As an angler it is most important for you to know that anyone aged 12 years or over who fishes for salmon, trout, freshwater fish or eels in England and Wales must have an Environment Agency Rod Licence.
A rod licence is a statutory requirement (in other words it is required by law). It entitles the licensee to use a rod and line to fish.
Rod licences are issued by the Environment Agency. They differ from permits (often referred to as tickets or day tickets) which give permission to fish a particular water or waters and are issued by fishery owners, angling clubs and so on.
Rod licences can be purchased from any post office in England and Wales (for full and junior licences only).