UK Predator Fish Species

By Alex Clayton · Updated 24 October 2026

The main predator fish UK anglers target in freshwater are pike, perch, zander and wels catfish. Eels eat fish too, but in England every eel you catch must be released alive.

These predatory fish range from a perch that takes a worm to a catfish that needs heavy tackle, and two of the four are not native. They also carry more rules than most coarse fishing. This page compares them, gives a seasonal steer and sums up the law, with a link to each full guide. I fish Lake Windermere for pike and perch, so parts of this come from my own bank time. For other fish, browse all our UK species guides.

UK Predator Fish at a Glance

How the main predator fishing species compare:

Species	Native?	Typical waters	How it hunts	Main methods	Wire trace?
Pike	Yes	Lakes, rivers, drains, canals, gravel pits	Ambush from weed and cover	Lures, deadbaits, float or ledger	Always
Perch	Yes	Almost every water type	Shoals around structure	Drop-shot, small lures, worm under a float	Not usually; consider one where pike are present
Zander	No	Rivers, canals, drains, often coloured water	Hunts in low light	Small deadbaits and lures, fished slowly	Advised where pike are present
Wels catfish	No	Mainly specialist stillwaters	Feeds by touch and smell, mostly after dark	Large baits on heavy gear	Follow fishery rules
Eel	Yes	Rivers, lakes, canals	Scavenges and hunts, mostly at night	Not a target species	Not applicable: release alive in England

Wels catfish grow by far the largest, pike come next, and perch are the smallest of the group.

New to predators? Start with perch. They live in most waters, need only light, cheap tackle and teach lure work fast. Move on to pike once you own proper unhooking kit and can handle a fish with a mouth full of teeth.

Pike: The UK’s Top Freshwater Predator

A pike can hang motionless in a weedbed for long spells, then strike in one burst. The long torpedo body, duck-bill snout and fins set far back near the tail are built for exactly that ambush.

Pike live in lakes, rivers, drains, canals and gravel pits across the UK. Catch them on lures, deadbaits, or float and ledger tactics. Live bait is legal in England only under strict conditions, covered in the rules section below.

Carry a wire trace, long forceps or pliers, an unhooking mat and a large landing net. Gaffs and tailers are banned in England and pike gags are an offence in Scotland, so leave both at home wherever you fish.

On Windermere I rely on lures and trolling, because freshwater fish baits are banned on the Lake District lakes. In my experience a slow troll along the drop-offs finds fish when casting from the bank doesn’t.

Read our full pike guide for tactics in depth. Pike suit anglers who want a big fish on most local waters. Hold off until you have the unhooking kit.

Perch: The Easiest Predator to Start With

Plenty of anglers catch their first predator by accident: a perch grabbing a worm meant for a roach.

Look for dark stripes on the flanks, a spiky front dorsal fin and red-orange lower fins. Fold that dorsal fin down as you handle the fish, because the spines are sharp.

Perch shoal around structure such as pontoons, moored boats, bridges and snags, especially as the water cools. Small perch roam in packs, while bigger ones often sit alone near cover.

Fish a drop-shot with a small soft lure or worm, a small spinner, or a worm under a float beside cover. On Windermere I’ve found they hold close to structure once the temperature drops, and a bait held almost still beats anything retrieved fast.

Our perch species guide goes further. No predator is better to learn on.

Zander: The Low-Light Hunter

A zander looks like a cross between a pike and a perch. It is neither: zander are a separate species.

Look for large, glassy eyes adapted for low light, prominent fangs and two dorsal fins. Zander are not native to the UK, so ask the fishery or local angling club whether a water holds them.

Never move zander, or any fish, between waters yourself. In England that needs written Environment Agency agreement, and in Scotland introducing live fish without consent is an offence.

Fish small deadbaits (where fish baits are allowed) or lures slowly at dawn, dusk or in coloured water. Keep resistance light, because zander drop baits they can feel. Their mouths are smaller than a pike’s and their takes more cautious, so scale baits down. The zander guide has the detail.

Wels Catfish: The Biggest Predator in UK Waters

No UK freshwater fish grows as big as a wels catfish, and that size dictates your kit.

Wels are not native and live mainly on specialist stillwaters that stock them. Many of those fisheries set their own rules on line strength, hooks and unhooking kit, so check with the fishery before you travel.

They feed mostly at night or in low light, finding food by touch and smell. Use large baits such as big pellets, or fish baits where allowed, with strong mainline and hooklink, a large landing net and a big unhooking mat or cradle. Support the fish fully out of the water and return it quickly.

To try catfish, book a day on a fishery that holds them and ask about its kit rules first. Our wels catfish guide covers the rest.

When to Fish for Predators: A Seasonal Guide

Plenty of anglers try pike for the first time in high summer, blank, and give up on them. Summer is often the hardest season for pike.

Season	Pike	Perch	Zander	Wels
Spring	Rivers closed 15 March to 15 June in England; leave spawning fish alone	Fish stillwaters while rivers are closed	Canals and stillwaters where open	Waking up as water warms
Summer	Harder in warm water	Active and feeding	Low light only	Most active
Autumn	Prime as prey fish shoal	Prime	Good	Fair
Winter	Good on mild, settled days	Good, fish slowly	Good in coloured water or low light	Slow

In warm water, unhook pike quickly and get them back fast. Autumn is when I head out on Windermere for pike and perch, with lures rather than fish baits. Our fishing seasons guide has the close-season detail.

The Rules Every UK Predator Angler Needs to Know

Breaking a byelaw in England can mean a fine of up to £50,000. You need a rod licence from age 13 (free for 13 to 16 year olds) plus the fishery owner’s permission.

England (national rod fishing byelaws):

Live bait: allowed only if you keep the bait fish at, and use them only in, the water they came from. Some local byelaws ban it.
Moving fish: written Environment Agency agreement is needed to move any fish or spawn between waters.
Crayfish: banned as bait, dead or alive.
Pike limit: 1 pike of up to 65cm per day where the limit applies, including rivers, streams, drains and named waters such as Windermere and Norfolk Broads waters. Measure snout to tail fork. Removing fish from stillwaters and canals needs the owner’s permission.
Tackle: gaffs and tailers are banned; landing nets are allowed.
Foul-hooked fish from rivers, streams, drains or canals must be released immediately.
Lead: only 0.06g or less, or over 28.35g (1oz).
Close season: 15 March to 15 June on rivers, streams and drains, most SSSI stillwaters, some canals and most Norfolk and Suffolk Broads waters. Most other stillwaters and canals have none.
Local extras: six byelaw areas add supplementary byelaws, and Anglia and Thames ban gorge bait.

Lake District (North West byelaws): on 14 named lakes, including Windermere, Coniston Water, Ullswater and Derwentwater, you cannot use dead or live freshwater fish, salmonids or eels as bait.

Scotland: using a pike gag is an offence (s.5A), as is introducing live fish to inland waters without written consent (s.33A). For anything else, check Scottish Government guidance and the fishery.

Wales: the river close season of 15 March to 15 June applies, but Wales has its own regulations. Check Natural Resources Wales.

Northern Ireland: check DAERA, or the Loughs Agency in its area, before fishing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the biggest predator fish in the UK?

The wels catfish is the biggest predator fish in UK freshwater by a wide margin, followed by pike. Most live on specialist stillwater fisheries, so book one of those and follow its tackle rules.

Is live baiting legal in the UK?

In England, yes, but only if the bait fish came from and stay in the water you are fishing, and some local byelaws ban it outright. Freshwater fish, salmonids and eels are banned as bait on 14 Lake District lakes, including Windermere. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, check the relevant authority and the fishery first.

Can I keep a pike I catch?

In England, where the limit applies, you can take one pike of up to 65cm per day. On stillwaters and canals you also need the owner's permission. Many predator anglers return every pike. See the rules section above for the full byelaw detail.

Are zander and wels catfish native to the UK?

No. Neither zander nor wels catfish is native to the UK, so never move them, or any fish, between waters. England requires written Environment Agency agreement, and Scotland treats introducing live fish without consent as an offence.