Newbie question

[Pollik]

Hi

I want to try freshwater fishing - I spend a lot of time in my motorhome and sometimes I want to do something different to normal. And who knows, maybe I will catch something to eat.

I know I need a coarse fishing rod licence. I know I will need to visit a local shop to buy a rod and line and to get advice about local fishing, maybe buy bait or lures...lures appeal more to me because it means I don't have to plan ahead.

But...

Can I just go along and drop my line in any public freshwater where there are no signs saying "members only" or "private fishing". I know there are lots of places where I could go and pay a fee to fish, but I would rather like to be able to park up by a river or canal or lake and just drop my line in. But this is the UK and I am guessing that it is not that simple.


Polly

[fsasam]

Hi Polly,

I'm very new to fishing myself and this was one of my first questions!

From what I can gather so far, around where I live anyway, the canals are ok to park up and cast out as long as there are no signs and if the baliff comes round you pay him (about a fiver i think). I found some helpful info www.waterscape.com on this.

I think it may be the same with rivers. I asked in my local tackle shop about the Avon, he said they are ok to go and fish but it is currently off season until the 15th of June (i think) so no fishing until then.

I'm sure you local tackle shop will be happy to answer some questions on your local area for you.

Hope that helps, if anything here is wrong i'm sure someone can correct me?

Sam

[Pollik]

Thanks for that, Sam, that is a great help...the site you linked also pointed to the Environment Agency (obvious when you think about it!)

If I look at something like the River Wye (my nearest river), I see a fishery about 10mile west of Hereford and one in Hereford itself. Nothing in between. For at least part of that 10 miles, a public footpath runs by the river. http://publications.environment-agen...10BRXQ-B-E.pdf

I really don't want to start out by getting things wrong, but equally I rarely plan ahead. How can be sure that I am not inadvertently poaching?? If there are no signs, can I assume fishing is permitted? Or do I assume that all rivers and canals have private fishing rights and that I need to book ahead?

I am really confused, here, and that is before I even get to thinking about fishing techniques and tackle!



Polly

[peakoverload]

The reality is that there a few waters that are free fishing these days. Some stretches of river are but very few stillwaters. On rivers you will find that certain stretches will be owned by clubs and although a sign is usually put up somewhere stating that you can't fish unless a member the reality is that these signs are few and far between and it's not uncommon for there to be one or two signs covering a 2-3 mile stretch so the chances of you missing the sign are high.

Your best bet is to ask at a local tackle shop and ask other anglers on the bank.

You mentioned about eating your catch and this presents a few other issues. The EA does state that it is legal to remove a certain number of fish of a certain size per day on certain rivers and other waters. However, generally speaking this is frowned upon and not considered 'sporting' or acceptable by coarse anglers as we do not want to see a depletion in fish stocks especially on waters that have already been hard hit in the past by pollution, disease, poaching as well as loss of fish to predators like Cormorants. As a general rule the only times such activity is accepted is in the removal of non native species but even then a number of anglers would still have an issue with it. It should also be pointed out that if you were inadvertently fishing a stretch of river owned by a club and were 'caught' removing fish they would be less than impressed as they will have their own rules stating that all fish must be returned alive.

Your best bet is to fish for pleasure, not for the pot, assume all waters require a ticket until proved otherwise. If you really want to catch for the pot you are better off trying fly fishing and visiting the many trout fisheries around the country that allow you to take x number of fish with the purchase of your day ticket. It's one of those weird contradictions in that it is considered perfectly acceptable to catch and keep game and sea fish but it's not for coarse.

[Pollik]

Again, thank you for your response.

I did think about joining a local club, but I do spent a lot of wildcamping in my motorhome (6 months out of the last 9), so I am not that would work for me. I am beginning to realise that I hadn't thought this through and it makes me very glad I came here to seek advice. In my head, I saw myself parking up for the night, somewhere, and just dropping a line in the nearest public water. I can see that that plan is just not going to work. I don't tend to plan very far ahead.

I love to learn new skills, but after driving a desk for most of my working life, learning a new set of man-made rules doesn't figure very high on my list of want. I think we have all come across rules that exist for no good reason. For all the reasons you give plus the fact that fishing is the number sport in a crowded country, I am not knocking the rules and regulations that have to exist. It is just that I really don't want to have to learn another set of man-made rules – I want to learn to fish.

One of the reasons I love wildcamping is that it takes me away from an over-regulated world. I also love being able to do things without planning ahead. I think I might find sea fishing more to my taste where it seems much easier just to stop and fish when the mood takes me. I will still have a lot to learn, but at least the problems won't have been created just to flummox me!

Thanks for all the advice that has helped me reach a decision. Unfortunately, I am at home at the moment, which is not near the sea, so I won't be able to try sea fishing until my next trip (planning to drive right round the Baltic sea), so you haven't got rid me, I am afraid. ^-^



Polly

[BoldBear]

I think that Sea fishing is a good bet for you as you can fish without needing to pay out for a licence plus you can eat what you catch.

For both Coarse angling and Game fishing (for Trout and Salmon) In England and Wales you will still need a 'Rod' licence from the Post Office or from the EA <on line here> even if you are fishing in your own garden pond on private land, as the 'Rod' licence is like a gun licence and only gives you the right to fish with up to '2 rods' in freshwater and is not a fishing licence; so you will still need to buy an additional ticket to be able to fish the individual waters themselves; unless free fishing is allowed.
Plus the EA impose a strict restriction to the size and number of coarse fish you are allowed to take from any freshwater river or lake in England and Wales - if the club or water owner allows fish to be taken at all.

In addition there are different closed seasons for both Coarse fishing on rivers and Game fishing that you will need to be aware of and the Game fishing seasons may be slghtly different depending on the area of the country that you are fishing.

So if you don't want to fall foul of all these rules and regulations sea fishing seems the best bet for you.

tight lines and good luck

Keith (BoldBear)

[Pollik]

even if you are fishing in your own garden pond on private land

Really?? I think that is ridiculous. <shakes head in dismay>



Polly

[BoldBear]

Originally Posted by Pollik

Really?? I think that is ridiculous. <shakes head in dismay>
Polly

A Rod licence in England and Wales is similar to a gun licence; it is needed wherever you use your rods thats why its called a 'Rod Licence' and not a Fishing licence.

The fact that it is required even if you only fish your garden pond with a rod and line does seem a bit ridiculous but a lot of ponds large enough to fish with a rod and line have some connection with the under ground water table unless they are lined with concrete or plastic or something totally waterproof and flood proof and at least the money collected goes towards the sport trying to improve spawning beds and studyng various fish movements, and trying to stem fish diseases and other worthwhile projects; for example; trying to find out why the Roach and Barbel are in decline on many of our rivers and doing things to improve their chances and cleaning up after pollutions on our lakes and rivers etc. some of which you can read about on their web site.

[ninja_death]

There is a site which shows most areas of free fishing across the country, hope this helps:

http://www.dofreefishing.co.uk/engla...fordshire.html