Fishing in Scotland
Fishing in Scotland
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Scotland's rivers, streams, lochs and estuaries are among the cleanest waters in Europe and are filled with salmon, trout (sea, brown and rainbow) and pike. Not surprisingly, then, fishing (coarse, game and sea) is hugely popular in Scotland. There is no close season for coarse fishing or sea angling. For wild brown trout the close season is early October to mid-March. The close season for salmon and sea trout varies from area to area and between net and rod fishing. It is generally from late August to early February for net fishing, and from early November to early February for rod fishing.
No licence is required to fish in Scotland, but most of the land and rivers are privately owned so you must obtain a permit from the owners or their agents. These are often readily available at the local fishing tackle shop and usually cost from around £15, though some rivers, such as the Tweed, can be far more expensive.
The STB's booklet Fish Scotland is a good introduction and a source of all kinds of information. It is available free from tourist offices, or by post. Also contact the Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers, Brian Burn, Flat 2, 16 Bellevue Road, Ayr, KA7 2SA, Tel. 01292-264735; or Scottish National Anglers Association, David Wilkie, Administration Office, Caledonia House, South Gyle, Edinburgh, EH12 9DQ, Tel. 0131- 3398808.
