The fish world of Lake Lucerne

Size: 30–40 cm
Weight: 1 kg

The whitefish (Alet) is a widespread freshwater fish found in almost all of Europe. It has an elongated, laterally flattened, torpedo-shaped body with a large head and a wide, terminal mouth that has a continuous horny edge instead of teeth. The back and sides of the whitefish shimmer silver to golden, while the belly and anal fins are reddish in color.

Size: 30–50 cm
Weight: 0.5–1.5 kg

The grayling typically lives in schools in open, clear waters, especially in rivers with good water quality. Juvenile fish are silvery, while adults become darker and often have black spots. During the spawning season, males display a particularly colorful appearance, with their large dorsal fin shimmering in rainbow hues. Their elegant body shape makes them very popular with anglers and nature enthusiasts.

Size: 30–40 cm
Weight: 300–500 g

The perch is a popular freshwater fish that lives in both still and flowing waters, favoring areas with plenty of vegetation where it can find food. Young perch feed on plankton, while larger individuals hunt small fish, crustaceans, and insect larvae. The perch is notable for its gray-green to yellow-green body covered with dark vertical stripes. Its fins range from yellow-orange to red, and the first dorsal fin features a distinctive black spot.

Size: 8–12 cm
Weight: 20–150 g

The gudgeon is a small European freshwater fish that prefers shallow, fast-flowing streams and rivers with gravelly or sandy bottoms. During the day, it often hides under stones, roots, or other covers to protect itself from predators. Its body is light gray with dark spots, providing excellent camouflage on the riverbed. The gudgeon is perfectly adapted to its habitat and thrives especially well in flowing waters.

Size: 20–40 cm
Weight: up to 1 kg

The zander belongs to the carp family and lives in both standing and flowing waters, favoring vegetated shorelines. Typical features of the zander include its divided dorsal fins, which can fold together like a fan, and its reddish pectoral and pelvic fins. The fins have sharp spines, often marked with black spots. The zander is a popular fish among anglers, as it both actively hunts and can move in schools.

Size: 6–8 cm
Weight: 15–50 g

The minnow is a small fish that lives in clean, oxygen-rich, fast-flowing waters. It prefers staying near the banks, among vegetation or under roots and stones. Its diet consists of aquatic insect larvae, small crustaceans, and worms. The minnow has an incomplete lateral line, rounded fin edges, and a variable coloration. Males become especially colorful during the spawning season. Thanks to its adaptable lifestyle, the minnow plays a central role in the food chain of many waterways.

Size: 45–80 cm
Weight: 2–10 kg

The trout belongs to the salmon family and is characterized by a spindle-shaped, robust body. Its relatively large head with a terminal mouth extends past the eye and is equipped with strong teeth. Its coloration is highly variable and changes throughout its life. Trout feed on aquatic insects and flying insects and prefer cold rivers, lakes, and streams as their habitat.

Size: 12–14 cm
Weight: 10–30 g

The bullhead is a small fish found mainly in Europe, particularly in the Werdenberg inland canal. It has a spindle-shaped body with a large, broad head and smooth, scaleless skin. Bullheads are nocturnal and like to hide under stones during the day. They lack a swim bladder, making them poor swimmers. Distinctive features include their gray to light brown coloration with darker marbling, four faint crossbands, and light gray spotted fins.

Size: 20–30 cm
Weight: 300–700 g

The grayling is a slender fish that primarily inhabits fast-flowing, clean rivers. It feeds on insect larvae from the riverbed and catches insects from the surface in the evening. The grayling has a gray-blue back, silvery shimmering sides, and a whitish belly. Its fins are yellowish, with the anal fin notably dirty orange to reddish and distinctly notched. In winter, the fish seek shelter in small groups in deep pools.

Size: 50 cm–1.5 m
Weight: 2–10 kg

The pike is a large predatory fish that lives along vegetated shores in the waters of Europe and Asia. It is known for its long, muscular body. Its fins are positioned far back, and both the mouth and throat are strong and equipped with sharp teeth. The pike is gray-green with darker tones, and its sides feature yellow spots and stripes. It is considered a skilled hunter and a prominent inhabitant of its habitats.

Size: 30–90 cm
Weight: 1–3 kg

The rainbow trout originally comes from the Pacific coast of North America but is now found in almost every region of the world. It feeds on larvae, zooplankton, mollusks, and small fish. A characteristic feature of the rainbow trout is the pink to reddish stripe along the midline of its body. Its head, back, sides, and fins are covered with black spots. Selective breeding has produced many color variations.

Size: 25–30 cm
Weight: up to 1 kg

The rudd is an adaptable shoaling fish that lives in standing and slow-flowing waters. It feeds on tiny organisms, insect larvae, fish eggs, and plant material. Typical features of the rudd include its high-backed body, upward-facing mouth, yellow iris, greenish back, golden sides, and striking red fins, giving it a distinctive appearance.

Size: 10–15 cm
Weight: 20–30 g

The orfe is a small fish that is primarily found in clear, oxygen-rich waters. Its body is dark green with slightly silvery sides and a dark double row of spots along the lateral line. The orfe feeds mainly on benthic invertebrates, especially caddisfly larvae. Its adaptability makes it an important part of the fish population in many waters.

Size: 15–30 cm
Weight: up to 250 g

The sunfish is a striking freshwater fish that feeds on small animals such as insects, snails, crustaceans, leeches, and small fish. Its robust body is decorated with red, yellow-red, blue, and emerald spots, with a bright orange belly and throat, and fins ranging from green to yellow. Smaller sunfish often live in schools, while larger, predatory individuals are solitary and prefer warm, sunny shallow-water areas.