Tackl Academy · Fishing
Coarse Fishing Close Season: When and Where You Can Fish in England & Wales
The close season is the period when you can't fish for certain species on certain types of water. For coarse anglers, the big one is the river close season from 15 March to 15 June, which protects fish while they spawn. Here's how it works and where it doesn't apply.
By Tackl · Reviewed by TACKL. · Updated 13 October 2026
Rivers, streams and drains
You cannot fish for coarse fish and eels on rivers, streams, drains or waterways (other than canals) from 15 March to 15 June inclusive. Some areas allow eel fishing; check your local byelaws.
Close seasons for salmon, brown trout and rainbow trout on rivers are set in the local byelaws for your region.
Lakes, reservoirs, ponds and canals
On most enclosed stillwaters (reservoirs, lakes and ponds) and canals you can fish for coarse fish, eels, rainbow trout and brown trout all year. Always check your local byelaws, and remember that private fisheries can set their own close seasons.
Lock and weir fishing on the Thames
You need an additional permit to fish locks and weirs on the River Thames.
Game fishing during the coarse close season
You can fish for salmon, trout and other game fish during the coarse close season, but some regions restrict the lures and baits you can use.
| Region | What you can use |
|---|---|
| Midlands, Yorkshire, north-east and north-west England | Natural or artificial fly, minnow, worm, shrimp, prawn, sand eel or artificial lures |
| South-east England | Artificial fly only. In the Thames area you can apply to the Environment Agency to also use minnow caught in a minnow trap on the same waters |
| Wales and south-west England | Check the local byelaws for Wales or the south-west region |
Local byelaws for each Environment Agency region are listed at gov.uk/government/collections/local-fishing-byelaws. Wales is managed by Natural Resources Wales (naturalresourceswales.gov.uk). Private fisheries and clubs can add their own rules on top of the law.
Source: Environment Agency and GOV.UK, Freshwater rod fishing rules (gov.uk/freshwater-rod-fishing-rules), checked 13 October 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Rules apply to England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate laws. Always check the current GOV.UK page and your local byelaws before fishing, because rules can change. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Questions
When is the coarse fishing close season?
On rivers in England and Wales it runs from 15 March to 15 June.
Can I fish lakes during the close season?
Usually yes. Most enclosed stillwaters and canals are open all year, but check local byelaws and the fishery's own rules.
Does the close season apply to canals?
No, canals are generally open all year for coarse fish, subject to local byelaws.
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General guidance, not professional advice. Always follow the venue's rules and current Environment Agency, NRW or Scottish regulations.