Research was carried out on the number of heterotrophic bacteria inhabiting the surface of macrophytes submerged in water that are dominant in the littoral zone of Chełmżyńskie Lake: common reed, cattail and hornwort. Bacteria were identified and their ability to decompose certain biopolimers was determined. It was found that the number of bacteria growing on helophytes, i.e. common reed and bulrush, increased from spring to summer, and then decreased in autumn. On the surface of hornwort the number of heterotrophic bacteria increased throughout the whole vegetative season, reaching its maximum in autumn. From among all of the isolated strains, lipo-, cellulo- and proteolytic bacteria were dominant. Strains isolated from the surface of cattail were characterized by the potentially highest physiological activity. The generic composition of the isolated strains changed with the development of the macrophytes (season) and depended on the species of plant.