The coarse fish close season
Rivers close from 15 March to 15 June. Most canals and stillwaters do not.
Checked against the source on 27 August 2026.
The close season is a legal restriction, not a club rule. Where it applies, fishing during it is an offence.
What it is
A period each year during which coarse fishing is not allowed, so fish can spawn undisturbed. It runs from 15 March to 15 June inclusive.
Where it applies
On rivers, streams and drains.
It does not apply to most canals, and it does not apply to most stillwaters — though there are named exceptions on both. Separately, many clubs and fisheries close their own waters for longer than the law requires, for the same reason.
What this site shows
Each water’s page says whether the close season is reported to apply there. Rivers default to yes; canals, lakes and ponds default to no. Where somebody has checked and found otherwise, the page says so.
That is a report like everything else here, not a legal determination. See the disclaimer.
Trout and salmon are different
Game fishing has its own seasons, which vary from river to river. Check local requirements before you travel.
The authority
The dates and exceptions can change. This page carries the date it was last checked; GOV.UK is what to trust if the two disagree.