Are There Any Restrictions On When I Can Go Fishing in the UK?

In the UK, there are regulations in place to protect fish stocks. These take the form of specific restrictions on when you can fish at certain locations, such as rivers and lakes.

Fields End Water is home to adult only camping and fishing in Cambridgeshire, and we have shared insights into fishing regulations in England, as well as shared some helpful information regarding catch limits you should be aware of when fishing.

What are the fishing restrictions in the UK?

When fishing in the UK, you must adhere to the national and local regulations (byelaws). These freshwater fishing rules and regulations work to protect the fish stocks and to support making fisheries as sustainable as possible.

Freshwater fish include salmon, trout, coarse fish and eels.

You must have a rod licence to fish in England and Wales if you are aged 13+.

There are separate fishing regulations for ‘enclosed stillwaters’ which we will detail further on into the article.

Is there a closed season for fishing?

‘Close seasons’ define when you can’t fish for certain types of fish on certain types of water. As a specific example, you can’t fish for coarse fish on any river in England and Wales from 15th March to 15th June.

This practice helps to protect and conserve fish populations, allowing them to spawn and grow during certain times of the year.

There are some areas where you can fish for eel - it’s important to read into the local byelaws. You must also read the local byelaws for close seasons for salmon, brown trout, and rainbow trout on rivers.

Private bodies of water can define their own close seasons, and you will need to discuss this with the owners, or find out more information about the private bodies of water on any notice boards or signage before fishing.

Fishing at Fields End Water

While there are certain restrictions for fishing on rivers in England and Wales, private lakes can be open for fishing all year round. Many private lakes specify their own closing times, but most typically will be closed over the winter season or if they are frozen over.

At Fields End Water, our private fishing lakes are open year-round, only closing if the water freezes over and on Christmas Day. From December 1st and February 28th, you can fish the lakes but you do need to purchase a winter seasonal ticket which gives you unlimited fishing for the 3 months.

We have two on-site fishing lakes which are home to 70 swims, with a wide range of fish stock including carp, chubb, barbel, crucian, perch, and more. You can find out more about the specific day fishing arrival and departure times on our respective pages for each of our fishing lakes, The Pit and The Pool.

Fields End Water is the perfect base to explore the local area and relax and unwind, based in the heart of Cambridgeshire. For more information regarding our camping pitches or fishing, get in touch with us and we’ll be more than happy to answer any questions.