Getting Started with Lure Fishing

By Alex Clayton · Updated 23 October 2026

Lure fishing means casting an artificial lure and winding it back so that a predator, usually a perch, pike or chub, attacks it. For lure fishing for beginners in the UK, the shopping list is short: a rod licence (in England and Wales), one light lure rod and reel, braid with a leader, and a handful of lures. That is enough to start on perch this week.

You need no bait and no seat, only a small bag, so you can walk the bank and fish several spots in one session. Lure fishing for perch and pike is one of my main methods on Lake Windermere.

The six steps below run in the order you will do them, from buying a licence to returning your first fish. This guide covers freshwater only. If you have never held a rod, start with our general beginner’s guide to fishing.

Step 1: Get a Rod Licence and Check Where You Can Fish

You need an Environment Agency rod licence to lure fish in England even on private land, and fishing without one can lead to a fine of up to £2,500 (GOV.UK).

Buy a rod licence. England (except the River Tweed) and Wales both require one for freshwater fish (GOV.UK). Under 13s need no licence, and 13 to 16 year olds need a free junior licence. Check the current price on GOV.UK before you buy, and see our full guide to the rod licence.
Get permission for the water. A licence is not permission to fish. You still need a club card, day ticket or permit from whoever controls the water. The Canal & River Trust runs canal permits including Waterway Wanderers, so check its fishing page or the local angling club for the stretch you want.
Check the close season. Rivers close for coarse fish, including perch, pike and chub.

Water type	Coarse close season (England)
Rivers, streams and drains	15 March to 15 June
Most enclosed stillwaters	None
Canals	None, but check local rules

Private waters can set their own seasons (GOV.UK), local byelaws vary, and Wales has its own regulations through Natural Resources Wales (GOV.UK). See our guide to fishing seasons. In Scotland and Northern Ireland the rules differ: check with DAERA (or the Loughs Agency in its catchments) in Northern Ireland, and with the fishery or permit holder in Scotland.

It is illegal to leave a rod unattended or without sufficient control, which suits lure fishing: you hold the rod throughout.

By now you should have a licence, a chosen water and the right ticket or permit for it.

Step 2: Choose Your First Species and Water

A heavy pike rod on a canal full of small perch, or a delicate perch rod on a big pike lake, is money wasted before your first cast. Pick the fish first and the kit in Step 3 follows.

Start with perch. They are common, bold and hit small lures on light tackle. Look tight to bridge supports, moored boats, lock cuttings and overhanging trees on canals, small rivers and park lakes. See our perch fishing guide.
Try chub on rivers. They sit under overhanging branches and take small lures aggressively. The river close season from Step 1 applies.
Leave pike until later. Pike need a heavier rod, bigger lures and a wire trace. Our pike lure fishing guide covers the step up.

Species	Where to start	Outfit
Perch	Canals, small rivers, park lakes	Light
Chub	Rivers	Light
Pike	Lakes, larger rivers, drains	Heavy, with a wire trace

On Windermere I target perch and pike with lures, and in my experience perch rarely stray far from structure and drop-offs. Find the feature and you usually find the fish.

On timing, many anglers rate autumn, roughly September to November, as the most productive lure period, and advise slowing right down once the water drops below about 8°C.

Best for: start on perch if you want bites on day one. Skip if: you are tempted by pike before you have handled a few fish and own the right kit.

Step 3: Build a Starter Lure Kit by Spec, Not Brand

Four numbers do most of the work: the rod’s casting weight, the reel size, the braid’s breaking strain and the leader. Get those right and the brand on the blank matters far less than a tackle shop might suggest.

Item	Light outfit (perch, chub)	Heavy outfit (pike)
Rod	6 to 7ft, fast action	Length to suit the venue
Casting weight	About 1-10g or 2-12g, up to 15g	Around 15-40g
Reel size	1000 to 2500	3000 to 6000 (guides vary)
Main line	8 to 10lb braid	Stronger braid
Leader or trace	12 to 18in (30 to 45cm) of about 8lb fluorocarbon	Wire trace, always

Braid has almost no stretch, so you feel every knock and the lure’s action through the rod. A fluorocarbon leader adds abrasion resistance and is less visible near the lure. Anywhere pike might be present, use a wire trace instead, because pike teeth cut through fluorocarbon. Wire of around 20 to 30lb is commonly suggested, but treat that as angler advice rather than a rule.

Reel sizes are not standardised between brands, so one maker’s 2500 can feel like another’s 3000. Handle a few before you buy.

Beyond the rod and reel, carry:

A landing net (GOV.UK bans knotted or metallic mesh)
An unhooking mat
Long-nosed forceps
A small lure box
Spare leader material and lure snaps
Wire cutters, if you are making pike traces

GOV.UK only allows lead weights of 0.06g or less, or more than 28.35g. If you are unsure how that applies to an item, check the tackle you can use page.

Do not buy everything at once. A modest rod looked after properly can last years, and our tackle guides break down each item in more detail.

Light vs heavy: the light outfit covers perch and chub on almost any canal, small river or park lake. The heavy one only earns its keep once you target pike, so buy the light outfit first.

Step 4: Pick a Handful of Beginner Lures

Why do experienced lure anglers often carry fewer lures than beginners? Because a few types fished well will catch more than a box of fifty guesses. Will Millard of Fishing in Wales makes the same point: stick to two or three methods and a handful of lures for each.

Lure type	Best for	Watch out for
Spinners and small spoons	Easiest start; cast and wind steadily	Less subtle than other lures
Soft plastics on jigheads	Perch; adjustable weight, can be rigged weedless	Pike teeth tear them
Hard lures (small crankbaits, jerkbaits)	Running at a set depth; they cast well	Trebles snag more and take skill to fish well

Spinners are tough and simple, a good first perch lure. Small shads and worms on jigheads let you change weight to suit depth and flow.

On canals and small rivers, lures of around 3 to 5g are often enough. Going too heavy is a common beginner mistake, because the lure drops straight into the bottom and snags.

Drop-shotting is one of my methods too. In cold water, a small soft plastic on a drop-shot, held almost still beside structure, is a dependable way to tempt perch. Our drop-shot fishing guide explains the rig.

A sensible starter selection:

2 spinners
1 small spoon
A pack of small soft plastics, with jigheads in 2 or 3 weights
1 shallow-diving crankbait

Snags and pike teeth both claim lures, so carry spares.

The verdict: if you only buy one type, make it small soft plastics on jigheads. Change the jighead weight and the same lure fishes a shallow margin or a deep lock cutting.

Step 5: Cast to Features and Vary Your Retrieve

An hour of casting to the middle and winding straight back is how many first sessions end in a blank. Predators sit near cover, and they rarely chase a lure racing through open water.

Cast to the margins, bridge supports, moored boats, weed edges, overhanging trees and drop-offs. Then work through this routine:

Cast parallel to a feature rather than straight out, so the lure stays in the strike zone for longer.
Count the lure down. Count to 3 before you wind, then 6, then let it touch the bottom. Each count fishes a different depth.
Start with a steady retrieve. Wind just fast enough to keep the lure working.
Switch to stop-and-go. Wind a few turns, pause, then wind again. Takes often come on the pause.
Move after a few fishless casts. Walk a few metres and try the next feature.

Let water temperature set your pace. Below about 8°C, slow everything down and fish deeper. When it is warm, fish faster and higher in the water. On Windermere I work lures slowly along drop-offs and structure for perch and pike, especially when the water is cold.

When you feel a take, strike with a firm sweep of the rod and keep the line tight. Braid’s lack of stretch means you do not need a big swing.

Common reasons for a blank:

A lure too heavy for the depth
Winding too fast
Casting into open water
Staying in one spot too long

If a fish is foul-hooked, it must be returned alive, which leads into Step 6.

If nothing follows the lure, change the depth before you change the lure. Fish holding near the bottom will ignore a lure passing well above them.

Step 6: Land, Unhook and Return Fish Safely

Lay out your mat and forceps before the first cast, and unhooking takes seconds rather than minutes.

Net the fish. Do not lift it out by the line. Use a net without knotted or metallic mesh, as GOV.UK bans those.
Unhook on a wet mat, close to the ground. Use long-nosed forceps, especially with treble hooks. With pike, keep your fingers well clear of the teeth.
Keep the fish wet and supported. Hold it under the body and keep it out of the water for as little time as possible.
Return it quickly. Hold it upright in the water until it swims off under its own power.

In England and Wales, foul-hooked fish must be returned alive (GOV.UK). To make unhooking easier, flatten the barbs or swap trebles for single hooks, but check the fishery rules first.

On Windermere I always have the right tools to hand before casting for pike. If you are new to pike, learn to handle one alongside an experienced angler or club member first. Our guides to unhooking and handling fish and how to unhook a pike cover the detail.

By now your first fish should be safely back in the water. When you are ready for more, the predator fishing techniques hub shows what to learn next.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licence for lure fishing?

Yes. In England and Wales you need a rod licence to fish for freshwater fish, including on private land. Under 13s need none, and 13 to 16 year olds get a free junior licence. Fishing without one risks a fine of up to £2,500. See Step 1 above.

Can you lure fish in the close season?

Not for coarse fish on rivers, streams and drains in England between 15 March and 15 June. Most enclosed stillwaters and canals have no close season, so lure fishing in the UK can carry on through spring on those waters. Private waters can set their own rules, so check with the fishery.

What is the best lure for beginners?

A small soft plastic on a light jighead, or a small spinner, is the best start for perch. Both are simple to fish on canals, rivers and lakes. See Step 4 above for a full starter selection.

What rod do I need for lure fishing as a beginner?

A 6 to 7ft fast-action rod with a light casting weight, up to roughly 10 to 15g, is the core of a lure fishing kit for beginners after perch. Pike need a heavier rod rated around 15 to 40g. See Step 3 above for the full spec table.