A licence to discover the great outdoors

Fishing is a great way to combine healthy activity with being in nature. It offers proven mental health benefits, through spending a few tranquil hours in a beautiful setting, and it’s a fun and easy way to connect with family and friends. It’s no wonder fishing remains one of the UK’s most popular activities, with new enthusiasts discovering its joys in recent years.

Finding somewhere to fish is easier than you might think. In fact, eight million people live within five minutes’ walk of a fishing location, so discovering great spots near some of England’s finest holiday parks shouldn’t be too difficult.

In this article, we will delve into how you can give fishing a go for the first time, how you can help get others involved in the sport if you’re already a keen angler, and some ideas for finding new places to fish.

Getting started

Whether you already own a holiday home or are thinking of buying one, fishing is the ideal hobby to help you make the most of your time there.

Like any new activity you’re trying for the first time, it’s always best to do it with people who know what they’re doing – you’ll have more fun and find it easier to get to grips with everything.

So, attending a taster session through the Angling Trust’s Get Fishing campaign is just the ticket. Events run throughout the summer, and in August 2022 hundreds of taster events have been specially scheduled as part of National Fishing Month, so you won’t have to go far to net one that suits you.

All ages and angling abilities are welcome and most of the sessions are free, or come at a small price, and include the use of tackle and bait. There is also no requirement for a fishing licence for the day – more on them later! Absolutely anyone can turn up and enjoy the full calendar of events that are family friendly and wheelchair accessible.

There are wonderful waterways across the length and breadth of the country waiting to be enjoyed – the invitation is there, so don’t miss out. Find an event near you

Take a friend or family member fishing

If you’re already an angler, who do you know who might share your passion? Perhaps a friend or family member coming to stay with you at your holiday home, or a holiday park neighbour?

The Take a Friend Fishing initiative is ideal for getting people interested in fishing and runs during August and some other points of the year.

Through the initiative, licenced anglers can share their love of fishing with a friend or family member by registering for a free one-day licence – a great day’s fishing for all.

Find your new favourite fishing spot

Whether you’re an experienced angler or you’ve just caught the bug, you’ll want to explore more waterways to fish on. Here are three useful websites that can help you discover some excellent fishing spots near your holiday home:

• Angling Trust
• Canal and River Trust
• FishBuddy

We’ve picked out some example spots in different regions of England that run taster events and are also great venues for existing anglers:

• West Midlands – Kingsbury Water Park, Sutton Coldfield, -https://countryparks.warwickshire.gov.uk/country-parks greenways/fishing-kingsbury
• East Midlands – Corby Boating Lake, Corby, Northamptonshire - https://www.corby.gov.uk/home/leisure-culture/parks-openspaces/corby-boating-lake
• South East – Passies Pond, Lancing, Sussex https://coombes.co.uk/passies-pond/
• South West – Harpers Pond, Exeter (Exeter & District AA),
• Devon - https://exeteranglingassociation.co.uk/
• Yorkshire – Hull & District AA – various venues around Hull. Three events running every week throughout the summer holidays - https://en-gb.facebook.com/HullanddistrictAA/
• North East – Derwent Reservoir - https://www.watersideparksuk.com/park/derwent/fishing/
• North West – Mere Lane Fishery, West Lancashire -https://merelanefishery.co.uk/our-four-lakes/

Don’t forget your licence

A key thing to remember in England and Wales is that if you are 13 or older, you need a fishing licence to fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel with a rod and line. If you fish without a licence, you could face a fine of up to £2,500, so always buy your licence before you set out at gov.uk/fishing-licences/buy-a-fishing-licence.

Make a place for fishing this summer and discover not just the thrill of the catch, but the great outdoors - your fishing licence is your licence to chill. Happy fishing!