Rod fishing byelaws: South West
South West byelaws are statutory (regulated by law) rules and regulations explaining who can fish, where, when and what fish you can take.
Applies to England
Overview of South West byelaws
These byelaws apply to anyone fishing with a rod and line for salmon, trout, coarse fish, eels, smelt and lamprey.
See the national rod fishing byelaws for rules that cover the whole country.
Angling clubs and private fisheries may enforce their own additional rules, but national and local byelaws still apply.
South West: Wessex and Devon and Cornwall
Within the South West, some rules apply specifically to:
- an area referred to as Wessex – which is also divided into North Wessex and South Wessex
- rivers in Devon and Cornwall
They cover:
- North Wessex – all waters within river catchments that flow into the Bristol Channel or the Severn Estuary from Foreland Point eastwards to Newtown (Sharpness) – principal river catchments include Parrett, Axe, Brue, Huntspill River, Yeo, Bristol Avon and Little Avon
- South Wessex – all waters within river catchments that flow into the sea along the south coast from Lyme Regis, eastwards to Highcliffe, Dorset – principal river catchments include Avon (Hampshire), Stour (Dorset), Frome and Piddle
- Devon and Cornwall – all waters within river catchments that flow into the sea on the south coast from Lyme Regis (including the River Lim) to Land’s End, and then from Land’s End to Foreland Point on the north coast – principal river catchments include Axe and Lim, Sid and Otter, Exe, Teign, Dart, Avon (Devon), Erme, Yealm, Plym, Tavy, Tamar, Lynher, Looe, Fowey, Fal, Camel, Torridge, Taw and Lyn
When and where you can fish
Dates are inclusive
All dates mentioned in these byelaws are inclusive. This means a stated period, such as 15 March to 15 June, includes the full day of 15 March and the full day of 15 June.
Close season rules
Many local variations to national close season rules (when you must not fish) apply across the South West.
Salmon close seasons by river
| River | Start and end |
|---|---|
| Avon (Devon) | 1 December to 14 April |
| Erme | 1 November to 14 March |
| Axe, Otter, Sid | 1 November to 14 March |
| Lim | 1 October to the last day of February |
| Camel, Gannel, Menalhyl, Valency | 16 December to 31 March |
| Dart | 1 October to 31 January |
| Exe | 1 October to 13 February |
| Fowey, Looe, Seaton | 16 December to 31 March |
| Tamar, Tavy, Lynher | 15 October to the last day of February |
| Plym, Yealm | 16 December to 31 March |
| Taw, Torridge | 1 October to the last day of February |
| Lyn | 1 November to 31 January |
| Teign | 1 October to 31 January |
| Frome (Dorset) and Piddle | 1 September to the last day of February |
| All other rivers in Wessex | 1 September to 31 January |
Migratory trout close seasons by river
| River | Start and end |
|---|---|
| Avon (Devon) | 1 October to 14 April |
| Erme | 1 October to 14 March |
| Axe, Otter, Sid | 1 November to 14 April |
| Lim | 1 November to 15 April |
| Camel, Gannel, Menalhyl, Valency | 1 October to 31 March |
| Dart | 1 October to 14 March |
| Exe | 1 October to 14 March |
| Fowey, Looe, Seaton, Tresillian | 1 October to 31 March |
| Tamar, Tavy, Lynher, Plym, Yealm | 1 October to 2 March |
| Taw, Torridge, Lyn | 1 October to 14 March |
| Teign | 1 October to 14 March |
| All other rivers in Wessex | 1 November to 14 April |
Brown trout close seasons
| Waters | Start and end |
|---|---|
| Enclosed stillwaters | No statutory close season |
| River Camel | 1 October to 31 March |
| River Fowey | 1 October to 31 March |
| Other waters in Devon and Cornwall | 1 October to 14 March |
| All rivers in Wessex Area | 16 October to 31 March |
| Other waters in Wessex Area | 15 October to 16 March |
Rainbow trout close seasons
| Waters | Start and end |
|---|---|
| All reservoirs, lakes and ponds | No statutory close season |
| River Camel | 1 October to 31 March |
| River Fowey | 1 October to 31 March |
| Other rivers in Devon and Cornwall | 1 October to 14 March |
| All rivers in Wessex area | 16 October to 31 March |
Weirs
It is illegal to take, or attempt to take, fish by any means within 46m below the crest of Kilbury Weir on the River Dart.
Coarse fishing close season
The coarse fishing close season applies from 15 March to 15 June to rivers, streams, drains, and the Glastonbury Canal. This canal is part of an open system within the South Drain.
Rods and nets
See the national byelaws for rules on:
- the number of rods you are allowed to use
- using landing nets, keepnets, gaffs or tailers
Tackle, lures and baits
National byelaws on lead weights apply in the South West.
National byelaws on using tackle, lures and bait apply in addition to local byelaws.
These local byelaws also apply:
Use of floats
You must not use a float when you fish for salmon or trout in any waters within the Avon (Devon), Axe (Devon), Dart, Exe, Taw and Torridge and Teign districts.
Devon rivers – no spinning for trout
You must not spin for trout in waters included within the Dartmoor National Park, the Exe above Exebridge, Otter above Langford Bridge, Torridge above Woodford Bridge, Bray above Newton Bridge, Mole above Alswear Bridge, Little Dart above Afleton Bridge, and the whole of the Okement, Lyn and Barnstaple Yeo.
Baits
National byelaws apply across the South West, with the addition of the following restrictions.
South West
Salmon – artificial fly and artificial lure only before 16 June.
Avon (Devon)
Salmon and trout – no worm or maggot.
Axe (Devon)
Salmon and trout – no shrimp, prawn, worm or maggot. Fly only after 31 July below Axbridge, Colyford.
Dart
Salmon – no worm or maggot. No shrimp or prawn except below Staverton Bridge. No spinning above Holne Bridge.
Trout – fly only.
Exe
Salmon and trout – no worm or maggot.
Barnstaple Yeo (tidal)
No fishing for all species, including sea fish.
Taw and Torridge (except Lyn)
Salmon and trout – no shrimp, prawn, worm or maggot. No spinning after 31 March.
Lyn
Trout – no worm or maggot before 1 June.
Teign
Salmon – artificial fly and artificial lure only after 31 August.
Trout – no worm or maggot before 1 June.
Camel
Salmon – no bait other than prawn or shrimp, and only with a single, barbless hook with less than 13mm gape,
Trout – no bait other than a single worm and a single, barbless hook with less than 13mm gape.
Salmon and trout:
- artificial lures and spinners may only have barbless treble hooks with less than 8mm gape, or single barbless hooks with less than 13mm gape
- no artificial lures or spinners with any treble hooks may be used after 30 September
- any double or treble hook used with an artificial fly must be barbless and less than 8mm hook gape
- any single hook used with an artificial fly must be barbless and less than 13mm hook gape
Fowey
Salmon – no byelaw restrictions on bait after 16 June.
Trout – no byelaw restrictions on bait.
Tamar
Salmon and migratory trout – no worm, maggot, shrimp or prawn after 31 August.
Wessex area
Salmon and migratory trout – artificial fly only before 15 May.
All species in rivers, drains and canals – no maggot (or pupae), processed product, cereal or other vegetable matter during the coarse fish close season.
Catch limits, size limits and catch returns
Coarse fish and eels catch limits
National byelaws for coarse fish and eel catch limits apply across the South West.
Salmon and trout catch limits
It is illegal to catch and remove any live or dead salmon from these rivers, their tributaries and estuaries:
- Allen, Cornwall
- Avill, Somerset
- Bristol Avon
- Brit, Dorset
- Camel, Cornwall
- Doniford, Somerset
- Fal, Cornwall
- Harbourne, Devon
- Heddon, Devon
- Lerryn, Cornwall
- Looe, Cornwall
- Otter, Devon
- Par, Cornwall
- Parrett, Somerset and Dorset
- Porth, Cornwall
- Seaton, Cornwall
- Sid, Devon
- Stour, Dorset
- Valency, Cornwall
- Washford, Somerset
- Yealm, Devon
You must release all salmon you catch from these waters immediately, with the least possible injury.
You must return alive all salmon you catch in South West waters before 16 June. The following rules apply after 16 June.
| Area or catchment | Species | 24 hour limit | 7 days limit | Season limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wessex North | Non-migratory trout | 2 | N/A | N/A |
| Camel | Sea trout | 2 | N/A | N/A |
Trout size limits
You must return to the water trout smaller than the size limits in the following table.
| Area, district or catchment | Migratory trout | Non-migratory trout |
|---|---|---|
| Camel, Fowey, Tamar, Plym | 18cm | 18cm |
| Avon (Devon), Axe (Devon), Dart, Exe, Taw, Torridge, Teign | 25cm | 20cm |
| River Lim | N/A | 22cm |
| Wessex North except By Brook | 35cm | 25cm |
| By Brook and tributaries | 35cm | 20cm |
| Wessex South | 35cm | 25cm |
These size restrictions do not apply to non-migratory trout in any waters included within the Dartmoor National Park, the Exe above Exebridge, Otter above Langford Bridge, Torridge above Woodford Bridge, Mole above Alswear Bridge, Little Dart above Afleton Bridge, and the whole of the Okement, Lyn and Barnstaple Yeo.
Sea trout
You must not take sea trout more than 50cm long from the River Camel.
How to measure fish
You measure fish from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail.
Last updated 12 February 2021 + show all updates
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We clarified what the South West byelaws cover. We have also clarified the meaning of certain byelaws.
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First published.