Fishing Etiquette
Hints & Tips
There are a number of unspoken rules that anglers adhere to, to ensure that their own and others fishing experiences are enjoyable.
When fishing you should always be respectful of other anglers and any residents located in the waterfront areas. You should keep to footpaths, close any gates after you and respect the person's land that you are on. After your fishing trip you should take litter and any discarded line home with you. All fish that you catch should be treated with care and respect.
It is poor etiquette to wade out past any angler that is fishing from the edge of the water as you will disturb their fishing area. When fishing you should not leave baited tackle unattended, cast into others anglers swims or obstruct paths with your tackle. Try not to disturb wildlife or other fishers in the vicinity and you should never take a radio!
The Waterways Code points out a number of issues to ensure that you and other anglers have an enjoyable fishing trip. Noise should be kept to a minimum by all users and vegetation or banks should not be damaged. The code also draws up some specific points for anglers to be aware of:
- Take home any discarded hooks or lines or litter that could kill or injure wildlife.
- Keep the towpath clear and accessible to other users by keeping your tackle tidy. Keep an eye on your tackle, it will be easy for someone to trip over and injure themselves or do damage to your equipment, which could prove expensive!
- Do not obstruct any locks, bridges or turning points.
- Do not fish within 25 metres of locks or moveable bridges as boats need access.
- Attempt to fish at least 15 metres away from moored boats, boats can often be people's homes so their privacy should be respected.
- Do not bounce your tackle off boats or tap them with your pole tips, damaged paint can be expensive to repair.
