Anyone may fish without a permit from the shore of Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, either side of Interlaken, using one rod with a single barbless hook. The waters with mapped locations lie 8.0 km to 25 km from the city centre. Canton of Bern 'Freiangelei': no permit needed to fish from the shore of Lake Brienz, Lake Thun and Lake Biel with one rod, one single barbless hook and natural or artificial bait (no live or dead baitfish).
Where to fish
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Lake Brienz (Brienzersee)
lake8.0 km from the city centre
Fished for: whitefish (Felchen), perch, trout, pike, Arctic char.
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Lake Thun (Thunersee)
lake12 km from the city centre
Fished for: whitefish (Felchen), perch, trout, pike, Arctic char.
-
Aare in the Haslital (around Meiringen)
river25 km from the city centre
Fished for: brown trout, brook trout, grayling (deeper areas).
Cantonal patent water; fishable only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Getting there: Interlaken lies between the two lakes on the Aare (Wikipedia); Meiringen is the terminus of an hourly regional train from Interlaken (Wikipedia).
What you can catch, and when
| Species | Season | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Whitefish (Felchen) | Brienz: closed 1 November–31 December; Thun: closed 1 October–31 December | Brienz: min 18 cm, 25/day. Thun: min 25 cm, 15/day. |
| Perch | No closed season listed | Min 15 cm, 100/day. |
| Trout | Closed 1 September–31 January | Min 45 cm, 3/day. |
| Pike | Closed 1 March–30 April | Min 45 cm, 5/day. |
| Arctic char (Seesaibling) | Brienz: closed 1 November–31 December; Thun: closed 1 October–31 December | Min 22 cm, 6/day. |
| Grayling | Protected year-round in Lake Thun | — |
Do you need a permit?
Canton of Bern 'Freiangelei': no permit needed to fish from the shore of Lake Brienz, Lake Thun and Lake Biel with one rod, one single barbless hook and natural or artificial bait (no live or dead baitfish). All other waters, including the Aare, need a Bernese cantonal patent (day or weekly patents are sold locally, e.g. in the Haslital) or a private day pass.
Authority: Fischereiinspektorat Kanton Bern — weu.be.ch
Good to know
- Under Freiangelei, fish of legal size caught in season must be kept, not released, and must be stunned and killed immediately.
- Protection zones on all three lakes, especially at river mouths and nature reserves.
- Anglers must know species, minimum sizes, closed seasons and daily limits themselves.
Places to stay around Interlaken
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Hotels in Aare in the Haslital
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Frequently asked
Do you need a fishing permit near Interlaken?
Canton of Bern 'Freiangelei': no permit needed to fish from the shore of Lake Brienz, Lake Thun and Lake Biel with one rod, one single barbless hook and natural or artificial bait (no live or dead baitfish). All other waters, including the Aare, need a Bernese cantonal patent (day or weekly patents are sold locally, e.g. in the Haslital) or a private day pass.
What can you catch near Interlaken?
Whitefish (Felchen), Perch, Trout, Pike, Arctic char (Seesaibling), Grayling. Seasons and limits differ by species — see the table on this page.
How far are the waters from Interlaken?
Lake Brienz (Brienzersee): 8.0 km; Lake Thun (Thunersee): 12 km; Aare in the Haslital (around Meiringen): 25 km (straight-line distance from the city centre).
Where to stay in Interlaken
Sources
- Canton of Bern (Fischereiinspektorat) — Freiangelei rules; species limits, sizes and closed seasons for Brienz and Thun
- Canton of Bern — Free angling right on Brienz, Thun, Biel; one patent for 41 waters
- Jungfrau Region tourism — Haslital waters, Aare fishing days, species, patent sales
- Interlaken Tourism — Fly fishing on Lake Brienz, Lake Thun and rivers
- Wikipedia — Coordinates; Interlaken between the lakes
- Wikipedia — Coordinates
- Wikipedia — Coordinates; Aare; train from Interlaken
- ReasonStay methodology — how facts are researched and checked