Winter Fishing in the UK

By Alex Clayton · Updated 24 October 2026

Plenty of anglers put the rods away in November, yet winter fishing is open season for coarse fish almost everywhere in the UK. In England the coarse close season covers rivers only, from 15 March to 15 June, so the cold months are fair game.

Winter fishing in the UK comes down to picking the right target. Roach, chub, perch and pike keep feeding through the cold, and barbel will feed once the river settles. Carp and bream slow right down, and tench mostly switch off until spring.

What separates a bite from a blank is usually a short feeding window and a degree or two of water temperature. Get those right, and the rules, and a cold day on the bank is worth the effort.

Can You Fish in Winter? The Rules in England, Wales, Scotland and NI

Yes. Coarse fishing stays open through winter in all four UK nations. What catches people out is the licence, permission to fish, and the trout and salmon close seasons.

Nation	Coarse fish in winter	Licence or permission	Game fish note
England	Open. River close season is 15 March to 15 June only; most stillwaters and canals have none, though some are covered	Environment Agency rod licence from age 13, plus permission	Trout close seasons vary by region
Wales	Open. No close season on stillwaters and canals (certain SSSIs excepted); other waters open 16 June to 14 March	Rod licence from age 13, plus permission	Check Natural Resources Wales byelaws
Scotland	Open. No close times for coarse fish	No rod licence; you need permission from the rights owner	Brown trout close 7 October to 14 March; salmon close times vary by district
Northern Ireland	Coarse fish generally have no close season	Check licence and permit rules on nidirect	Game seasons apply on game waters

Confirm the details on GOV.UK’s freshwater rod fishing rules, Natural Resources Wales, gov.scot and nidirect. Check the current licence price on GOV.UK before you buy.

Trout dates vary by Environment Agency region. In the North West, for example, the non-migratory trout close season runs from 1 October to 14 March, while rainbow trout on most stillwaters have none.

The familiar 1 October to 14 March pike season is a club convention, not law in England. See our guides to UK fishing seasons by nation and rod licence rules, and check any club or day-ticket rules on top.

What Fish Can You Catch in Winter in the UK?

Chub will feed on the coldest days of the year, while tench barely eat from late October until April. That gap explains most of winter fishing: the species you choose matters more than almost anything else you do on the bank.

Here is how the main UK species behave once the water turns cold. The table follows angling press guidance rather than hard science.

Species	Winter form	Best conditions	Go-to approach	Guide
Roach	Feed freely in the cold	Settled spells	Float fishing with small baits	Winter roach fishing
Chub	The most cold-tolerant coarse fish	Will feed on the coldest days	Loose-fed maggots or casters	Winter chub fishing
Perch	River perch feed more consistently; big stillwater perch may stop below about 4C	Stable or rising temperatures	Lures to cover water, or a worm	Winter perch fishing
Pike	Feed occasionally and won’t chase	Stable or rising temperatures	Static scented deadbaits, slow deep lures, livebait only where permitted	Winter pike fishing
Barbel	Feed well if the river has been settled and low for several days	A small temperature rise with a rising river	Static baits in steady flows	Winter barbel fishing
Carp	Generally unwilling below about 4C	The warmest areas of the lake	Short feeding bursts, so keep feed minimal	Winter carp fishing
Bream	Catchable, but sport drops off	Once you’ve found the shoal	Long-range feeder
Tench	Largely dormant	Heavily stocked commercial pools only	Rarely worth targeting

Sea anglers have their own winter target in cod. Our guide to the cod season covers timing and where to look.

On Windermere, pike and perch are my winter targets. Bream are still there, but in my experience they’re hard work once the lake cools, and I’d rather fish for something that wants to feed.

Best for a bite on a cold day: roach and chub. Skip if the water has just dropped after a frost: tench and carp.

Water Temperature: The Number That Decides Your Session

A rise of half a degree can switch fish on. A drop of 1 to 2C after a hard overnight frost can switch them straight off. That is why two days that feel equally cold on the bank can fish completely differently.

Fish are cold-blooded, so their metabolism, appetite and movement follow the water temperature. Air temperature is only a clue. The water is what the fish live in, and it lags behind the weather.

Angling Times gives these rough feeding bands. Treat them as angling press guidance, not lab results.

Water temperature	What most coarse fish do
6 to 7C	Moderate feeding
4 to 5C	Intermittent feeding
Below 4C	Most coarse fish shut down
2 to 3C	Dormant
1 to 2C	Virtually inert

The number on its own isn’t the full story. A settled temperature beats a cold snap, and water that has held at around 4C for four or five days can still fish. A sudden fall to the same figure is far worse.

The 4C line is the one to watch. It’s roughly where carp and big stillwater perch are reported to stop feeding, while chub will still feed on the coldest days, which is why species choice and temperature go hand in hand.

Carry a cheap water thermometer and take a reading in the margins when you arrive, at the same spot each visit so the numbers compare. Note it down with what you caught, or didn’t. After one winter you’ll have a record of how your own waters respond, which beats any general table.

Rising or steady water is worth a trip. Falling water usually isn’t.

Where Fish Go in Winter: Finding Them Before You Feed

You’ve sat all day over the swim that produced every evening in August, fed it carefully, and had nothing. The fish haven’t stopped eating. They’ve moved.

In cold water, finding fish matters more than what you feed them. An empty swim stays empty however well you bait it, so spend the first part of a session looking rather than fishing.

When you’re fishing in winter, fish tend to gather in these places:

Stillwaters: the deeper, more stable water, the sheltered bank out of a cold wind, and areas that catch the afternoon sun.
Rivers: slower sections, deeper pools, slacks and inlets out of the main flow, where fish don’t burn energy holding station.
Canals and town water: urban stretches, marinas, and the water around bridges, locks and sluices, which can hold fish when the open countryside is dead.
Commercial fisheries: heavily stocked, with fish used to finding food, so they’re a dependable winter option.

On Windermere I look for pike and perch around the drop-offs and the deeper water once the lake cools. In my experience the shallow bays that fish well in autumn go quiet.

In a cold snap, a low, clear river with a few deep, slow pools will often give you a chance. A shallow pond that has iced at the edges is usually a lost cause until it thaws.

When to Fish in Winter: The Best Days and Times

Forget the frosty dawn start. In winter the afternoon is often the best part of the day, once the sun has had a few hours to warm the shallows.

Pick your day by the weather trend first. The best winter windows, according to angling press guidance, are:

Water rising above 6C in settled weather.
Water holding steady at around 4C for four or five days.
Any rise in temperature after a long cold spell.
A wind shift that brings in warmer air.

The worst day is usually the one after a hard frost or a sudden drop in temperature, for the reasons covered in the water temperature section above.

Feeding spells are short in the cold, and they often come in the low light around dusk. A headtorch lets you fish into that last hour and pack away safely afterwards.

Long sessions in winter mostly mean long periods of being cold for no extra bites. Two or three hours timed well will usually beat a full day started in the dark, and you’ll still be concentrating when the float finally dips.

If you only have half a day, fish from late morning into dusk.

Winter Fishing Tips: Scale Down Baits, Feed and Tackle

The quickest way to kill a cold swim is to feed it like it’s July. A fish that might only eat a few maggots all day is easily filled up, and once it’s full it won’t take your hook bait.

The rule for winter coarse fishing is less of everything. Feed little and often, or hold back until you get a bite and know fish are there. Scale down your hook baits too.

Bait	When it works in winter
Bread (flake or punch)	Coloured or very cold water
Worms	After rain, or when the water has extra colour
Casters	Clear water
Bronze maggots	Running water
A single bright pop-up	Commercial carp waters

Step down your tackle where the water and the fish allow. For roach on the float, a size 18 to 20 hook is typical, with a lighter hooklength than you’d use in summer. Treat these as starting points, and go back up if fish are snagging you or you’re bumping them off.

For predators, slow everything down. Pike in the cold rarely chase, so a static deadbait left in a likely spot gives them time to find it. Work lures slowly and close to the bottom.

I’ve found a drop-shot held almost still beats a fast retrieve for Windermere perch when it’s cold. A few twitches, then a long pause, is usually when the take comes.

Best for: small baits and light feeding on almost any water. Skip: heavy groundbaiting, unless you know a big shoal is present, such as bream on a feeder swim.

Fishing in Frost, Snow and Sub-Zero Weather

A frosty morning is only worth getting up for if the water held steady overnight.

The first hard frost after a mild spell is the tough one. As the water temperature section above shows, a fall of 1 to 2C can stop fish feeding. A run of frosty but settled days is different: once the water steadies, fishing in cold weather like this can be worthwhile.

Sub-zero air causes practical problems too:

Rod rings and line can ice up, so keep casting to a minimum.
Keep spare line and terminal tackle dry, in a box or bag rather than loose.
Wear gloves you can tie a knot in, or fingerless ones you can pull off quickly.

Snow itself matters less than what follows it. A common view among anglers is that a surge of cold water after a thaw makes for tough going, so expect a slow day.

When the margins freeze, fish the open water you can reach from the bank, and never go onto the ice. The next section explains why.

Stay home if the lake is iced over, the river is in flood, or the forecast could stop you getting home safely.

Ice and Cold-Water Safety for Anglers

Cold water shock starts in water at 15C or lower, according to RoSPA. UK lakes and rivers in winter are far below that. Falling in triggers gasping, breathing up to 10 times faster than normal, and a spike in heart rate and blood pressure, and it can affect fit, healthy people.

Never walk on ice. RoSPA warns that frozen water can look stronger and more solid than it is, so stay off frozen ponds, lakes and rivers. That includes going out to retrieve a float, a rig or a landing net. If you bring a dog, keep it on a lead near frozen water.

If someone falls through the ice, RoSPA says do not attempt a rescue. Stay calm, call 999 and give clear, accurate details of where you are. Note the fishery’s postcode or peg number before you set up, so you have it ready.

If you fall in yourself, RoSPA’s Float to Live advice is:

Tilt your head back with your ears submerged.
Relax and breathe normally.
Move your hands to help you stay afloat.
Once the shock passes, shout for help and move towards the side if you can.

RoSPA also sets out basic safety for anglers:

Wear a good-quality lifejacket in deep water or when fishing from a boat.
Fish with a companion, or tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
Carry a way to call for help, in a waterproof pouch.
Check the weather before you go and avoid dangerous conditions.

Read the full advice on RoSPA’s winter water safety page, its cold water shock guidance and its advice for anglers.

Staying Warm and Looking After Fish in the Cold

It’s usually your feet that end a winter session first. Once your toes go numb, concentration goes with them, and you start missing bites.

Dress in layers you can adjust as the day changes:

A base layer next to the skin.
An insulating fleece or wind-stopper layer.
A waterproof outer layer.
Dry feet above everything else: waterproof socks over normal socks work well.
A hat, gloves, and a flask or small stove for a hot drink.
A brolly or shelter to keep the wind off.

If you fish a lot through the cold months, our guide to thermal fishing suits compares the options. A warm angler fishes longer, and in winter the bites often come at the end.

Cold air needs a little extra care with fish. Wet your hands and your unhooking mat before handling a fish, keep it out of the air for as short a time as possible, and return it quickly. Never lay a fish on frozen ground or frosty grass, which is about as welcoming as it sounds.

A cold angler packs up an hour early and misses the dusk spell. A warm one is still there when it matters.

Frequently asked questions

Is winter a good time to go fishing in the UK?

Yes, if you target the right species. Roach, chub, perch and pike all keep feeding in the cold, and barbel feed when rivers settle. Feeding windows are shorter than in summer, so fish the afternoon into dusk and pick settled or rising temperatures. Carp, bream and tench are much harder work.

Do you need a fishing licence in winter?

Yes. In England and Wales you need a rod licence from age 13 to fish for freshwater fish at any time of year, including winter. In Scotland there is no rod licence, but you need permission from the rights owner. Check the current licence price on GOV.UK before you buy.

What is the best bait for winter fishing?

Small baits fished with light feed. Maggots, casters, bread and worms all catch in winter, with bread suiting coloured water and casters clear water. For pike, a static scented deadbait is the standard winter approach. Feed sparingly, because cold fish fill up quickly.

Is it worth fishing after a frost?

It depends on the trend. The first hard frost after a mild spell usually drops the water temperature and puts fish off feeding. A run of frosty but settled days is different, and fishing can pick up once the water steadies. Take a water temperature reading to judge it.

Is it safe to walk on a frozen lake to fish?

No. RoSPA advises never walking on ice, because frozen water can look stronger than it is. Stay off frozen ponds, lakes and rivers, even to retrieve tackle. If someone falls through, do not attempt a rescue yourself. Call 999 and give clear details of your location.