Is it legal in Blighty

[R P McMurphy]

We used to fish with handlines all the times as babbies but Iam not sure as to its legality over here in Blighty,as I say used to fish this way regularly as kids and never encounted any trouble.

[Born Again]

When I was a kid I invented my own handline method of catching crabs. It worked really well, never seen it mentioned anywhere else.

Search the breakwaters until you find a mess of old fishing line, there's always one. Then find a stone with a hole through it and tie the mess of line to it, with 20 feet or so left out to hold it by. Tie a clothes peg into the mess of line on the stone, catch a prawn or small fish from a rockpool and smash it, put it into the clothes peg and lower the lot into a deep rock pool or off the side of a pier.

Pull up after 10 minutes and find a crab tangled up in the fishing line.

[Linegeist]

Wotcher Dave!

I'd be surprised if it was illegal over here .................................... it's a standard military survival technique that's still taught AFAIK.

Surely to goodness, even the stupid, febrile, synaptically deprived nincompoops we have in charge couldn't slap a ban on fishing with a bit of string?

Could they ......................?

[R P McMurphy]

How bist Mr Heir German Git ,the way things are now days in Dear old Blighty nothing surprises me anymore and Iam sure you feel the same way as do most folks I bet.Reason I made this post is I was out having a mooch along the banks of the severn yesterday afternoon and I just fancied fishing and I thought if I make myself up a little landline fishing kit I just chuck it in my pack and away I go sorta thing.

[Keef]

Using the line may well be legal, providing you have the correct licence from the water authority and even more importantly permission to fish the Severn from who ever ownes the fishing rights to the particular stretch of water that youy want to cast a line into.

[Vandyke]

Using a handine is legal but using an otter board is Illegal.

[Sam Vimes]

Handlines in the sea is perfectly legal as far as I'm aware. Handlines on inland waters are another kettle of fish entirely. For a start once over 12 you can't even fish without a rod licence. On top of that there aren't too many waters that are fishable with only an EA licence. Most club, syndicate or day ticket fisheries would have kittens if someone tried to fish with a handline.

[mudcrab]

Hand lines most definately are a legal method for sea fishing. I hand line for mackerel regularly, and in the west country the "hurdy gurdy" hand line is used for commercial mackerel fishing. The hand line is top fun, well cheap, and easy to stow as well

[basil46]

Wotcher Dave!

I'd be surprised if it was illegal over here .................................... it's a standard military survival technique that's still taught AFAIK.

Surely to goodness, even the stupid, febrile, synaptically deprived nincompoops we have in charge couldn't slap a ban on fishing with a bit of string?

Could they ......................?

Now you`ve told them they will ban it for sure, a new department will be set up to weed out the handline users. Get caught it will be a £5000 fine or 5 years inside.
Meanwhile our soldiers continue with inferior protection on the frontline, but that`s not so important............................
basil.

[woodsy]

no problem for the sea, however, dont fancy the state of my hands after hauling a 60lb angry conger eel up.

[Foxy]

no problem for the sea, however, dont fancy the state of my hands after hauling a 60lb angry conger eel up.

You don not haul him ni you go to the conger