes the validity period, for example a week, a month or a year, and your name. The fee is the proof of entitlement; there is no separate plastic permit. During a check on shore or on a boat you must show an identity document and proof of the transfer. No angling card applies on marine waters, but it is necessary to follow the amateur fishing regulations, including daily bag limits and protective size limits for species such as flounder, sea trout, salmon and garfish. It is also worth following announcements from Wody Polskie and RZGW in Gdansk, because additional rules may apply in some fishery districts at river mouths.

Where in Puck Bay is it best to fish from the shore, and where from a boat?

Puck Bay has many fishing grounds accessible both from the shore and from a boat. A classic shore spot is the Puck area and the mouth of the Plutnica, where according to anglers' accounts you can catch Prussian carp, common carp, bream and roach practically from the car park, from a hard, stone-lined bank. The western part of the bay with its large reedbeds is also worth mentioning, where from the shore you can target carp-family fish. A boat opens up far more options. Angling services describe pike grounds on the underwater meadows and places where dynamic bites are easy in the garfish season. Some companies also organise trips towards the deeper Gdansk Bay for garfish, sea trout and other marine species, but there the angler must already know the marine rules well. From the perspective of a guest in Jastarnia, it is convenient to combine boat fishing with a trip to Puck or Hel.

When is the best time to come to Puck Bay for a fishing trip?

The calendar of bites at the sea is different from classic inland waters. According to one popular guide to sea fishing, early spring is the time for sea trout, the second half of April and May is a period of very good flounder and garfish bites, and from May to June Puck Bay is often full of intensively feeding garfish. Summer is a good moment for bream, roach, ide and perch, especially in the areas of river and canal mouths. In autumn, as the water cools, anglers target larger flounder and predators, above all pike, which come out onto the underwater meadows. In practice this means the interesting fishing season at the bay runs from early spring to late autumn. It is also possible to fish in winter, but that requires more specialist preparation and resistance to the conditions.

Is fishing in Puck Bay suitable for beginners and families with children?

Yes, provided you approach it realistically. Fishing from the shore in calm spots, for example in the Puck area, at the mouths of small rivers or from a jetty, can be a good family activity. Children do not need their own fishing sets; one or two bottom or float sets looked after by an adult are enough. Under the general rules of amateur sea fishing, one person may use a maximum of two rods at once. It is important to pay for the marine licence in advance, get to know the protective sizes of species and follow safety rules. For some families a sensible option is to use a local guide's services or join a small group on a boat, where the organiser takes care of equipment, rules and safety. When planning the whole trip it is worth looking at the guides Jastarnia as a base for the bay and Kashubia, and seasonal packing lists for Hel, to choose the right clothing and equipment.