Fishing and angling

Anyone over the age of 12 who fishes for salmon, trout or freshwater fish and eels in England and Wales must, by law, have an Environment Agency Rod Licence to use a rod and line to catch fish.

You can buy a rod licence over the telephone or online from the Environment Agency and Post Office in England and Wales.

  • Environment Agency telephone sales line: 0870 166 2662 (for full and junior licences only) or visit Rod Fishing Licence
  • Post Office telephone sales line 08457 22 33 44 or visit Rod Fishing Licence

Before going fishing

In addition to a rod licence, you will also need to get a permit or 'day ticket' from the local landowner or angling club that has fishing rights over the particular stretch of water you want to fish on. www.fishinginfo.co.uk has details of local angling clubs, as well as local fishing events.

You can also join the British Waterways 'Waterway Wanderers' scheme for a small daily or annual fee, which allows you to fish on 45 miles of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, as well as 200 miles of other waterways in the North of England. Visit the Waterscape website for further details.