Rod licances

[mvwales]

Hi, I am lucky enough to live in area with an abundance of rivers and streams within short distances from my home, I course fish mainly but I love most types of fishing I go sea fishing occasionaly but I have never been keen on fly fishing, when I fish the rivers in my area I use a rolling ledger with worm for the trout they cannot resisit it, but there is a river near me that contains salmon and sea trout with some free fishing areas so if I had this rod licence: migatory Salmon and migratory (sea) trout and non-migratory trout, char, freshwater (coarse) fish,smelt and eels. would I be able to fish for salmon and sea trout with ledger and free roaming tactics general courde tactics. Tanks for you help

[kirisute]

go here:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/fishing/31471.aspx

 

and be aware that regardless of where you fish I would imagine it will be frowned upon to catch salmon on anything other than spinner or fly.

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/fishing/37949.aspx

there is clearly an early season law in place before June 16th which states only artificial lures can be used

[Rice Crackers]

Kirisute - As someone whose never fished for Salmon, why is catching them on conventional baits frowned upon? Just curious.

[kirisute]

ive never fished for them either...as I said I imagine it would be frowned upon...

I know from my own experience of catching trout on bread and maggot that the fly fishermen ive run into have raised an eyebrow etc

salmon have this mystic sport fish status and ive never heard/seen them being caught on "standard course fishing tactics"....given that I would assume a few raised eyebrows would occur if it happened.

that's just my assumption.

ive not seen it happen on fishing programs or read about it on blogs etc

 

is it an unwritten rule similar to not using an auto shotgun on a pheasant shoot? just not the done thing?

Edited January 23, 2014 by kirisute

[Dales]

I thought worm and prawn where excepted methods but throwned upon by snobs.

[kirisute]

I thought worm and prawn where excepted methods but throwned upon by snobs.

probably right; as I said I was only putting forth an assumption.

 

OP:

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/rod-fishing-licence#howitworks

this page clearly says the Salmon/trout licence will cover you for course fishing as well though.

Edited January 23, 2014 by kirisute

[Steve Walker]

Two issues - the licence and the method.

 

Without the licence you may not fish for salmon or sea trout, whatever method you use.

 

You can use coarse fishing tactics if the local byelaws and the rules of the fishery allow. It's your responsibility to check those.

[Dales]

mvwales, when where you planing to try for the Salmon/Sea Trout. Just asking as even after checking local bylaws about methods and season etc there is still the mine field of when you actually fish. Once the coarse closed season is in opperation you need to be able to convince a bailiff (should you meet one) that you are fishing for Salmon.

 

Rolling a worm around during the coarse season might be fine as you could be coarse or Salmon fishing. Doing the same in a river during the coarse closed season with certain tackle might be seen as coarse fishing. Not sure what rules the EA follow but I did ask a bailiff years ago and he said in his mind you needed to be fishing a known river for Salmon & Trout and also fishing reasonable spots within the watercourse with appropriate sporting tackle to play and land your fish within the bait restrictions for that area.

 

I think far to many chance the out of season river fishing rules and it most likely makes it harder for genuine "game" anglers to proove they are not coarse fishing. Guess you need to look the part :-) but its a mute point when so much out of season poaching goes on anyway. But I would not put it past the EA to prosecute some Salmon/Trout angler on a technicality while taking little action against persistant poachers.

[Rice Crackers]

Thanks guys. I’m heading up to Lake Bala in Wales for a weekend of Pike fishing at the end of March but as the lake is so big and the Pike are so spaced out I’m going to set up a rod for Roach to pass the time. I’m told there is a fair chance of picking up a stray trout (and an outside chance of Salmon) as the lake forms part of the River Dee so was interested to hear where that might leave me if I suddenly accidentally catch a salmon on worm. Not sure anyone would notice to be honest.

[Steve Walker]

If you catch a salmon by genuine accident and return it unharmed, no offence is committed - however, you might have to defend the allegation that you did it on purpose.