License Question

[Tog]

So you can bob for eels with no licence then?

Pole fishing don't count?

Do those EA blokes with 'leccy sticks need a licence?!

Starts to make the EA look fools when they say you need a second licence to chuck a spod out! - blimy - a baitboat licence next!

Common sense should prevail - and unless a baited hook, fly or lure is on the end of an angling implement you 'aint fishing.

Is tickling legal? seems no licence is required? And all those who have been caught bankside 'equiped' without a licence can get a refund as they were not 'in use' 'twas meerly a fashion accessory.

[Guest NickInTheNorth]

No 'cos bobbing is trying to catch fish.

 

No you would need a licence for pole fishing, no mention of what the "rod" should be like, might have rings might not.

 

Yes they need a licence as far as I know, but not a rod licence.

[Ken L]

Common sence says that your licence allows you to fish with two rods.

Rods for fishing can be broadly defined to include poles, whips etc but not marker rods with no hooks, not spod rods, not plumbing rods set up without bait or hooks and definatly not additional rods or pole top kits that are set up but not fishing.

 

Any other interpretation would see some match anglers needing three or four licences.

 

I wouldn't put to much store by the wisdom of a girl on the EA customer service desk. Not exactly legal eagles.

[Dunk Fairley]

A spod rod, or marker rod, is most definately NOT counted on your licence. If you had a walking stick with you, would you have to buy a licence for it? No. If you attached a hook and line to it, it would them become a fishing rod and yes, you'd need a licence.

 

In addition, you are perfectly entitled to visit any river, during a closed season, with a rod and line in order to do a bit of exploration with a float and lead (unless the owner, controlling body, club etc does not permit it. It's best to ask). However, if you attach a hook and bait, you have obviously effectively changed your intentions, and are open to prosecution.

 

As far as the licence covering "rods in use". A fishing rod, is only a fishing rod, when it's being used for fishing. The rest of the time, it's just a rod.

 

I truly believe that the young lady Andi spoke to, was not up to date with the Angling methods being described. I'd be willing to take part in a "test" case.

[Guest NickInTheNorth]

Just received this in response to an email I sent to the EA on this question.

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Dear Nick.

 

You are correct. You can have as many rods as you like made up,

provided that you fish with no more than two (for a single licence) at

any one time.

 

Some anglers use a third rod to put out a marker, or to put bait in. A

bailiff will have to use judgement as to whether such a third rod is

being fished, but I would suggest that if you ensure that you have

neither hook or bait attached to it, then it is clear that the rod is

not being fished.

 

I hope this clarifies the situation.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Adrian Taylor

Fisheries Policy & Process Manager

Tel: 01454 624*** (7 10 4394)

 

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Seems pretty clear cut to me, anyone that wants to ould always print that out and take it with them.

 

[ 12. July 2005, 12:28 PM: Message edited by: NickInTheNorth ]

[Steve Walker]

Common sense to the rescue!

[Tog]

That's all cleared up then, so when I put a plumbing lead on (type that your hook goes into little cork strip on the bottom) I'm 'fishing a third rod' (hook attached)?

And when I chuck a spod or open feeder out (without hook) I'm 'fishing' as I've got 'Bait attached'? (often still stuck in the bottom of the bloody spod)

And when I've left a ledger rod out for 1/2 the day I'm not 'fishing?' as the bait was pinched by a crayfish 3 hours ago!

 

Seems all this leads to legalspeilgal and relying on the good sense of a bailiff is not good enough, there are many tales of Pike hitting spods and feeders on the retrieve and such & I wouldn’t want to be the one before a bunny hugging magistrate.

The 2nd licence should be dropped and four be allowed on the std licence (where permitted).

[phil dean]

the offence is fishing without the appropriate licence with rod and line

 

therefor you can't commit the offence if you are not fishing.

 

can a rod with no hook be counted as a rod that is fishing............clearly a grey area.

 

obviousley not if it's all you have with you, as you have no means of catching fish. But if you are fishing (ie two rods with hook etc are cast out)and a third is cast out as the marker, is that still fishing???

 

personally it's a case I'd happily argue in court....for a fee!!!

 

but to be fair spod rods and marker floats were not common when the law was drafted.

[Tog]

And the chap I saw nabbed by the EA on a Trout lake should not be fined as I doubt the EA man saw him 'in the act' of fishing!

 

Seems 'fishing' needs proper difinition in the EA / fisheries acts, IE a 'rod' with line and baited hook - opps lures don't apply!

Oh bugger! legalspeilgal is very tricky see - a fly is not a baited hook, and a ball of worms threaded onto yarn has no hook.

Therefore 'Rod / Line / hook' dos'nt come into it, it should be the act of 'fishing' by whatever means and unfortuneatly 'going equiped' will be very hard to prosecute (I'm just a collector me).

Therefore a std 3/4 rod in the water limit would make more sense and remove the 'grey' spod / feeder problem.

[Tog]

If a marker float gets taken by a pike then it's a 3rd rod?!

 

You can see the whole thing is riddled with inaccuracies and confusion - even the EA don't know what's what and unfortunately some EA ‘bailiffs’ do not fish so wouldn’t know a marker from a pike float from a spod from a feeder.

Once again at the weekend a had a “2 rods only mate” from a passing angler who did not notice that the second rod on my pod was not in the water (I had a float rod out as well as ONE ledger rod), the 2nd rod on the pod was ready with another lump of crust for Mr Slurppy when he came round (and he did!).

To anybody who did not look closely you’d have thought that rod was ‘fishing’ as it was all set up and on a pod but no ‘bait’ or ‘hook’ was in the water, (mind you I bet a carp would come up an inch or two to get a crust!)