Useful information from Fish Eden

Fishing seasons on the River Eden and its tributaries, Cumbria:

Close seasons.

Salmon -  Close Season: 15th October – 14th January     
Catch and Release: 15th January – 15th June

Migratory Trout - Close Season: 1st October – 31st March

Brown Trout - Close Season: 1st October – 14th March

Grayling – Close Season: 15th March – 15th June

All Coarse Fish – Close Season: 15th March – 15th June


Fishing Regulations.

Before you can fish any of the beats / fisheries in the Eden catchment you must have the permission of the riparian (fishing) owner. To find out how to contact the fishing owners please visit the individual fisheries pages.

Rod Licences.

Any angler over the age of 12, fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish or eels on the River Eden must have an environment agency rod licence.

Money from the sale of licences helps the Environment Agency to fund their work managing fisheries. If you are caught fishing without one, you are cheating other anglers and could be fined up to £2,500.

Licences are available from the Environment Agency (Tel: 0870 1662 662) or from any Post Office.

Concessions are available for 12 – 16 year olds, Blue Badges holders and people over the age of 65. 

Disease Prevention.

The Eden and its wildlife are at risk from a number of different diseases including;

• Crayfish Plague which has almost wiped out the native populations of White Clawed Crayfish in other parts of the UK.
• Gyrodactylus Salaris an extremely dangerous parasite which could destroy the salmon population.

You can help by ensuring that you rinse and disinfect your waders and fishing equipment properly before moving to another area. More detailed information can be found in the following documents:

Protect the White Clawed Crayfish

Prevent Gyrodactylus Salaris