Fishing tips where you stand

Yes, nearly all inland fishing needs a licence from the rights holder, usually bought on inatur.no or iFiske. Under-16s fish free in many waters, but the licence and the rules differ from water to water, so always check the one you are going to.

A 6 to 7 foot spinning rod, a small fixed-spool reel with 0.20 mm line, and a handful of lures between 5 and 12 grams will cover most Norwegian inland waters. Add pliers, a knife and a few spare hooks and you are set.

The rule of thumb is silver and natural colours in clear water and bright light, and copper, gold or bright colours when the water is stained or the light is low. At first light and dusk, dark silhouettes often work best.

First light and dusk are the peaks, especially for trout in summer. But fish bite in the middle of the day too, and in cold water, under cloud, deep, in mountain lakes and on the ice the day is actually best. Under the ice the window is often 10 to 14. Perch and grayling are pure daytime fish. Water temperature decides more than the clock.

Yes. If the fish is under the minimum size, over a maximum size, protected or outside the quota, it must be released at once. Play it in quickly, keep it in the water with wet hands, and unhook it with pliers. If the hook is in the gills or the throat, cut the leader close to the hook instead of pulling it out.

Not in fresh water. The right to roam lets you walk there, but it gives you no right to fish in fresh water without permission. In the sea anyone can fish with a rod and hand line without a fishing card, outside the no-fishing zones of the Oslofjord. Size limits, closed seasons, tackle rules and zones vary locally, and salmon, sea trout and sea char have rules of their own.

Yes. Children under 16 fish free for inland fish with a rod and hand line from 1 January through 20 August. Where the rights holder sells a licence, they are entitled to it without paying. The right does not apply in watercourses with salmon, sea trout or sea char, and local rules on size limits and quotas apply to children too.