Fishing

There is an abundance of great still water fishing available throughout Yorkshire. Take your pick, including delightfully landscaped former quarries now stocked with carp and pike, eel fishing in the river Hull and spring-fed trout lakes in North Yorkshire. 

The river Esk is the principal salmon and sea trout fishery in Yorkshire; the water around Whitby supports the third largest commercial salmon net fishery in the country.

Inland waters are not public property and permission must be obtained from the owner before fishing. You need a rod licence to fish in any water and a permit to fish in a particular water is also required.

A first fishing experience
If you want to try fishing for the first time, or perhaps want to give the art of fly fishing a go, then there are a number of places.

Go Fly Fishing UK provide guided days, fly fishing tuition and short breaks based in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.  

Kilnsey Park is set in a fantastic location in Wharfedale, in the Yorkshire Dales, and offers the chance for children to have a first attempt, or for more experienced anglers to fly fish for trout.

Luxury fishing breaks
Stay in Bywater's luxury log cabin and enjoy exclusive use of a three acre lake. As well as an array of wildlife around the lake, there's an excellent stock of mirror carp, common carp, bream tench, rudd, roach, perch, eels pike and ghost carp - a fisherman's heaven. Bywater is set on the edge of the small village of Newport at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds.

Yorkshire's network of natural rivers and post-industrial waterways offer fantastic fishing. There's an abundance of great still water fishing available throughout Yorkshire, here's just a few ideas where day tickets are available.

• Lake Semerwater, near Bainbridge, North Yokshire; bream, roach, perch pike and wild brown trout
• Pickering Trout Lake, Newbridge, North Yorkshire; rainbow trout (open April to October)
• Sparth Reservoir, Marsden, West Yorkshire; mixed coarse fishing
• Wykeham Lakes, North Yorkshire; rainbow and brown trout.

Visit Waterscape for further information or download the Environment Agency's comprehensive guide 'Where to go fishing' in Yorkshire. Do remember you must have a National Rod Licence from the Environment Agency to fish anywhere.

There are also many reservoirs where you can fish, which are managed by Yorkshire Water. Damflask Reservoir in the stunning Peak District National Park boasts a coarse and pike fishery. Another excellent place to fish is the Washburn Valley. Here the Fewston, Swinsty and Thruscross reservoirs offer superb trout fishing in idyllic rural settings. Anglers can purchase day and month tickets from on-site ticket machines or the fishing office at Swinsty Moor.

With the sound of the sea birds and lapping waves, shore fishing is a great way to not only get a bite, but also get back to nature.

Whitby East and West Piers and Scarborough's quiet Pier and Marine Drive are great locations to cast off and wait for that big one. Marine Drive sits at the base of the castle-headed cliffs and with the sounds of the gulls, really brings you to the forefront of nature.

Sandsend has both sand and rocks to fish from and the scenic Staithes exposes large areas of flat rock during low tide, proving perfect platforms from which to fish. If you fancy some night time fishing, the first hour of flood tide at Scalby Ness is a real treat. 

Inspired by what the fishing boats bring in? Then take your rod and try your hand at North Sea fishing. Boats can be hired from Scarborough, Whitby and Bridlington harbours and with plenty of professional fishermen around, you'll never be short of advice. 

The harbour at Scarborough offers boats for hire if you fancy venturing out to sea after being inspired with what you see the fishing boats bringing in. Staithes also offers the opportunity to fish from a boat - just chat to the local fishermen at the harbour to see how.

Whitby is one of the most elite fishing ports on the North East Coast. There are two types of boat fishing - Coble and Wrecking. Enquiries regarding hire of boats for fishing should be made to the fishermen on the quays or the Secretary of the Whitby Licensed Boatmen's Association.

Bridlington's historic harbour is still used by working fishermen who bring their catch in every day. If you fancy catching your own dinner, take your rod along and try your hand at North Sea Fishing on a day or half day trip with the experts.