Blackbriar 8,569 Posted May 26, 2014 Report Share Posted May 26, 2014 I was thinking about this for a while yesterday. I'm sitting on the bank, and I tie the fat off my ham sandwich onto a bit of string. I dangle it in the water and pull out 3 or 4 crayfish. Am I breaking any laws/rules, because..... 1 - I'm not fishing. My intended quarry is not a fish, so I can't see that I need day tickets etc and I certainly don't need a rod license, as I'm not using one. 2 - I'm not trapping (or am I ?), so I don't need DEFRA tags (?) - no mechanical trap is being used, after all. Assuming I'm not trespassing (let's say it's a public stretch of river), would I get myself into bother ? Anyone have any thoughts ? (This is purely hypothetical - I'm not condoning any illegal activity !) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
smithie 2,444 Posted May 26, 2014 Report Share Posted May 26, 2014 im sure you will have a finger shaked at you while somebody talks to you in a superior voice with an attitude to match... simply for the fact there is intent.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
walshie 2,804 Posted May 26, 2014 Report Share Posted May 26, 2014 No you're not trapping, but IMO you're definitely fishing. Whether it's a bit of ham on a string or a worm on a hook on monofilament line, I can't see the difference. Maybe you wouldn't need a rod licence as such though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blackbriar 8,569 Posted May 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2014 No you're not trapping, but IMO you're definitely fishing. Whether it's a bit of ham on a string or a worm on a hook on monofilament line, I can't see the difference. Maybe you wouldn't need a rod licence as such though. Mono ? Get with the times, Daddi -o ! Fluorocarbon these days ! I still don't see that I'm 'fishing' - I'm making no effort to catch a fish. If I am, are the rules that same as trapping if you 'fish' for crayfish ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
walshie 2,804 Posted May 26, 2014 Report Share Posted May 26, 2014 Mono is the latest thing. I heard it on the wireless. If you aren't fishing, what exactly are you doing with a bit of ham on a string? And if you could somehow prove you weren't fishing, couldn't that same argument be used if you were using "fluorocarbon" and a "hook"? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
neil cooney 10,416 Posted May 26, 2014 Report Share Posted May 26, 2014 I don't know about Britain but here in Ireland it's illegal to use a handline in freshwater. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blackbriar 8,569 Posted May 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2014 I don't know about Britain but here in Ireland it's illegal to use a handline in freshwater. All I can find for UK is that hand-lines are illegal in trout waters, but that's it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Born Hunter 17,977 Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 Is it not basically poaching/theft? You wouldn't be allowed to take fowl off the same water so why would you be allowed to take crays from under it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.