Fishing breaks

Fishing holiday, or holiday with fishing?
If you’re an angler going on holiday, the first question you should ask yourself (and your family) is, is it a fishing holiday, or a holiday with fishing? They are very different things. If it’s the latter, and it often is, be realistic in your expectations. Sure, pack a rod and some tackle but remember, if you can grab a few hours fishing, that’s a bonus but it’s not the main reason you’re there.

Check your license
Whether you’re fishing in the U.K. or abroad, fishing in freshwater or the season, all week or just a couple of hours, check the rules. Freshwater fishing in England requires a rod license plus whatever the fishing venue charges for permission to fish. If your caught by an Environment Agency officer without a license, the fine could cost more than your holiday. And in those fish filled harbours and marinas around Europe including the Mediterranean and the Canaries, look out for the no fishing sign, it’ll be there.
Check your rod license and buy online before you start fishing – https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences

Nothing beats local knowledge
If you’re looking for the best restaurant, the best beach or indeed the best fishing spot, you simply can’t beat local knowledge. Searching Google for tips and advice is a good place to start but it often lacks detail. Where can you find local knowledge? The local fishing tackle shop is a great place to start. They will know the current hot spots and they’ll have the tackle and bait to catch whatever is biting. They are also a great place for buying tickets for permission to fish lakes and rivers. And for the perfect dose of local knowledge, hire the skills of a guide. It’s their job to give you a great experience and they’ll do their best to help you catch. A guide will also have all the tackle you need saving space in the car or your flight luggage allowance.

The best time of day
It’s very often the case that the best time for a bite is first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening. Fish generally feed more confidently in low light with action slowing down during the middle of the day. This is ideal for holiday fishing. You can get up early, enjoy some excellent sport before breakfast then you’ve got the rest of the day to enjoy everything else the area has to offer. If you’re not an early riser, do the opposite and fish in the evening after a day out. It’s the best of both worlds.

Leave the kitchen sink behind
As Anglers we have a habit of packing all our fishing kit and the kitchen sink when we venture out. If you’re going on a holiday, even if it is a fishing holiday, the first thing you’ll pack are clothes and other holiday essentials. Fishing tackle needs to be the boys you really need and not the “just in case” stuff. And when it comes to bait, if you can find a tackle shop close to where you’re staying you can buy it when you get there. It saves the risk of maggots escaping in your holiday suitcase!

Author – Alex Ledbrooke
Alex runs The School Of Fish in beautiful Cornwall. A qualified coach Alex offers coaching for absolute beginners to seasoned Anglers. Fishing on a variety of stunning and sometimes exclusive lakes, Alex works hard to give you the local knowledge that will give you a memorable fishing experience.
www.theschooloffish.co.uk