Can you go fishing on the canals?

Fishing on the canals isn’t as simple as you may think - there are in fact fishing rights in place throughout various canals and rivers. It is important that you are familiar with the ‘incorporeal fishing rights’ – for example, most of the canals are owned by the Canal & River Trust, therefore you will have to buy fishing permits from them. Learn more about canal fishing from our detailed guide.

Where can the public fish for free?

Legally speaking, the public only have fishing rights in the ‘recognised fully tidal parts of rivers and in the sea, except where an individual owns a private right of fishery.’ Before you begin fishing anywhere, you must check whether ownership rights and whether there is a way you can pay to access their land.

Canal fishing

To fish on the canals, you will need to either:

• Purchase a yearly permit from the Canal & River Trust under their Waterway Wanderers scheme. An adult permit will cost you £23 for the whole year and will allow access to various fisheries.
• Buy a temporary day permit

If you would like to fish from your narrowboat, you will still have to purchase a fishing license – as a boat license does not give you any right to fish.

What kind of fish are in the canals?

• Canal Carp – these fish are the most popular in UK canals and are known for growing to huge sizes and weights.
• Chub – these are thought to be relatively easy fish to catch, as they eat almost any type of bait.
• Dace – these are small silver fish that are mostly found on the canal beds; however, they do rise to the surface to eat small files. Dace is most commonly found in the Llangollen Canal.
• Pike – these fishes have quite a scary reputation due to their sharp and pointy teeth. However, despite their appearance pikes are quite delicate and should be handled with care.

These are just some of the fish you can find on the canals – read all about canal wildlife in our helpful guide.

What happens if I don’t buy a fishing permit?

Fishing without a permit count as theft under the Theft Act of 1968 – in this instance, you would be stealing fish from someone’s fishery. Even if you were to only hold these fish temporarily, it would still mean you are trespassing to some degree,

It is also essential to purchase a rod license from the Environment Agency, which is also a legal requirement. Failure to purchase the correct licenses could land you with a hefty fine of up to £2,500.

If you fancy fishing on the canals, you should check out the range of routes and canal boat holidays. Find out more by contacting our helpful team today.