First Fishing Session Checklist
By Alex Clayton · Updated 23 October 2026
First fishing trips rarely go wrong because of the rod. They go wrong because nobody bought a licence, packed a disgorger or brought a net to land the fish.
This fishing checklist covers what to take fishing for a first coarse session in England or Wales: a rod licence and permission to fish, a simple float set-up, bait, a disgorger and landing net, and the clothes, food and safety kit to last the day.
The six steps run in the order to sort them, and each packing step ends with a tick list. For the bigger picture, start with our beginner’s guide to fishing.
Step 1: Sort Your Rod Licence and Permission to Fish
A private lake still counts. In England you need a rod licence on private lakes and club waters too, and if you can’t show one when asked you can be fined up to £2,500 (GOV.UK).
The licence covers England (except the River Tweed), Wales and the Border Esk region. Age rules:
- Under 13: no licence needed.
- 13 to 16: a free junior licence.
- An adult helping a child but not fishing: no licence needed.
| Trout and coarse licence | Price |
|---|---|
| 1 day | £7.30 |
| 8 days | £14.70 |
| 12 months (up to 2 rods) | £36.80 |
| Junior (13 to 16) | Free |
Prices were checked on GOV.UK in October 2026, so confirm there before you buy. Email or text licences usually arrive within an hour, so buying on the morning works. Posted ones take up to 10 working days.
A licence is not a ticket. You also need permission from the fishery or landowner, usually a day ticket or club card.
Northern Ireland needs a rod licence plus a permit or day ticket (nidirect). Scotland’s rules differ, so check with the fishery or Fisheries Management Scotland. Our full rod licence rules cover the detail.
By now your licence should be on your phone or printed, with a ticket booked or cash ready for the bailiff.
Tick list: rod licence (or junior licence), day ticket or permit, fishery rules read.
Step 2: Check the Venue, the Season and the Weather
The same rod and bait can be legal on a lake and illegal on the river down the road for three months of the year. Ten minutes of checks the night before sorts it.
No coarse fishing is allowed on any river in England and Wales from 15 March to 15 June, while most enclosed stillwaters and canals are open all year (GOV.UK). Our fishing seasons guide has the detail. On a canal, check who controls that stretch.
Private waters set their own rules on hooks, baits and keepnets, so check them when you book. Crayfish are banned as bait in England, and Thames locks and weirs need an extra permit.
Overcast days often fish well, but stay off the bank in a thunderstorm with a carbon rod. Tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
For a first session, pick a commercial stillwater, which is easier to fish than a river. Check with the fishery before you travel.
Step 3: Pack a Simple Float Fishing Kit
One rod, one reel and a palm-sized box of bits is the whole of it. That set-up catches roach, rudd, perch and small carp on a commercial, and everything else can wait.
A common starting point:
- Float rod, 12 to 13ft. The extra length controls the float and helps you play fish.
- Small fixed-spool reel with 4 to 6lb line. Light line lets small baits behave naturally.
- Hooks to nylon, sizes 16 to 18. Small hooks suit maggots and casters.
Add a few waggler floats in different sizes, a pack of split shot, a plummet to find the depth, a bankstick or rod rest, and scissors or line clippers. A seat box or low folding chair keeps you low and still.
A ready-made beginner float kit is fine to start with. If you have money to spend, put it into a decent landing net before an expensive rod, for reasons Step 4 explains.
Tick list for your beginner fishing kit list: rod, reel loaded with line, hooks to nylon, floats, split shot, plummet, rod rest or bankstick, scissors, seat.
Step 4: Add Bait and Fish Care Kit
The first fish of the day is the worst moment to find you’ve no disgorger. Pack bait, plus the tools to unhook and return fish unharmed.
Maggots and sweetcorn are the easy, reliable baits, with bread as a cheap backup. A small tub covers a few hours if you feed little and often. Check the venue’s bait rules from Step 2.
The fish care kit:
- Disgorger: removes small hooks quickly.
- Landing net: the mesh must be knotless and non-metallic by law (GOV.UK).
- Unhooking mat: protects bigger fish on the bank.
- Towel: for drying your hands after you’ve wetted them to handle a fish.
You don’t need a keepnet for a first session. If you use one, it must be knotless and non-metallic, with holes under 25mm, longer than 2m, and rings under 40cm apart and over 120cm round.
Some fisheries ban keepnets, and taking fish from private water needs written permission. Returning each fish straight away is simpler and kinder. Our guide to bank etiquette and fish care covers handling.
Tick list: bait, bait box, disgorger, landing net and handle, unhooking mat, towel.
Step 5: Pack Your Clothing, Food and Safety Kit
Sitting still beside water feels colder than the forecast says. Plenty of sessions end early because the angler is cold, wet or hungry, not because the fish stopped biting.
Wear layers, a waterproof coat, sturdy boots or wellies and a hat. Muted colours help on clear water. In summer, add sun cream and a cap.
Take more food and water than you expect to need, plus a flask of something hot in colder months.
For safety, carry a charged phone, a small first aid kit (plasters for hook pricks) and hand wipes or sanitiser for eating after handling bait and fish. With children, keep them within arm’s reach near deep or steep banks, and consider a life jacket for young children on deep water. Our fishing safety guide covers more.
A fishing umbrella earns its place on a full day. Skip it for a two-hour evening session.
Tick list: layers, waterproof, boots, hat, food, drinks, phone, first aid kit, wipes, life jacket for children.
Step 6: Final Checks When You Arrive at the Bank
Five minutes before you set up is worth more than an hour fishing in the wrong spot.
- Check in with the bailiff or pay for your ticket.
- Walk the bank and pick a swim with room to cast and no overhanging branches or power lines.
- Set up and plumb the depth.
- Feed a little and often.
Two legal rules catch beginners out (GOV.UK). Never leave a rod and line in the water unattended, even for a quick walk to the car. If you fish more than one rod, the butts must be within 3m of each other.
Return fish carefully and leave the swim as you found it, taking all line and rubbish home.
Licence in your pocket, depth found, bait in: work through this fishing trip checklist in order and you’re ready to fish.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a fishing licence for a private lake?
Yes, in England and Wales. The rod licence covers private lakes and club waters, and you also need the owner's permission, usually a day ticket. If you can't show a valid licence when asked, you can be fined up to £2,500. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules, so check with the fishery there.
Does my child need a fishing licence?
In England and Wales, children under 13 don't need one. Children aged 13 to 16 need a junior licence, which is free. If you are helping your child but not fishing yourself, you don't need a licence either.
What should I take fishing for the first time?
Take your rod licence and day ticket, a float rod and reel with 4 to 6lb line, size 16 to 18 hooks, floats, split shot and bait such as maggots or sweetcorn. Add a disgorger, a landing net with knotless mesh, warm waterproof clothing, food, water and a charged phone. See the tick list at the end of each step above.