General Regulations

The only legal method of fishing in freshwater is by rod and line.
It is illegal to fish for pike or coarse fish with more than two (2) rods.
It is illegal to use livebait in freshwater.
It is illegal to attempt to foul hook any fish. Accidentally foul hooked fish must be returned alive immediately to the water.
It is illegal to transfer live fish from one water to another

Pike

The Pike Bye Law No. 809 (2006) provides for the following conservation measures:

a bag limit of 1 pike in any one day,
prohibits the killing of any pike greater than 50 cm in length,
prohibits the possession by any person of more than 1 whole pike less than 50 cm or more than 0.75 kg of pike flesh, this provision does not apply to a person storing pike or pike parts subject to conditions,
prohibits the possession by any person of more than 12 coarse fish for use as bait subject to conditions.

Coarse Fish

This includes roach, bream, rudd, hybrids, tench.

The Coarse Fish Bye Law No. 806 (2006) provides for the following conservation measures

a bag limit of 4 coarse fish in any one day,
prohibits the killing of any coarse fish greater than 25 cm in length,
prohibits the sale of any coarse fish in Ireland (excluding NI), this provision will not apply to fishing tackle dealers and fish bait suppliers who have been granted an exemption from their respective Regional Fisheries Boards.

Bass

Under The Bass Fishing Conservation Bye-law No. 807 of 2006 and the Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations, 2006 the following regulations apply:

Commercial fishing or sale of wild bass is prohibited.
Anglers may only kill, or have in their possession, two (2) bass in any 24 hour period.
Anglers may only kill bass over 40cm measured from snout to tail.
There is a closed season from May 15th to June 15th, during which fishing for bass is prohibited.

Eels (freshwater)

Eel fishing is closed until 2012. The prospect of re-opening the eel fishery will be considered at that time, following a review of the data collated as a result of scientific sampling provided for in the draft plan.

Bye-law No C.S. 303, 2009 prohibits fishing for eel, or possessing or selling eel caught in a Fishery District in the State until June 2012.

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