Fishing off a Bridge

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TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,451
3,654
50
Exeter
Did I read somewhere here that even if you don't have rights to fish a river from the BANK you can legally fish it if you are on a bridge crossing the same river?

If Right , Are there any other little legal nuances like this that can allow you to fish ?

Most bodies of water capable of supporting Fish away from the coast seem to be nearly all heavily regulated - I am however a fishing Newbie so please correct me if I'm wrong.
 
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Reactions: Spirit fish

Billy-o

Native
Apr 19, 2018
1,981
975
Canada
It is a funny thing this. When I was in the States more, I found that you can fish an awful lot of water so long as you wade up the river, rather than walk the banks themselves. But it varied. I guess the same kinds of variation will apply to different permissions in the UK, perhaps.
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,355
2,366
Bedfordshire
Let us say that it is legal to fish from the bridge, but not from the land either side, you hook a fish, now you have a choice of leaving the bridge to trespass to get down to the water, or you can hoist the fish up on the end of your line. If it is a small fish and you have strong line, and you plan to keep the fish, this can work. It isn't so great if the fish is bigger and you are meant to release it.
 

punkrockcaveman

Full Member
Jan 28, 2017
1,457
1,512
yorks
Unfortunately so @TeeDee still they are legal at the coast, a pier would be an easy place to start, and the rules are a little simpler for salt water fishing here in the UK. Unfortunately the freshwater rules are mind boggling enough to put many people off. You would think putting a worm on a hook would be quite simple wouldn't you...
 

punkrockcaveman

Full Member
Jan 28, 2017
1,457
1,512
yorks
...but I don't know what constitutes a rod. I did have an idea for a bushcraft rod ring, that you can whip on the end of a stick, to turn your frighteningly illegal hand line into a tweed clad gentleman's fishing rod, thus allowing the whole thing to become legal.

(I did try it and you can cast amazingly far with it. However retrieving a lure without snagging doesn't really work, bait fishing was fine though).
 

Spirit fish

Banned
Aug 12, 2021
338
73
31
Doncaster
Did I read somewhere here that even if you don't have rights to fish a river from the BANK you can legally fish it if you are on a bridge crossing the same river?

If Right , Are there any other little legal nuances like this that can allow you to fish ?

Most bodies of water capable of supporting Fish away from the coast seem to be nearly all heavily regulated - I am however a fishing Newbie so please correct me if I'm wrong.
That is interesting I might find a bridge on the spey in Scotland and fish off a bridge whilst giving the tweed brigade and the river ghillies my middle finger whilst catching sea trout galore it can be over £500 to fish such areas like this. It can be rather elitist fishing and hunting
 

Spirit fish

Banned
Aug 12, 2021
338
73
31
Doncaster
Let us say that it is legal to fish from the bridge, but not from the land either side, you hook a fish, now you have a choice of leaving the bridge to trespass to get down to the water, or you can hoist the fish up on the end of your line. If it is a small fish and you have strong line, and you plan to keep the fish, this can work. It isn't so great if the fish is bigger and you are meant to release it.
You can use a drop net that they use of piers :)
 

Spirit fish

Banned
Aug 12, 2021
338
73
31
Doncaster
Did I read somewhere here that even if you don't have rights to fish a river from the BANK you can legally fish it if you are on a bridge crossing the same river?

If Right , Are there any other little legal nuances like this that can allow you to fish ?

Most bodies of water capable of supporting Fish away from the coast seem to be nearly all heavily regulated - I am however a fishing Newbie so please correct me if I'm wrong.
Freeline a small treble hook with 6_10lb line with 6 lobworms on it cast under a deep pool under a bridge this will catch any trout or salmon that resides there pretty sharpish cast upstream they face into the flow oxygenating there gills so they won't see u if your casting behind them they always face this way if there resting, u don't need a float because when salmonoids bite they tend to hammer the bait and you line goes tight and it's visable ,you should have your front drag on your reel adjusted for the fishes powerfull runs and leaps otherwise u might lose it also from experience hobo reels are garbage u carnt work lures or reel in a lot of line on them because of the short spool size a traditional kite stringer style handline is 10x better it retrieves much more line faster and holds more line hobo reels look cool and might get small fish but the kite stringer style will take u much further
 

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