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Making life better by water

Freshwater fish species

Our canals and rivers hold a great variety of fish. But do you know which are native? Which are protected? And which are actually classed as invasive species?

The more you know about a fish, the more fun you can have fishing. We've put together this helpful guide to the most common types of fish found in our canals and rivers and included hints and tips on the best ways to catch them too.

Remember to buy your rod licence and your Waterway Wanderers permit before you go fishing.

Meet our favourite native fish

Carp, courtesy of Jack Perks

Carp

Easy to catch and an impressive size

Roach

Roach

The unsung hero of our canals

Some of the rarest fish in our waterways

Eel, copyright Jack Perks

Eel

Are they really slippery customers?

Bullhead, courtesy of Jack Perks

Bullhead

Why do they like the brickwork in our locks?

A few unwelcome invaders

Zander, courtesy of Jack Perks

Zander

One of the top predators in the water

Catfish

Catfish

The largest freshwater fish in the UK

Bullhead, courtesy of Jack Perks

Other rare and protected fish

Find out which rare and protected types of fish can be found in our canals and rivers.

Bitterling, courtesy of Jack Perks

More invasive and non-native fish

Our rivers, canals, lakes and ponds are under attack!

photo of Kevin Perry who works for Canal & River Trust fishing a match with Steve Cope, Shropshire Union Canal, Norbury Jucntion, 5-1-2019

Leptospirosis, or Weil's disease, is rare but worth being aware of. Here's some advice for anglers

Note: All references to record-breaking size fish are taken from the British Record Fish Committee January 2015.

Our fish species guide has been brought to life thanks to wonderful images from Jack Perks Photography.

Last Edited: 02 May 2025

photo of a location on the canals

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