What is the best present you can give for angling this Christmas? A brand new rod or reel? Some sexy lures, flies or floats? Or how about a gift that lasts a whole year, opening the door to what could be a very happy ever after as a new or returning angler? Here’s how you can gift a friend or loved one, along with some advice on doing it right and making your money go further. Don’t forget, an annual licence now runs for a whole 365 days from the exact date you start it, not March to March!
Any regular angler out there will tell you just how much enjoyment they get from their fishing. What better way of giving than to share this enjoyment with someone else? Of course, beyond having the right tackle they will also need a fishing licence to do any kind of freshwater angling.
The good news is that you can now buy a licence for someone else. It’s really easy to do so, just as it is to and make the most of a licencing system that offers better value and flexibility than ever! Here are some tips and general pointers to bear in mind:
- Watch out for online sharks! First things first, don’t even think about buying your licence from an unofficial source! There are some real shysters out there, sadly, who will take your details and add whopping charges to your licence fee! Either go direct to a Post Office or use the official website: www.gov.uk/fishing-licences
Avoid sharks and extra charges- only use the official gov.uk site! - How old is the intended recipient? If they are 12 or under, they won’t need a licence. If they are 13-16, it’s free but they must register. If your friend or family member is over 65 or has a disability, they will be entitled to a special concessionary rate. For more details see our “What sort of fishing licence do I need?” blog post.
- Why not start their licence later rather than sooner? If you are buying a fishing licence as a Christmas or a Birthday surprise, there’s little point in starting it before the big day, surely? In which case, you can simply change the “start” date to later. Remember, an annual licence now runs a whole year from the very day you buy it, so the later it starts, the later before you need to renew!
You needn’t start their new licence immediately- simply pick your preferred date. - Had a taste of fishing already? Then save the cost of their day or week permit!
Another great bonus of the new system is that if your friend has already forked out for a day or week licence in the last year, you can deduct this off the price of a full year licence! You’ll be offered this option as you buy a licence at the gov.uk website. - Why not make it into a bigger gift? Ok, so now we’re putting other thoughts in your head, but why not make that brand new fishing licence part of an even better gift? Depending on how close to the big day you buy it, you may not get the actual picture card licence in time of course (in which case just keep the reference number and away you fish from your chosen date!).
Why not make that licence part of a greater gift? If you’re a Trust member, don’t forget you can get money off baits, books, lures and much more. Perhaps some tackle vouchers, a guided fishing experience or some tackle to get them started? That part is up to you, but suffice to say a new fishing licence and an invitation to wet a line is a gift that will still bring them joy long after dad has finished the last of the leftover turkey.
Tight lines and have a wonderful Christmas!