Angling Ethics: Bankside Behaviour and Protecting the Water

The fishery rules tell you what's allowed and what isn't, but on the bank a lot more depends on us. Whether we come back next time to a clean bank, relaxed neighbours and a healthy fish stock comes down to shared, often unwritten rules. Here they are, seen through the eyes of an experienced angler.

Arriving and choosing a spot

First impressions count on the bank too. If you're fishing an open water, don't set up right next to someone when there's plenty of room elsewhere. If you have to fish close, ask your neighbour first where they're casting and how far their area reaches.

A few basics:

• A booked peg is a booked peg. Where pegs can be reserved in advance, fish from your own peg and don't spread onto your neighbour's.
• Arrive quietly. At dawn or at night, don't slam car doors or shout, and don't shine lights on the water or other people's bivvies.
• Parking. Only park where it's allowed, and don't drive onto the bank or the dam if that's prohibited.

Peace and respect on the bank

For many people fishing is about switching off. Loud music, shouting or a dog running up and down the bank doesn't just spook fish; it ruins the day for everyone nearby. At night, point your head torch down or use a red light, and don't shine it onto the water in front of someone else's swim.

If someone is playing a fish, give them room. Don't cast across their line, and if they ask, help them net it. You can expect the same when you hook a big one.

Be patient with beginners. Someone fishing a water for the first time often simply doesn't know how far from a neighbour is polite or how to handle a fish. A friendly tip is worth far more than a condescending remark, and it helps the reputation of anglers as a whole.

Whatever you bring in, take home

Litter on the bank is one of angling's biggest embarrassments, and in many places it's the reason stretches of bank get closed. The principle is simple: leave your swim cleaner than you found it.

Pay special attention to:

• Line. Discarded line lasts for years and can wrap around the legs or beaks of birds, hedgehogs and otters. Pocket the offcuts or keep them in a separate box, and bin them at home.
• Bait tubs, groundbait bags, drinks bottles. Always carry a rubbish bag.
• Cigarette butts. They're small but leach toxic substances into the water; don't flick them onto the bank.
• Fire. Only light a fire where it's explicitly allowed, and never during a fire ban.

If you see someone else's rubbish and you can, pick that up too. You're not only protecting the water, you're setting an example.

Before you pack up, run through this short list:

1. Have I collected all my litter and line offcuts?
2. Have I put out the fire, if there was one?
3. Have I filled in my catch record?
4. Have I left the vegetation and the bank as I found them?
5. Have I said goodbye to my neighbour?

Respect for the fish

The catch is the high point of fishing, but a fish isn't a trophy we can do whatever we like with. A decent angler:

• fishes only with permitted methods and the allowed number of rods and hooks;
• knows the species-specific closed seasons, size limits and bag limits on that water, and checks them in the current rules;
• keeps the catch record accurately, as the rules require;
• handles fish with wet hands on an unhooking mat and returns them quickly;
• releases protected species immediately and gently.

If you keep a fish, do it responsibly and within the rules, and don't let it suffer unnecessarily. A "take everything home" mindset hurts every angler in the long run.

Wildlife on the water and the bank

The waterside isn't only ours. Reed beds and bankside plants are home to birds, amphibians and young fish, so don't cut, trample paths or break into the reeds for a better view. Be especially careful not to disturb wildlife during the nesting season. Use toilets where there are any; where there aren't, at least go well away from the water and leave no trace.

Bait fish and tackle matter too. Never release live bait fish brought from another water, because you can spread disease or non-native species. Don't tip leftover bait into the water, and it's worth drying your landing net and unhooking mat between waters.

If something isn't right

Sometimes you'll see a rule being broken, poaching or pollution. Don't get into an argument or take matters into your own hands. Note down what you saw and tell the bailiff, the fishery manager or the authorities. With fish deaths or pollution, a quick report can make a big difference.

Summary

Angling ethics comes down to respect: for other anglers, for the fish and for the water. If you arrive quietly, leave cleanly and handle fish with care, you'll always be welcome on the bank. For your next trip, use the map search to find a water near you, and take a look at the local rules on its page as well.