Rod fishing byelaws: Anglia
Anglia rod fishing byelaws are statutory (regulated by law) rules and regulations explaining who can fish, and where, when and what fish you can take.
Applies to England
Anglia byelaws overview
Anglia byelaws apply in all freshwater fisheries to anyone fishing with a rod and line for:
- salmon
- trout
- coarse fish
- eels
- smelt
- lamprey
The byelaws cover all waters within river catchments flowing into the North Sea between (but not including) the Thames catchment and the Humber catchment.
Principal river catchments include the:
- Stour (Suffolk)
- Waveney
- Yare
- Wensum
- Bure
- Great Ouse
- Cam
- Witham
- Welland
- Nene
- Ancholme
- Norfolk and Suffolk Broads
See the national rod fishing byelaws for rules that cover the whole country.
Angling clubs and private fisheries may enforce their own additional rules, but national and local byelaws still apply.
When and where you can fish
Dates are inclusive
All dates in these byelaws are inclusive. This means a stated period, such as 15 March to 15 June, includes the full day of 15 March and the full day of 15 June.
Salmon and migratory trout
The close season (when you must not fish) for salmon and migratory trout (in all waters) is 29 September to the last day of February. There is also a weekly close time from 6am on Sunday to midnight on Monday throughout the year.
Non-migratory trout
The close season for brown trout and rainbow trout in rivers, and for brown trout in unenclosed stillwaters, is 30 October to 31 March inclusive.
There is no close season for rainbow trout in any stillwater or for brown trout in enclosed stillwaters.
Coarse fish
National close season rules for coarse fishing apply across Anglia. The coarse fishing close season between 15 March and 15 June applies to all rivers, streams, drains, the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, some canals and some stillwaters.
Canals with a coarse fish close season
Some rivers in Anglia have been converted into canals (canalised). They are:
- Fossdyke Canal
- Louth Canal
- Horncastle Canal
- North Walsham and Dilham Canal
The national coarse fish close season applies to these.
There is no coarse fish close season on other canals in Anglia.
Stillwaters in Anglia that have the national coarse fish close season
Bedfordshire
Felmersham Gravel Pits – SP991584
Cambridgeshire
| Water | OS grid reference |
|---|---|
| Fowlmere Watercress Beds | TL406454 |
| Grafham Water | TL150680 |
| Holme Fen | TL205895 |
| Little Paxton Pits | TL200637 |
| Stow-Cum-Quy Fen | TL515527 |
| Wicken Fen | TL555700 |
| Woodwalton Fen | TL230840 |
| Dogsthorpe Star Pit | TF213025 |
| Nene Washes | TL200977, TF395029 |
| Ouse Washes | TL393747, TL571987 |
Norfolk
| Water | OS grid reference |
|---|---|
| Didlington Park Lakes | TL777963 |
| Dillington Carr, Gressenhall | TF971158 |
| East Wretham Heath | TL910882 |
| Gunton Park Lake | TG221345 |
| Sea Mere, Hingham | TG035012 |
| Stanford Training Area | TL870940 |
| Thompson Water, Carr and Common | TL930955 |
| Wretham Park Meres | TL902918 |
| Westwick Lakes excluding Captain’s Pond | TG273274 |
Northamptonshire
| Water | OS grid reference |
|---|---|
| Higham Ferrers Gravel Pits | SP945686 |
| Pitsford Reservoir | SP780708 |
| Twywell Gullett | SP947775 |
Suffolk
| Water | OS grid reference |
|---|---|
| Benacre to Easton Bavents | TM537855 |
| Cavenham and Icklingham heaths | TL755733 |
| Lackford | TL890710 |
| Lakenheath Poors Fen | TL701827 |
| Minsmere and Walberswick heaths and marshes | TM465662, TM465735 |
| North Warren and Thorpeness Mere | TM460594 |
| Sizewell Marshes | TM466638 |
| Stallode Wash, Lakenheath | TL675853 |
There is no coarse fish close season on other stillwaters in Anglia, including some stillwaters in the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads catchments.
Waters in the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads with no coarse fish close season
| Water | OS grid reference |
|---|---|
| Aldeby Hall Pits | TM441930 |
| Boundary Farm Campsite Pond, Oby | TG403149 |
| Bungay Common Pond | TM332902 |
| By Pass Pit, Bungay | TM327898 |
| Cantley Sugar Factory Lakes | TG390036 |
| Ditchingham Pit | TM335907 |
| Earsham Pits | TM318900 |
| East Ruston AC Pit | TG344272 |
| Farm Reservoir, Dunburgh | TM404911 |
| Holly Farm Lakes, South Walsham | TG384134 |
| Limpenhoe Fishery | TG393038 |
| Marsh Trail Lakes, Beccles | TM429913 |
| Martham Pits | TG447195 |
| Mill Road Fishery, Stokesby | TG426108 |
| Mown Fen, East Ruston | TG341278 |
| New Pit, Mustard Hyrn, Martham | TG440189 |
| Penneygate, Barton Turf | TG358231 |
| Priors Diesel Pit, Martham | TG439191 |
| Reedham Ferry Touring Campsite Pond | TG403014 |
| Shell Club, Aldeby | TM444928 |
| Snakesmeadow, Winsford Hall, Stokesby | TG446120 |
| Weavers Way Fishery, East Ruston | TG354263 |
Fishing for eels
You are allowed to fish with a rod and line for eels all year round in waters with no coarse fishing close season.
You may also fish for eels during the coarse fish close season (15 March to 15 June inclusive) in waters that are seaward of the demarcation points in the following table.
You may fish for eels in all other waters all year round, as long as no hook or metal implement is attached to your line.
You must return any eel you catch by rod and line to the same water unharmed.
Waters where you can fish for eels during the coarse fish close season
| Watercourse | Demarcation point | OS grid reference |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Level Main Drain | St German’s Pumping Station | TF588143 |
| Tidal Great Ouse | Stowbridge Road | TF602070 |
| Mill Basin | The Sluice | TF545110 |
| Smeeth Lode | Pumping Station, The Sluice | TF575144 (tidal limit) |
| Flood Relief Channel | Tail Sluice | TF605173 (tidal limit) |
| Nar Valley Drain | The Sluice | TF615187 (tidal limit) |
| Nar | Tidal Sluice, King’s Lynn | TF621183 (tidal limit) |
| Middleton Stop Drain | Pumping Station Sluice | TF622187 (tidal limit) |
| Gaywood | Mill Fleet Sluice, King’s Lynn | TF618197 (tidal limit) |
| West Lynn Drain | The Sluice | TF612198 (tidal limit) |
| North Lynn Drain | The Sluice | TF611215 (tidal limit) |
| Babingley | Tidal Sluice, The Saltings | TF606239 (tidal limit) |
| Ingol | Tidal Sluice, Wolferton Creek | TF654303 (tidal limit) |
| Heacham | Tidal Flap Valve, Heacham Harbour | TF663368 (tidal limit) |
| Stour (South Channel) | Judas Gap | TM080328 (tidal limit) |
| Stour (North Channel) | Cattawade Barrage | TM101330 (tidal limit) |
| Stutton Brook | Stutton Mill Tidal Sluice | TM132331 (tidal limit) |
| Holbrook | Tidal Sluice near Lower Holbrook | TM174349 (tidal limit) |
| Ramsey | Dock Sluice near Parkeston | TM242323 (tidal limit) |
| Holland Brook | Holland Sluice, Holland Haven | TM219172 (tidal limit) |
| Colne | East Mills, Colchester | TM006254 (tidal limit) |
| Salary Brook | Tidal Sluice | TM021238 (tidal limit) |
| Roman | Essex Water Company Dam | TL997201 (tidal limit) |
| Tenpenny Brook | Tidal Sluice | TM082194 (tidal limit) |
| Blackwater | Beeleigh Long Weir | TL839084 (tidal limit) |
| Pennys Brook | Osea Road Sluice | TL891073 (tidal limit) |
| Bowstead Brook | Tidal Sluice | TL928087 (tidal limit) |
| Virley Brook | Tidal Sluice Salcot | TL951136 (tidal limit) |
| Chelmer | Beeleigh New Sluice | TL838083 (tidal limit) |
| Asheldham Brook | Round Barn Dengie | TM017015 |
| Crouch | Wickford Gauging Station | TQ748934 (tidal limit) |
| Shotgate Brook | A129 Road Bridge | TQ775931 |
| Rawreth Brook | Rawreth TQ778932 | TQ778932 |
| Roach | B1013 Road Bridge | TQ876902 |
| Prittle Brook | Rochford | TQ880894 |
| Mardyke | War Department Sluice | TQ548786 (tidal limit) |
| Chelmer/Blackwater Canal | Heybridge Basin | TL872068 |
| Winterton Beck | Winteringham Haven Sluice | SE935228 (tidal limit) |
| West Drain | Sluice at South Ferriby | SE975211 (tidal limit) |
| Ancholme | Sluice at South Ferriby | SE975211 (tidal limit) |
| East Drain | Sluice at South Ferriby | SE975211 (tidal limit) |
| Barton Haven | Barton Haven Sluice | TA028226 (tidal limit) |
| Barrow Beck | Barrow Haven | TA064225 (tidal limit) |
| New Holland Main Drain | New Holland Sluice | TA080243 (tidal limit) |
| Goxhill Haven | Goxhill Haven Sluice | TA120254 (tidal limit) |
| East Halton Beck | East Halton Skitter Sluice | TA145228 (tidal limit) |
| North Killingholme Drain | North Killingholme Haven Sluice | TA166201 (tidal limit) |
| Killingholme Marsh Drain | Killingholme Marsh Sluice | TA177187 (tidal limit) |
| South Killingholme Drain | South Killingholme Haven Sluice | TA187172 (tidal limit) |
| Habrough Marsh Drain | Habrough Marsh Drain Sluice | TA207157 (tidal limit) |
| North Beck Drain | North Beck Sluice | TA216152 (tidal limit) |
| Middle Drain | Middle Drain Pumping Station | TA229140 (tidal limit) |
| Oldfleet Drain | Oldfleet Drain Sluice | TA238131 (tidal limit) |
| Mawmbridge Drain | Mawmbridge Drain Sluice | TA246124 (tidal limit) |
| New Cut Drain | Pyewipe Sluice | TA263109 (tidal limit) |
| Freshney | Alexandra Dock Pumping Station | TA270096 (tidal limit) |
| Buck Beck | Buck Beck Outfall Sluice | TA327067 (tidal limit) |
| Louth Canal | Tetney Sluice | TA354031 (tidal limit) |
| Old Fleet Drain | Tetney Sluice (North Coates) | TA354031 (tidal limit) |
| Seven Towns North Eau | Grainthorpe Sluice | TA395007 (tidal limit) |
| Seven Towns South Eau | Pyes Hall Sluice | TA409006 (tidal limit) |
| Grayfleet Drain | Saltfleet Haven Sluice | TF456934 (tidal limit) |
| Great Eau | Great Eau Sluice | TF459933 (tidal limit) |
| Mablethorpe Cut | Mablethorpe Sluice | TF508854 (tidal limit) |
| Woldgrift Drain | Trusthorpe Sluice | TF514841 (tidal limit) |
| Boygrift Drain | Huttoft Sluice and Pumping Station | TF534800 (tidal limit) |
| Anderby Main Drain | Anderby Sluice and Pumping Station | TF546760 (tidal limit) |
| Willoughby High Drain | Chapel Sluice and Pumping Station | TF560729 (tidal limit) |
| Ingoldmells Main Drain | Ingoldmells Point Sluice and Pumping Station | TF571684 (tidal limit) |
| Steeping | Wainfleet Haven Clough Sluice | TF543596 (tidal limit) |
| Steeping Relief Channel | Steeping Relief Channel Sluice | TF552587 (tidal limit) |
| Cowbank Drain | Pumps at Wainfleet Haven | TF553585 (tidal limit) |
| Witham | Grand Sluice Boston | TF323445 (tidal limit) |
| Maud Foster | Maud Foster Sluice Boston | TF336430 (tidal limit) |
| South Forty | Foot Drain Black Sluice Boston | TF327428 (tidal limit) |
| Hobhole Drain | Hobhole Pumping Station and Sluice Fishtoft | TF365402 (tidal limit) |
| Hun | Sluice | TF721446 (tidal limit) |
| Burn | Near Burnham Norton | TF835439 (tidal limit) |
| Stiffkey | Stiffkey Greens | TF988441 (tidal limit) |
| Glaven | A149 Road Bridge (Cley next the Sea) | TG043438 (tidal limit) |
| Thorpeness Hundred | Sluice Cottage | TM468584 (tidal limit) |
| Lothingland Hundred | Benacre Pump | TM536845 (tidal limit) |
| Cove Run | B1127 Road Bridge | TM509791 (tidal limit) |
| Blyth | Blythburgh Bridge | TM453756 |
| Wang | Wolsey Bridge A1095 | TM472768 (tidal limit) |
| Dunwich | Dunwich Bridge | TM474707 |
| Minsmere | The Sluice | TM477662 (tidal limit) |
| Alde | Near B1069, The Maltings Snape | TM390577 (tidal limit) |
| Butley | Butley Mills | TM387516 (tidal limit) |
| Deben | Wilford Bridge Melton | TM291502 (tidal limit) |
| Fynn | Martlesham | TM259473 (tidal limit) |
| Shottisham Creek | Near Shottisham | TM300431 (tidal limit) |
| Mill | Kirton Creek | TM291415 (tidal limit) |
| Gipping and Orwell | Velocity Control Structure | TM168434 |
| Belstead Brook | A137 Road Bridge, South of Ipswich | TM162419 (tidal limit) |
| Bure (including Ant and Thurne) | Five Mile House | TG474101 |
| Yare | Six Mile House | TG455034 |
| Waveney | Waveney Seven Mile House | TG458015 |
| Mun | Mundesley Mill | TG315365 |
| Welland | Confluence downstream of Fulney Lock and Coronation Channel | TF259242 (tidal limit) |
| Glen | Surfleet Seas End Sluice | TF280293 (tidal limit) |
| Nene | Guyhirn Road Bridge | TF400035 |
| Vernatt’s Drain | Vernatt’s Bridge | TF282293 (tidal limit) |
| Risegate Eau | Risegate Outfall | TF304316 (tidal limit) |
| Lutton Leam | Leamlands Sluice | TF486263 (tidal limit) |
| South Holland Main Drain | Confluence with River Nene | TF477200 (tidal limit) |
| North Level Main Drain | Confluence with River Nene at Foul Anchor | TF468182 (tidal limit) |
Rods and nets
See the national rod fishing byelaws for rules on:
- the number of rods you are allowed to use
- using landing nets, keepnets, gaffs or tailers
Tackle, lures and baits
National byelaws on lead weights apply in Anglia.
National byelaws on using tackle, lures and bait apply in Anglia, in addition to local byelaws.
These 2 local byelaws also apply.
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You must not fish with any form of gorge bait. A gorge bait is a piece of stick, plastic or bone hidden in the bait parallel to the line – when swallowed, a tug on the line causes the gorge to turn sideways in the fish’s throat.
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You can only fish for trout using artificial wet or dry fly during the annual coarse fish close season.
Catch limits, size limits and catch returns
National byelaws on catch limits, size limits and catch returns for salmon, migratory trout and coarse fish apply across Anglia.
Updates to this page
Published 7 June 2019Last updated 12 February 2021 + show all updates
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We have clarified how national byelaws work with Anglian byelaws. We have also added the locations that are covered by Anglian byelaws.
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First published.