Fishing holidays for couples, including one who doesn't fish

Start with the conversation, not the brochure

Agree how much fishing the trip will include before you look at a single cottage. The most common fishing-holiday mistake is the angler booking the trip of their dreams and assuming their partner will be happy reading in the lodge. Sometimes they will be. Often they won't, and they won't say so until day four.

Before you look at anywhere, talk about what each of you wants from a week away:

• How many hours, or days, of fishing would feel right to the angler?
• Does the non-angler want to try fishing, watch, or have nothing to do with it?
• What else matters: walking, food, beaches, a town to explore, a spa, a pub, sleep?
• Is this a holiday for the fishing with some time together, or a holiday together with some fishing?

Write the answers down if it helps. The best trips are the ones where both people come home feeling it was their holiday too.

Picking a place that works for both of you

The right place has good fishing close to things the non-angler wants to do. A lakeside lodge forty minutes from the nearest village is lovely for the angler and long for everyone else.

Our guides to sea fishing singles and fly fishing singles describe what each kind of angler usually wants from a trip.

Who a fishing holiday suits, and who it doesn't

What it costs, roughly

Fishing costs vary far more than accommodation does, so price the fishing separately. Famous fishing often means expensive fishing: prime salmon beats and private chalkstreams are usually sold by the rod per day and can cost a lot. Stocked fisheries, club waters that sell visitor tickets, and sea fishing from the shore are much kinder on the budget.

Things to add up before you book:

• rod licences for each angler, where needed
• permits or day tickets for each water
• guide, ghillie or charter boat fees (a ghillie is a local river guide, common on Scottish salmon rivers)
• tackle hire, if you're not bringing your own
• the non-angler's activities, so their days aren't an afterthought

Sharing the days

A simple pattern that works for many couples:

• Early mornings or evenings for fishing. Fish often feed best at dawn and dusk anyway. The non-angler gets a lie-in or a quiet evening.
• Middle of the day together. Walks, lunch, sightseeing, a swim.
• One or two full fishing days. Agreed in advance, with the partner doing something they're excited about on those days.
• One day with no fishing at all. Leave the rods in the car. It's appreciated more than you'd think.

An example five-day plan

Keep a little flexibility for the weather. If the river comes up after rain, the angler may want to swap days; if it's glorious, the partner may want a beach day. Trade fairly.

If the partner wants to try

Book a lesson with a local guide, ghillie, skipper or instructor rather than teaching them yourself. A professional is more patient, knows the water, and nobody ends up bickering over a tangle. Many fisheries and guides offer half-day taster sessions for beginners, and some include tackle.

Pick the easiest fishing for their first go: a stocked trout lake, mackerel from a pier or boat in summer, or a coarse lake where bites come quickly. A first fish on holiday can turn a curious partner into a keen one. Our guide to fishing as a first date has more on making it fun for a beginner.

Licences, permits and paperwork

Each angler needs the right licence for the country and a permit for each water. Every water has rules, and on holiday you'll be fishing new ones. Check before you go:

• England and Wales: anyone 13 or over needs a rod licence for freshwater, salmon, trout and eels, plus a ticket or permit for the water. Short-term licences are available online.
• Scotland: no rod licence, but you need a permit or the owner's permission for most waters. No salmon fishing on Sundays.
• Northern Ireland: a licence from DAERA or the Loughs Agency depending on the water, usually plus a permit. A Great Britain licence doesn't cover Northern Ireland.
• Republic of Ireland: Inland Fisheries Ireland sets the rules. Check its website for the water you're visiting.
• Sea fishing: generally no licence anywhere in the UK, though some piers and harbours have their own rules.
• Abroad: rules vary country by country and sometimes water by water. Ask the venue exactly which permits you need and whether they're included.

Also check the season for the species you're after (coarse fishing on rivers in England and Wales is closed from 15 March to 15 June, and trout and salmon seasons are set by local byelaws), the fishery's own rules on bait, hooks and catch-and-release, and whether you need to book rods or boats in advance.

Questions to ask before you book

• What's within walking or short driving distance for a non-angler?
• Can I buy permits on site, or do I need to arrange them beforehand?
• Is tackle hire or a guided lesson available?
• What's the fishing typically like at the time of year we're coming?
• What happens if the river is too high or the boat can't go out?
• Is the accommodation comfortable for someone spending time there alone?

Staying safe

Holidays mean unfamiliar water, so check conditions every day rather than relying on what the brochure said.

• Check tides, river levels and the weather daily.
• Wear a lifejacket on boats and on exposed rocks.
• Tell someone at the accommodation where you're fishing and when you'll be back, and agree a time to check in with your partner.
• Don't rely on mobile signal on remote rivers and coasts.
• If you fall into cold water, the RNLI's advice is to float on your back until the shock passes. If someone else is in trouble, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard at the coast, or the fire service inland.

The first date guide has more on safety by the water, and our safety page covers meeting people safely.

Not quite there yet?

If you haven't met your fishing companion yet, start smaller. Read what it's like dating someone who fishes, find ideas in outdoor date ideas, and save the week on a Highland river for when you know each other well.