UK Bass Fishing Update — Season Currently Closed (1 Feb 2026)

As of 1st February 2026, recreational bass fishing in UK waters is in its annual closed season — meaning you cannot legally retain any bass right now and must release any you catch immediately and unharmed. This is because bass are in, or approaching, their spawning period, and the closure is designed to protect the stock during this biologically sensitive time.

The UK and EU have jointly adopted a management regime to help support sustainable European sea bass stocks. One of the key tools in that regime is a closed season for fishing bass — from 1 February to 31 March — during which keeping bass is prohibited for both recreational and commercial fishers.

The aim is to reduce fishing mortality at the time when bass are aggregating to spawn, giving more fish the chance to reproduce and contribute to future populations. This stock-conservation approach is backed by scientific advice and the UK’s fisheries agreements with the EU.

While catch-and-release fishing may still technically occur, best practice for conservation advocates leaving even those fish alone during this period if possible.

Once the bass closed period ends, the following rules still apply for 2026 until any new legislation is confirmed and brought into force:

2 bass per person per day maximum for recreational anglers.

This is the current legal limit until any formal change (such as an increase to 3 fish) is enacted into UK law.

* Note: Although recreational fishing organisations have reported a negotiated increase to a 3-fish limit at the UK-EU level, this must be implemented in domestic legislation before it becomes legally enforceable — and that has not happened yet.

The Minimum Conservation Reference Size for bass remains 42 cm.

You must not retain any bass smaller than this length — those fish must be returned immediately.

Recreational anglers are limited to rod and handline (no nets or other gear) for bass fishing.

Don’t plan to keep any bass until 1 April 2026 — the closed season is in full effect until then.

Handle any accidental captures carefully and quickly: immediately release bass unharmed if they are caught during February–March.

Check local Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) bylaws, as some areas (like nursery zones) may have additional seasonal closures.

Talk continues in the angling world about possible changes to the recreational bag limit for 2026 — notably a potential increase to three bass per person per day — as reported by recreational fishing groups. However, nothing has been formally confirmed or made law yet. Always check GOV.UK or your local IFCA for the latest officially published regulations before fishing.