Fishing
If you want a holiday that's truly relaxing, a genuine break from the stressful nonsense of everyday life, what about going fishing? It's less exciting than climbing the pyramids or watching big game trundle across the Serengeti. But for sheer chill-out value, there's not much to compare with sitting by a river and contemplating while the water trickles past.
Photo: A fish in the hand. Photo by Phil Coleman courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service.
General tips
What's the secret of a great fishing holiday? Like any activity holiday, it helps to know what you're trying to achieve before you set out. So here are a few things you might like to bear in mind:
What kind of fishing?
This is your first major decision. Are you after sea angling or river angling? Do you want to catch salmon or go coarse fishing—or don't you much mind? It's a pretty obvious thought, but you need to find out the best fishing spots for the fish you're trying to catch. Not only that, but it helps to research the best time of year, time of day, and weather conditions for your particular spot if you don't want to come home empty handed. If you're going for salmon or trout, make sure you're fishing in season. In Scotland, for example, the salmon fishing season runs from about February to late October with some regional variations.
What else do you want to do?
Are you going just for the fishing—or do you want to do other things too? Decide what else you want to do on your holiday and that will help you narrow down the choice of where to go. For example, if you want to get in some good mountain or hill walking, you might want to make for the Scottish highlands, particularly if the thought of visiting castles or malt whisky distilleries takes your fancy. If you like spending your evenings in cheery pubs listening to folk music, you're probably better off in Ireland.
What are the rules?
You're going to need a fishing licence and probably some kind of permit or permission from whoever owns the waters you intend to fish. The rules are different for different parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland.
- England, Wales, and rivers that border England and Scotland: The Environment Agency issues rod licences. You can buy them online from the EA website.
- Northern Ireland: Licences come from the Department of Culture, Arts, and Leisure (whether you regard fishing as "culture", "art", or "leisure" is up to you!).
- Ireland: This time it's the Central Fisheries Board.
- In Scotland, there is no national rod licence, but be sure to follow the local rules.
Also be aware of any rules regarding the fish you catch or the place where you're fishing. Are you expected to "catch and release" (i.e. return any fish you catch to the water)? Can you take them home or can you take home only a limited weight? Remember that the rules aren't there to spoil your fun; they're there to ensure the future well-being of our rivers—something that's in everyone's interest.
Who can help?
If you're going in a group, is it worth your while hiring a guide or a gillie to show you the best places to go? It could be money well spent. Don't forget that the local tackle shop is an invaluable source of tips and information, as well as the place to get your equipment and your bait. Be a decent tourist: don't be a selfish person who just takes from the place you visit; try to put as much as you can into the local economy while you're there.
What transport do you need?
If you're not going by car, how will you get to the river? Is it feasible to get there by public transport? Can you hire a car nearby if you need to? How far will you have to walk with your kit? Will you need to buy a map or do you know where you're going?
Accommodation for fishing trips
On an ordinary holiday, you might pick the accommodation to suit your budget: you might stay in a swanky hotel if you feel you can afford it; otherwise you could go for something less expensive. But on an activity holiday, it doesn't always pay to take this approach. You're often far better finding something like a specialized B&B near where you want to fish—somewhere that specifically advertises accommodation for anglers. Not only are your hosts sure to be interesting and helpful, they're also likely to be much more understanding when you come back home soaked to the skin after sitting for six hours in the pouring rain with a bag full of stinking trout in your hand! If you really want to go fishing properly, perhaps you should camp—and get the full flavour of the great outdoors?
For the complete beginner
You're probably wondering where on Earth to start! Take a look at the UK Rivers Network's introduction to fishing.
Some helpful links
Fishing in England
- Environment Agency: Fish: Start here for rod licences and a guide for where to fish.
- Where to fish: find locations in your area: The Environment Agency's online guide to fishing places throughout England and Wales.
- Fishing in England: A handy collection of links from Fishingnet.com.
- Fishing in North East England: Tips for fishing tourists, including a guide to the rivers Tyne, Tees, and Wear.
Fishing in Wales
- Environment Agency: Fish: Start here for rod licences and a guide for where to fish.
- Where to fish: find locations in your area: The Environment Agency's online guide to fishing places throughout England and Wales.
- Where to fish in Wales?: A directory from The Angling Times.
- Visit Wales: Fishing: A tourist guide for anglers in Wales. Covers game, coarse, and sea fishing. Includes fishing reports, fishery fact file, accommodation, tides, online booking etc.
Fishing in Scotland
- Fishing in Scotland: A comprehensive directory of Scottish fishing links from Fishingnet.com, including the best places to go for salmon, brown trout and sea trout angling.
- Fishing in Scotland: A guide to Scottish fishing holidays, coach tours, angling clubs, tackle shops, and more.
- Fishing in Scotland: A tourist guide to Scottish fishing. You can order the "Fishing in Scotland" brochure here, but for some reason you can't download it.
- Fishing in Scotland: Salmon and troust flyfishing throughout Scotland: Guided tours and general information about Scottish fishing.
- Welcome to Scotland: fishing-angling guide: Background information on river and loch fishing, coarse fishing, sea angling, and tackle shops.
Fishing in Northern Ireland
- A Selection of Angling Waters in Northern Ireland: Official guide from the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts, and Leisure.
- Fishing in Northern Ireland: Official guide from the Northern Ireland tourist board.
- Where to fish in Northern Ireland?: A directory from The Angling Times.
- Fishing in Meath: A website for people who want to come on fishing holidays to Meath. Includes information about different types of fishing, where to buy your tackle, local fishing guides you can hire, etc.
Fishing in Ireland
- Fishing in Ireland: Official guide from Discover Ireland. Helpful sections on coarse, game, pike, and sea fishing. Also information about fishing regulations and licences.
