Fishing has been a favorite pastime for most Hungarians. Fish has played a very important role in the life of people in the country over many centuries. No wonder why you see people with fishing rods standing or sitting almost everywhere where there is a little water.
Fishing is usually locally regulated, and therefore permits to certain places can also be locally obtained. The more popular places normally offer daily as well as weekly passes besides the ordinary yearly permits.
Without question, the most favorite fishing places are Lake Balaton and the so-called "Lake Tisza", which is not a true lake, but a large reservoir on the Tisza river. Lake Balaton boasts with the best kind of perch, in addition to the more abundant pike, carp, crucian carp, roaches and breams. Fishing for breams can provide the most joy because of the frequent actions you can experience within short period of time. Lake Tisza has a somewhat similar fish fauna, with the notable difference that it also hosts some other species, like large wels. Other, somewhat less known, but very romantic and rewarding places are the Rába and Tisza rivers, especially the upper reaches, where you can still find remote, secluded places with almost no signs of human activity. The primary fish are perch, asp, barbel and wels in Rába, wels and sterlet in Tisza. Although the Duna (Danube) river can offer similar species (and record size wels), the water is polluted with chemicals, so you can not enjoy your catch at the dinner table.
For up-to-date information and permits to some places you should contact the Hungarian Angling Association (MOHOSZ) in Budapest.