Can anyone tell me if there's a ban on Sunday fishing for the whole of Scotland or is it just certain areas e.g. the further north you go? Also do you know if this is like a religious thing? I was just wondering about the laws surrounding this and how far back they go and when they came into being and if they have ever applied to other parts of the British Isles too e.g. Wales, England. Isle of Man, Orkneys, Shetlands, Ireland etc. From the very little that I know it seems to be mostly by-laws that give effect to this? Correct me if I am wrong?

Also interested in your thoughts on Sunday fishing if you're Scottish. Would you like to fish on Sundays or are you happy that it is prohibited?

What are the advantages/disadvantages for man and fish?

Cheers,
John

It's only migratory fish you're not permitted to fish for in Scotland on a Sunday John, you can still fish for non-migratory fish as far as I'm aware.

What about the Border Esk and the Tweed? Their mouths are in England but they run from Scotland. Do you know what the deal is with these rivers? Can you fish for migratories on Sunday?

Neither can be fished for migratory fish on a Sunday.

Edit - I'm incorrect, you can fish the border Esk on Sundays, but there are also beats above Longtown which you cannot, and you need an EA license also. Just did a bit of checking, all the information is readily available. As always you must check local bylaws for a stretch of water you plan to fish.

Hi John, quite a few places in the north west of Scotland and especially on the western isles fishing on a Sunday is frowned upon, the Wee Free Church still carries a fair bit of power in these areas, my advise is do not fish in these places, it keeps the locals happy.
Six days a week, and a day of rest, isnae to bad.
Billy.

No Sunday Fishing ruling covering Scotland as a whole goes back many many years and was believed to have been implemented for two reasons.
Firstly -to satisfy the demands of the Church the Sabbath being a day of rest.
Secondly-to allow the free passage of running fish from estuary to freshwater
ie: no netting.
...and to allow fish to run without any harassment from anglers.
Most fishery owners/clubs/estates do not permit any Sunday fishings at all especially if there are migratory fish present.
Some simply uphold the 'Church's' wishes and do not allow Sunday fishing at all even if that particular water holds no salmon or sea trout.
These restrictions have been in force for so long that I believe they will remain with us for a very long time to come.
Personally I'm happy to leave the water alone on a Sunday-Salmon have such an ardous journey to reach their reach their birth river and then face many other unseen dangers in freshwater that Yes show some respect and them one day without any harassment !!

Kindest regards
John

ghillie/salmon/seatrout/flies/water/cast/tackle/skate/countryside/play/

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I'm quite happy to have a break one day a week from fishing and especially for the fish's sake too.

If you're of a different faith though that keeps Sabbath or a different day as opposed to a Sunday it means that there's then two and possibly a bit days per week you're unable to fish in large tracts of Scotland unfortunately. That can take all weekends off the cards.

Sabbath - Isn't a sunday however and I don't see anywhere in the Christian faith were a day of rest is called for on a Sunday so that part at least seems strange to me though not having a day of rest. (Sabbath is our Friday sunset to Saturday sunset).

Some rivers that have problems I think it would be beneficial to temporarily have more than one day of no fishing for stocks to recover as opposed to mandatory c&r.

I'm wondering if its only Scotland then that still observes one day of rest a week from fishing or anywhere else in the UK as well?

I have posted my thoughts on this previously but this rule/law is ancient and totally out of date. I have fished all over Scotland on a Sunday (where permitted) and no one has ever challenged me on this day of rest rubbish.

If you think a Sunday should be a day of rest then don't go fishing but don't stop others doing so because a Sunday may be the only day that someone can go fishing.

As for the bulk of the rivers that you can not fish on a Sunday the owners need to drag their butts into the 21st century.

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A Bad Days Fishing Is Better Than A Good Day At Work

- I go fishing as my day of rest -

The fish can have wednesdays off.

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Plusnet/Madasafish > Liars to the internet community

If you think a Sunday should be a day of rest then don't go fishing but don't stop others doing so because a Sunday may be the only day that someone can go fishing.
Well said that man, st boswells aa aproached the land owners and got sunday fishing three years ago, best thing that ever happened! salmon anglers fish it on saturday, trout anglers fish it on sundays, no conflict over water being or about to be fished. we started off just local anglers then made it for season permit holders the following season, sadly there are very few shops open on sundays in the village for selling day tickets but hope to get day tickets for sundays going soon