Fish, catfish family
Wels catfish
- Maximum length
- 500cm
- Maximum weight
- 306kg
- Best water temperature
- 18–28 °C
- Water today (4.1 °C)
- Tolerates it, but slowed down
- Fishing districts near where it occurs
- 18
About the species Wels catfish
How to recognise it
Huge, scaleless, with a broad head, six barbels (two long ones on the upper jaw) and a very long anal fin.
Where it lives
Deep pools of large lowland rivers (Danube, Váh, Morava) and large reservoirs.
What it feeds on
Fish, crayfish, frogs and waterbirds.
Spawning
In May and June; the male guards the nest in the shallows.
It is the largest freshwater fish in Europe. Fishing for it requires strong gear and is often done at night.
Closed season, minimum size and daily limit
What the Fisheries Act says about wels catfish. For guidance only; check it in the fishing regulations of the district.
Closed season
§ 10 of the Decree- 1 Jan – 15 Jun
this species may not be fishedoutside this period
It does not depend on the closed season for all fish by water type. You can find this and the other rules on the fishing district page in the Law and fishing rules section.
Minimum size
§ 12 of the Decree70 cm
below the size limit: return it to the waterfrom the size limit: you may keep it
You must not keep a fish shorter than 70 cm. The total length is measured from the front of the head to the end of the longest ray of the tail fin (§ 12, para. 4). The district user may raise the size; the one in the permit and the fishing regulations applies.
Daily limit
§ 14 of the Decree- 1ksBlue groupsterlet, Siberian sturgeon, wels catfish
The limit applies per day, also when fishing in several districts. The district user may set a lower limit in the permit, in which case the stricter one applies.
Summary of Act no. 216/2018 Coll. and Decree no. 381/2018 Coll. (as of 6 Nov 2026). It may be out of date or contain an error, and exceptions apply on some waters. The permit and the fishing regulations of the district are binding. The fishing law, rule by rule.
Water temperature and requirements
At what temperature the species is active and how well today's water suits it.
Tolerates it, but slowed downTypical water in Slovakia is 4.1 °C today. The species tolerates this temperature (4 to 30 °C), but the water is colder than the ideal 18 to 28 °C. Fish tend to be slower and pickier.
- tolerates 4 to 30 °C
- best 18 to 28 °C
- spawning at 18 to 22 °C
- typical water today 4.1 °C
- Length
- up to 500 cm
- Weight
- up to 306 kg
- Oxygen
- Typical oxygen requirements
- Position in the food chain
- 4,5predator
The values are indicative and come from the FishBase database. In a particular water, fish behave according to the weather, air pressure, oxygen and food.
Where it was recorded
Fishing districts around which a record of this species exists (GBIF).
- OR Patkový Piesok
- OR Hámre
- Štrkovisko Adamov č. 1
- Štrkovisko Adamov č. 2
- Morava č. 7b
- Štrkovisko Boričky I.
- Štrkovisko Brodské
- Štrkovisko Unín
- Dudváh č. 1
- OR Melečka č. 1
- OR Melečka č. 2
- Melioračný kanál Tvrdonice
- OR Pasienok
- Štrkovisko Boričky II.
- Štrkovisko Roličky
- Štrkovisko Šoporňa
- VN Kráľová
- Štrkovisko Kráľová nad Váhom
18 fishing districts in total. Show on map
Similar species
Photo credits
- Wels catfish: Photo: HalbsHännile, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- European eel: Photo: vranken martin, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Minimum sizes, protection periods and permitted fishing methods are set by the fishing regulations and the conditions of the specific fishing district. Check them before you fish.