Fish harvest in South Bohemia has kicked off to bring carp on Czech Christmas tables by David Sladek

Public Project

Fish harvest in South Bohemia has kicked off to bring carp on Czech Christmas tables

Copyright David Sladek 2025

Date of Work Oct 2022 - Oct 2022

Updated Oct 2022

Location Blatná, Czech Republic

Topics Black and White, Christmas, Documentary, Fishing, Photography, Traditions

Summary

Autumn is the time of fish harvest for the Christmas market, which is by far the biggest of the year. Unlike in much of the world, Czech traditional Christmas dinner is carp, usually breaded and fried, with a potato salad. October kicks off the season and every day several ponds across the country are fished, with the largest ones taking several days to clear.

South Bohemia (the southern part of the Czech republic) is a region with a vast sweet water fishing tradition. Over 7000 ponds exist in the region itself covering 32k sq hectares, some founded as far back as middle ages. Autumn is the time of fish harvest for the Christmas market, which is by far the biggest of the year. Unlike in much of the world, Czech traditional Christmas dinner is carp, usually breaded and fried, with a potato salad. October kicks off the season and every day several ponds across the country are fished, with the largest ones taking several days to clear. Carp are then sold in pop-up stands on the streets from vast barrels or in supermarkets. Pictured here is a fish harvest at a small pond near South Bohemian town of Blatná.

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David Sladek

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