Getting started
Fishing is a great outdoor sport that anyone can do whatever their age, gender or physical ability.
To get started fishing, the best advice is to get an experienced relative or friend to advise you. Even better, spend an hour or two with a professional coach, check out www.paauk.com to find one near you. Failing that, just get some gear and a rod licence and head down to a free fishing spot!
Rod licence
If you’re angling with rod and line in England and Wales, and you’re over the age of 12, you need a rod licence issued by the Environment Agency. Read our Get a rod licence pages for more information on this.
Byelaws
Details of rod fishing byelaws and angling information can be obtained from the Environment Agency. The River Thames fishing bylaws can be downloaded or you can call the Environment Agency for a printed copy on 08708 506 506.
Where to fish
There are lots of places on the River Thames where fishing is cheap or even free. Check out our comprehensive list of all the places to fish near the Thames or download the Environment Agency's Where to Fish guide.
Fishing tackle
A trip to a local tackle shop will set you up with all you need. But beware, there's still a lot of 'cheap and nasty' gear out there and watch you don't get talked into buying a short rod even for a young child. A youngster can cope with a modern carbon fibre rod of 3m length, and even 4m is not too long for most adults. To get started you also need:
- A small fixed-spool reel, line of 1.5 or 2kg breaking strain (with fixed-spool reels the spool has to be filled nearly to its lip, so buy a bulk spool)
- A small selection of floats
- Some hooks size 16 to 20
- A box of split shot with a selection of sizes (with both hooks and split shot, the bigger the number, the smaller the size)
- A landing net just in case a big fish comes along, and you'll need a disgorger for removing the hook and a plummet to work out the depth of water
Some bait