Our Island Plan

Freshwater Fishing Information

All freshwater anglers fishing on the Isle of Man's inland waters must hold a valid angling licence issued by DEFA. Licences must be purchased before you fish.

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Fishing licences

The Isle of Man fishing licence system differs from the UK. There are three licence types, each covering different waters and species:

  • A Reservoir licence covers fishing for trout and rainbow trout in reservoirs and private and commercial fisheries

  • An Other Waters licence covers fishing for salmon, migratory trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, and eels in any waters other than the stocked reservoirs

  • A Coarse Fish licence covers fishing in any private or commercial coarse fishery, or in Eairy Dam

Reservoir and Other Waters licences are available for a day, a week, or a season. Coarse Fish licences are season only.

Concessionary and reduced licences

A 30% concessionary discount applies to all licences for those of pensionable age or who are disabled (as defined in the Equality Act 2017). No proof of eligibility is required at the point of purchase, but we advise licence holders to carry evidence of eligibility when fishing, along with their licence and ID, as enforcement officers may ask to see them.

Reduced licence fees are available for children and young people. The free Child Licence is valid until the holder's 14th birthday. The Young Person Licence is available for those aged 14 to 18, and ceases to be valid on the holder's 19th birthday, regardless of the end-of-season date shown on the licence.

Full eligibility criteria are set out in the Inland Fisheries Regulations 2017.

Where to buy

DEFA headquarters opening times: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays).

Angling seasons

Seasons differ depending on the licence type.

The Reservoir season runs from 10 March to 31 January.

The Other Waters season runs from 1 April to 30 September for brown trout and eels. After this, there is an extension until 31 October for migratory fish (salmon and sea trout) only. During October, day and week licences are not valid — anglers must hold a season Other Waters Licence to fish during this period.

The Coarse Fish season runs from 1 January to 31 December, although private or commercial coarse fisheries may operate a close season at their discretion.

Access and permission

Access to watercourses is at the discretion of the landowner and anglers are responsible for ensuring that they do not commit trespass. Please respect 'No Fishing' and 'Private Fishing' signs.

Reservoir access is at the courtesy of Manx Utilities. Please respect their installations, property, and regulations at all times.

Unless requested not to by an IoM Government Officer, licensed anglers may assume they have permission to fish at the following locations:

  • National Glens: mostly brown trout. Salmon also run Laxey Glen, Glen Helen and, to a lesser extent, Silverdale Glen. Sea trout, and occasionally salmon, run several of the other glens accessible to migratory fish

  • Garey ny Cloie (Foxdale River): brown trout, sea trout, salmon

  • Right bank of Sulby Claddagh Recreational Area (Sulby River): brown trout, sea trout, salmon

  • The Raggatt (River Neb): brown trout, sea trout, salmon

  • Right bank of River Neb from Glenfaba Road to West Marine Footbridge, Peel: brown trout, sea trout, salmon

  • Within the grounds of the National Sports Centre between Quarterbridge and Pulrose Power Station, Douglas (Rivers Glass, Dhoo and Douglas): brown trout, sea trout, salmon. Please note that access may be restricted during some NSC events and anglers must cease fishing if requested to do so by NSC staff

  • Steam Heritage Trail bank, River Dhoo, between Braddan Bridge and Main Road Bridge, Union Mills: brown trout, sea trout, salmon

  • Streams within Public Land Open to Ramblageas defined in the Isle of Man Outdoor Leisure Map 1:25,000: brown trout. Please note that anglers need to take great care April–July (inclusive) to avoid disturbing ground-nesting birds, e.g. hen harriers, as to do so is an offence under the Wildlife Act 1990

Angling in areas of special scientific interest

The Isle of Man has a number of ASSIs that include inter-tidal areas and rivers. ASSI locations can be found on the Island Environment Map Island Environment and the designation documents can be viewed in the 'Protected sites' page on the government website.

DEFA does not have any evidence to suggest that current recreational angling that is damaging to the special interest of these important statutorily protected sites at present, however ahead of any organised angling events on ASSIs the landowner is legally required to discuss the activity with an officer from the DEFA Ecosystem Policy Team.

River fishing

With numerous small, clear, fast-flowing streams, the Isle of Man offers a unique opportunity to fish for wild brown trout across the Island. You may fish the fly, worm, or spin in streams cascading down from the mountains, through the rolling countryside and in tree-lined valleys. Many anglers choose to spin rather than fly fish these streams due to the dense cover, however excellent results will come to the practised and patient fly fisherman.

Migratory Fish

Salmon and sea trout are both native to the Island and Manx rivers hold surprisingly good stocks of migratory fish. Given enough water, sea trout should be present in the major rivers by June, with salmon arriving later in the year, usually by September. The main rivers frequented by migratory fish are the Sulby River in the northern half of the Island, the Neb which flows into the sea at Peel on the west coast, and the rivers Dhoo and Glass which enter the sea at Douglas. Sea trout can also be found in some of the larger pools in the smaller streams.

Anglers in possession of an Other Waters Licence may catch and kill a maximum of 3 fish each day, of which no more than 1 may be a salmon or sea trout. Anglers must cease fishing immediately once the daily bag limit has been reached, or once a salmon or migratory trout has been caught and retained.

All eels must be returned alive immediately.

Please consider returning all migratory salmonid fish alive to help conserve Manx stocks.

Reservoir fishing

The wide range of reservoir fishing available on the Island provides some challenging stillwater trout fishing and offers a great contrast, varying from sheltered lowland reservoirs to exposed upland waters in the central hills. Whilst wild brown trout can be found in all of these reservoirs, six of them (Ballure, Clypse, Kerrowdhoo, Cringle, Sulby and West Baldwin) are also stocked regularly throughout the angling season with rainbow trout reared at Cornaa Fish Farm.

The reservoirs vary in size from the deep, clear Sulby Reservoir (154 acres) located directly under Snaefell, to the lowest-lying Ballure (3.5 acres) just on the outskirts of Ramsey. The Clypse and Kerrowdhoo reservoirs just north of Douglas are restricted to traditional fly fishing only, whilst fly fishing and spinning methods can be used on all other reservoirs. Bait fishing is prohibited.

For safety reasons, no boats are available on any of the reservoirs.

From 10 March to 31 October on the reservoirs, no more than 4 rainbow trout may be caught and killed in any one day. For the period 1 November to 31 January, there is an overall bag limit of 2 fish. Anglers must not continue to catch and release after the daily bag limit has been reached.

Inland fisheries regulations

Anglers must carry a landing net, which must be used to remove fish from the water.

Line breaking strain must not exceed 4.5kg / 10lbs.

It is an offence under the regulations to sell, offer, or expose for sale any salmon, migratory trout, trout, rainbow trout, or coarse fish species taken by rod and line.

The Inland Fisheries Regulations 2017 set out the full rules and regulations for freshwater angling. Anglers are encouraged to read and understand these regulations before going fishing.

Catch returns

River anglers are encouraged to submit catch returns at the end of the season, whether or not they have caught any fish. These returns are used to monitor trends in the Island's fisheries, act as indicators of the status of native fish stocks, and help direct resources to where they are most needed.

Catch return forms are included as part of the Other Waters Licence when purchased in person, or they can be downloaded online – see ‘Downloadable Documents’ section.

Please return completed forms by email fisheries@gov.im, or post to the address below:

Fisheries, DEFA
Thie Slieau Whallian
Foxdale Road
St Johns
IM4 3AS

Record weights

Details of current record weights for freshwater species, as well as rod-caught marine species from shore and boat, and an application form to claim a record weight, can be downloaded from the documents section of this page.

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