Advice on fishing

[tosher]

I have just bought a narrow boat based at Nantwich (Shropshire Union & Llangollen canals) and my 12 year old grandson is keen to start fishing. I would appreciate advice on what licences are required, where to get them and how much they cost. Also some do's & don'ts regarding fishing the canals in general. As a newby all advice will be very helpful. many thanks.

[Moley]

I would appreciate advice on what licences are required, where to get them and how much they cost.

 

I'm sure Janet and others will be along soon with general advice, but as for licences, you may need other permits according to where you're fishing, but the standard rod licence is £24.50 for you and £5 for your grandson, buy online from Environment Agency

[Nev]

I'm sure Janet and others will be along soon with general advice, but as for licences, you may need other permits according to where you're fishing, but the standard rod licence is £24.50 for you and £5 for your grandson, buy online from Environment Agency

 

 

Hi,

 

You can get day and week licenses from the EA for yourself so you are covered when grandson comes on board. For a fiver might as well get him a year one.

 

Get down the tackle shops - they will give you good advice. Personally I always use a whip (small pole) it is very simple to set up and stow away. It does not have a reel and the ones I use just attached a pole float (a float already tied up and weighted on a winder which is basically a plastic frame to wind the hook and line around) You can get a few of these specifically for the canal which is a small hook and light line.

 

For ease of use bread is my preference, does not smell and is available all along the cut. A pint of maggots will last best part of the week at the moment. I roll the bread into a very tight ball (best use fresh bread as it rolls better and stays on the hook) to the size of a small ball bearing also use some bread balls as scatter bait.

 

Simple cheap and catches fish. Mainly Roach, some Bream small Chub and gudgeon. Maggots will catch all the same but you may get Perch (I have caught Perch on bread before.)

 

Good luck

 

Nev

Edited March 27, 2007 by Nev

[Janet S]

As Moley said, the rod licence is a MUST, before everything else. There are currently some huge fines being handed out for anyone caught fishing without one.

 

I'm afraid I'm still more into seeking advice rather than giving it, as I'm a relative newcomer to the sport, but there are more anglers on here who I'm sure will be along soon with some helpful advice. It's a glorious day, so they're probably all off fishing!

 

However, this link may be helpful

 

BW - Fishing

 

One thing I would advise is to keep it simple. I've caught bream, perch, gudgeon, carp, roach and pike on my local canal, all of them on either bread, worms or maggots. I don't think there's a fish that swims that won't take a maggot.

 

As for fishing tackle, find yourself a good angling shop, and they should be able to set your grandson up with a reasonable outfit at a price that won't break the bank. As an example, I bought a starter rod and reel for less than £25.00, plus a bit extra for line and floats, and I used it successfully for the whole of last season.

 

Unfortunately, after my first fishing trip, I got totally "hooked", so I now have three reels, five rods, two landing nets and a cupboard full of bits and pieces, and the hope that when I've gone, my son doesn't sell it all off on E-Bay for what I told him it cost!

 

Janet

[Tullz]

One thing I would advise is to keep it simple. I've caught bream, perch, gudgeon, carp, roach and pike on my local canal, all of them on either bread, worms or maggots. I don't think there's a fish that swims that won't take a maggot.

 

Janet

 

Aprt from the pike, which other fish is good for eating? Or is it not advisable to eat the fish?

[Barry]

Aprt from the pike, which other fish is good for eating? Or is it not advisable to eat the fish?

 

Janet has given you good advice on where to go to get gear

 

I'd get a weekly fishing paper like the angling times for him - they are very good for giving basic advice on how to fish - John Wilson used to do a regular course fishing magazine that was aimed at the novice and I'm positive he's written books on starting fishing

 

In the old days you used to be allowed to take fish on your license but I think it was limited to two a day

[whammy]

Hi Tosher, as well as the EA national licence which everone needs to fish anywhere in the country you will also need a further licence to fish the particualar water you choose. This maybe owned by a club or leased out by the owner to the club or maybe private. Seeing you are based at Nantwich you cant go too far wrong by getting a British Waterways Wanderers permit, this allows you to fish many of the canals in the N.w. including a good stretch of the Shropshire Union and the Llangollen canals. The permits currently cost for the year - Adult - £15, kids and oap - £10 but you can also by day and monthly tickets if you wish but the annual prices are very reasonable. You can purchase the tickets from The Service Manager, B.W. Northwest, Navigation Road, Northwich, Cheshire CW8 1BH Tel. 01606 723905.

 

Hope this helps

[Alec Gatherer]

Aprt from the pike, which other fish is good for eating? Or is it not advisable to eat the fish?

I have eaten or tried to eat just about every fish that swims in or near the British Isles, so I'll give you my personal appraisal on eating qualities of the normal canal species.

Pike. OK. I usually made fish cakes and pan fried them. Often taste earthy.

Perch. Eatable but only in an emergency.

Gudgeon. 2nd best of the lot to eat, but you need loads of them to make a decent meal. Smaller the tastier. Slit through the stomach, cut through the head and remove c/w innards and pan fry the rest; eat off the bone.

Zander. Best eating coarse fish in Britain. Not unlike bass.

Roach, bream, carp, dace, tench, rudd - only to be eaten in an emergency, and only if you are a cat.

Some canals have trout. All canals have eels. Both these are renowned culinary species.

 

There is a debate over whether you are actually allowed to kill & eat coarse fish. I think not. I had an upbringing in abject poverty in Cornwall; we had to forage for food and eat what we caught. It led to a meagre table graced only by the likes of pheasant, salmon, sea trout, hare, quail, duck, snipe, partridge, bass, mackerel, shark, sea bream, conger, squirrel, horse & field mushroom, more types of shellfish that you can shake a stick at... the list could go on forever. No wonder I am so painfully thin....

[tosher]

Thanks to everyone for your advice, very much appreciated. Hope the fish are as helpful !! tosher.

[Howard]

Is it not out of season at the moment ? re-opens middle of June ....

[Janet S]

As far as I'm aware, the closed season only applies to rivers, not to canals and stillwaters any more (the law was changed some time ago), although there are few canalised river sections where it may apply, and some commercial fisheries and angling clubs may impose their own close seasons on their waters, according to conditions.

 

I'd advise checking out the EA website for accurate details for your local area, and don't forget, licences are due for renewal this weekend!

 

after my first fishing trip, I got totally "hooked", so I now have three reels, five rods, two landing nets and a cupboard full of bits and pieces

 

As of today, make that four reels, six rods, three landing nets and TWO cupboards..... I had an accidental (as you do!) trip to the tackle shop yesterday, and now find I'm suddenly the proud owner of my first fly rod and all the accompanying bits and pieces.

 

It would be cheaper going back to handbags and shoes, and slightly less smelly!

 

Janet