Po Delta cheat sheet
Every fish, the split licence and the rules, the rigs and the box of tackle. One page to take to the water.
Po Delta
Catfish best May to September (warm water). Sea bass best autumn into winter around the mouths. Bream and mullet through the warmer months. Summer is the catfish trip; autumn and winter favour the salt.
Licence (freshwater)
Freshwater (the Po and the channels) needs an Italian inland licence, issued by a region but valid across the country (a foreign visitor takes the short-term Type D, around €13 for three months), plus FIPSAS membership or the rights-holder's permit on FIPSAS-concession waters (the common case on the Po). Confirm with FIPSAS or the regional authority, or book a guide who handles it.
Licence (sea) & sizes
Sea fishing (the brackish mouths and the open sea) needs no licence, but carries minimum sizes: sea bass 25 cm in the Adriatic (the Mediterranean figure, not 42 cm), gilthead bream 20 cm, mullet returned if small. Sea bass is catch-and-release only 1 February to 31 March; from 10 January 2026, log catches on the EU RecFishing app.
Release / handle with care
Wels catfish is invasive in the Po, often released or removed under local rules: ask your guide how it is handled on your stretch. Carry a measure and return undersized sea fish. Wet hands, clean and dry your kit between waters.
Bank vs boat · season · time → rig
| Fish | From the bank / shore | From a boat | Best time | Rig |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wels catfish | Possible where deep channel water comes in close | Yes, the standard, and how the big ones are caught | Warm months (May to September); early, late and through the night in the heat | Catfish rig |
| Sea bass | Yes, from the mouths and lagoon edges | Yes | Autumn into winter; low light | Inshore bait rig or a light lure (drop shot / small spinning lure) |
| Gilthead bream and mullet | Yes, the lagoons and margins | Yes | Warmer months; low light for mullet | Inshore bait rig (scaled down for mullet) |
The catfish are a boat game (book a guide). Sea bass fish from the shore at the mouths, best in autumn and winter; mullet and bream are a genuine bank fish in the lagoons.
The rigs
Heavy braid or mono → a strong trace (heavy mono, coated braid or wire) → a running leger or float paternoster with a large single hook and a deadbait, pellet, squid or worm bunch
FG knot · snell knotLight braid or mono → fluoro leader → a running-sinker (ledger) or light paternoster with a snelled bait hook for sea bass and bream; scale down for mullet
Snell knot · PalomarPE braid → fluoro leader → a small soft plastic on a hook in-line, weight on the tag, hovered off the bottom for sea bass over the brackish edges
PalomarWhat you need
A guided catfish trip needs only the personal items (the operator supplies the tackle). A self-guided sea-bass trip wants one light saltwater outfit (bait and lure) and a small terminal box.
The knots
| Knot | Ties | Used by |
|---|---|---|
| FG knot | The braid-to-leader join on the catfish rig. | The catfish rig |
| Snell knot | The strong single hook on the catfish and inshore bait rigs. | Catfish & inshore bait rigs |
| Palomar | A swivel or hook to braid or fluoro. | The light rigs and swivels |
Learn the strong trace knots first for the cats. Wet every knot before you pull it tight. Each rig page links to the knots it needs.
This one page is the printable I take to the water.
Give me an email and I will show it to you, ready to print. A one-page reference: what's on by month, the licence and rules, a rig for every fish, the shared tackle box and the knots.
I'll send you the cheat sheet, and email you when I add a new place to fish. Nothing else.