Zhytomyr region is a land of granite canyons, forest rivers, and flooded quarries. Here you will find everything an angler needs: the rocky reaches of the Teteriv with pike and zander, quiet Polissian rivers in the north, large reservoirs near Zhytomyr and Malyn, deep quarries with perch, and ponds with carp. Below is an overview of the main spots by type of water body, with links to detailed articles in our directory.
Teteriv and Reservoirs near Zhytomyr
The Teteriv is the main river of the region and the most popular among Zhytomyr anglers. Above the city, from Chudniv to Denyshi, it flows between granite cliffs, forming canyons, deep holes, and riffles where anglers catch pike, perch, chub, bream, and roach. Read about this section in the articles Teteriv from Denyshi to Zhytomyr and Granite Canyon on the Teteriv River.
There are several reservoirs directly on the Teteriv. Zhytomyr Reservoir within the city limits is the most famous spot for catching zander and pike, and ice fishing takes place here in winter. Vidsichne Reservoir near Perlyavka is quieter, featuring pike and perch amidst the forest.
Sluch, Rostavytsia, and Zdvizh
In the west of the region flows the Sluch—a wide river with reaches, deep holes, and riffles. Near Liubar, there are three small reservoirs on it where pike, perch, bream, and carp are caught: Sluch near Liubar. In the south is the Rostavytsia between Ruzhyn and Pavoloch with carp and pike, and in the east are the forest Zdvizh River from Brusyliv to Borodianka and the Korynyn Reservoir in the forest near Korynyn.
Irsha and Malynshchyna
The Irsha is a granite river flowing through Irshansk and Malyn. Near Malyn, it is dammed by the large Malyn Reservoir, which locals call a sea. Here, people catch bream, pike, perch, roach, and crucian carp from the shore and boats, and relax on the beaches in summer—Malyn Sea, Malyn Spit, and Lytovskyi Beach. On the Irsha itself in Malyn, you will find Yevreiskyi Beach and Papyna Yama.
Nearby, there are several smaller reservoirs among the forests: Hamarnia in Malyn, Viznianske near Vorsivka, Lumlianske, and the Lumlia River.
Uzh and the Polissian North
Uzh is a river of Korosten and Ovruch regions, with granite rocks in Korosten and quiet reaches further down. Pike, perch, crucian carp, and chub are caught here, and in autumn, local fishermen show good catches of predators: Uzh in Korosten district, fishing in Voroneve. The tributary of the Uzh, Noryn, flows through Ovruch.
Further north are the forest rivers Ubort through Olevsk and the winding Slovechna, as well as Slovechanske and Khaichanske reservoirs in the Ovruch region.
Flooded quarries
Zhytomyr region stands on granite, and after stone extraction, many flooded quarries remained here. The water in them is transparent, depths reach tens of meters, and the banks are steep. These are water bodies for perch and pike, which are caught on drop-offs near the rocks, and in summer for swimming and diving. In Zhytomyr, there is Bohunskyi quarry, and nearby are Blue Lakes near Kmytiv. In the Korosten region, there are Novoozeryanskyi, Mykhailivskyi, the old quarry near Rudnia-Zherevtsi, and the sand quarry near Rudnia-Ozeryanska.
Ponds near Zhytomyr
For those who love carp and grass carp, there are ponds in the vicinity of the regional center: Hadzynskyi pond, where perch are also caught in winter, the pond in Vertokryivka, and Starosilske reservoir near Stara Kotelnia with crucian carp, common carp, and pike.
Where to catch predators
Pike in Zhytomyr region is most often sought on the Teteriv above Zhytomyr, on the Uzh, and on forest reservoirs: Vidsichne, Kornyn, Malyn. Zander is a fish of large reservoirs, primarily Zhytomyr, where it is caught with jigs in the riverbed and from under the ice. Perch is abundant in granite quarries and on the Teteriv. The best time for predators is September and October, when the water cools down, and first ice.
For details on the rivers and the city, see the guides Fishing on the Teteriv, Fishing on the Sluch and Where to fish in Zhytomyr.
When to go
In spring, after the spawning ban, fishing is best on the rivers — the Teteriv, the Uzh, the Sluch: fish move to warm shallows, and roach, bream and chub bite well. In summer, anglers move to reservoirs and quarries, fishing early in the morning and in the evening because people swim there during the day. Autumn is the predator season. In winter, ponds and reservoir bays freeze first, where reliable ice forms earlier than on rivers with a current, while deep quarries freeze last of all.
Things to consider
In the north of the region lie the exclusion and resettlement zones, as well as the Polissia and Drevlyansky Nature Reserves — fishing is prohibited there, and the border area with Belarus is closed to visitors. The rest are general fishing regulations: in spring there is a spawning ban, and from 1 November fishing is prohibited in wintering pits. Red Data Book fish — lamprey, barbel, burbot, dace — must be released; read about them in the article Red Data Book fish and crayfish of Polissia.
Tip
If you are going to Zhytomyr Oblast for the first time, start with the Teteriv in Zhytomyr or the Zhytomyr Reservoir: it is easy to get here by public transport and there are spots for both spinning and feeder fishing. For quarries, take light tackle and thin line — the water is clear and fish see everything. In winter, check out the article Winter fishing in Polissia.
