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. You must be familiar with the ‘incorporeal fishing rights’, for example, most of the canals are owned by the Canal & River Trust, so you have to buy fishing permits from them. Discover what else you need when you go fishing on the UK canals, and the types of fish you might find. 

Can you go fishing on the canals?

Yes, you can fish on UK canals. It’s a great way to relax and immerse yourself in the calmness of the countryside. You may not always necessarily catch fish, but in certain areas of the nation, the water may be home to several species.

Although legally, the public only has 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 if there are ownership rights and whether there is a way you can pay to access the land.

Can you fish for free on UK canals?

You can’t fish for free on canals in the UK, but it’s fairly accessible if you want to. Depending on the equipment and bait you buy, according to the Canals and Rivers Trust, you will also need:

• An Environment Agency rod licence
• A Waterway Wanderers permit, where you can access 300 miles of the CRT waterways, or a local angling club membership through the Angling Trust to fish the other 1,700 miles of canals and rivers

You can also buy a day permit if canal fishing is something you would like to try, rather than commit to for the long term.

If you would like to fish from your narrowboat when you book a canal boat holiday, you will still have to purchase a fishing license, as a boat license does not give you the right to fish.

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

Fishing without a permit counts 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.

What kind of fish are in the canals?

There are many types of fish and amphibian life to be found in the canal network. But some of the most common include:

• 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 flies. Dace is most commonly found in the Llangollen Canal.
• Pike: These fish 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.

Read more about the types of canal birds and animals in our wildlife guide.

Interested in a fishing holiday?

Browse our canal boat holiday routes and check the relevant angling permits you may need on the Canal and River Trust's resources, or your local angling club. It could be a match made in heaven!