When you want to go fly fishing, knowing the proper fly fishing seasons are vital to ensure legal catches. To protect the stock of fish in North America and Europe, there is an imposed fly fishing season based on the type of fish you want to catch. These measures, ranging from the number and size of fish permitted to be kept, is designed to protect fish from die out so they will be present in the next season.

For England and Wales, coarse fish may be caught and kept between March 15 and June 15. For brown trout, as well as for rainbow trout in river and streams, you may fish between October 30 and March 31. All of the above dates are inclusive and may be subject to change. If you are planning a trip to these regions, check with local government offices to confirm dates and licenses required.

Scotland’s rules on fly fishing season are vague. The dates tend to fluctuate yearly. If you plan on heading to Scotland for fishing, you will need to contact the local offices to confirm what the dates are for the type of fish you plan on angling for.

In the United States and Canada, fly fishing season varies by state and province.  As some stock may be on the endangered list in one state, and common in another, you need to plan ahead and contact the local government offices to determine if you can fish for the type of fish. As a general guideline, the fishing season tends to start in mid march and end in June to July for many of the popular fly fishing targets. Cold water targets tend to open in late September or October, and close in late March.

Once you are aware of your local fly fishing seasons, you also need to be aware of the terrain and who owns it. While the fishing season may be open, you need to have permission from the land owner to fish on their property. In the case of national parks, fishing may be permitted, but this is on a park by park basis. A good example of a park that permits fishing is Algonquin Provincial Park located in Ontario, Canada.  Yellowstone National Park in the United States is another prime example of a park that allows fly fishing. Fly fishing season is open dependant on section and species of fish. However, if in doubt, all fish types and quadrants are open in July of each year.

If you are in need of more specific information, the Fish and Wildlife Service is a good resource available for your convenience.