How do fish spread?

[Kiwi Carper]

Hi all long time no post.......

OK well as some will remember Im in New Zealand, where unfortunately Coarse Anglers are considered the scum of the earth (but I wont go into that) We (Coarse Anglers) are 100% blamed for the transfer and spread of fish around different waters....i cant say it has never happened or that it has happened as Ive never seen it.....but lets assume for one minute that it hasnt how do fish spread around different waters? Im not talking about rivers and lakes that are linked by drains etc but that pond/lake which is totally land locked....if we assume thathuman (or sub human as we are seen down here) intervention wasnt how, then exactly how do the fish get in there?

Is the theory that fish eggs etc ae moved by water fowel a sound one or just an old wives tale? If you think its a sound one do you know of any evidence / research that backs it up? Im currently having a conversation with someone from the Department of Conservation and they dont seem to accept that humans may not be involved...

Any ideas/ theories or evidence greatly apreciated

Tightlines

Kiwicarper

www.coarsefishing.co.nz

[Les Clark ( not too proud to nick a good idea from anybody )]

Hi Kiwi mate , how you doing and how old is that daughter of yours now and does she still fish ?

I think that the water fowl theroy is about right ,no evidence ,but look at all the old pits that were dug for the gravel in the 50s& 60s , they can`t all be stocked by man , a lot took years before fish were noticed.[img]/forum/smilies/i_dont_know_smiley.gif[/img]

[Mark Wintle]

Sorry to quash the theories but 99.9% are at the hand of man. In the UK from all or some of the following; fish theft (mainly carp), live baits (mainly pike anglers), official stockings, general casual stockings from one water to another to introduce new species.

I know of one lake that had 5 species in 1970 and has had variously (some have died out since) 14 species, current total is 10. It is landlocked apart from a tiny 12" outflow which is how the eels get in, and cannot flood.

In 40 years I only know of one genuine bird-induced stocking which was Peter Rolfe who has articles on here finding a very small pike in his goldfish pond in his back garden which is in a small Dorset hilltop town - no rivers or lakes for probably a mile or so. The pond is visited by herons.

In the UK last summer very high floods have caused a massive influx of carp into the Thames above Oxford from the many gravel pits near Witney, and there have been similar incidents on other rivers.

[JIMMY---PAAS]

Hi Kiwi, As Paul say,s, also there fry gets carried to other places by under ground streams.

[Les Clark ( not too proud to nick a good idea from anybody )]

OK , 99.9% stocked by man , but there is a 00.1% that the rest is natural , be it birds , flooding or underground streams.

I can`t believe that waters that have been around say 300 years, discounting estate lakes have been in the main stocked by man .

[JIMMY---PAAS]

Les I TOTALY AGREE with you. <blockquote class=quoteheader>Les Clark ( not too proud to nick a good idea from anybody ) wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>

I can`t believe that waters that have been around say 300 years, discounting estate lakes have been in the main stocked by man .</blockquote>

[Kiwi Carper]

Cheers Guys....yes I know a lot are moved by man, but before that???? I mean look at all those tiny farm ponds in the middle of nowhere never of any fishing interest until some kid finds it on his pushbike....how did they get in there???

We all know about floods and fish movements and livebait.....but thats recently (in relative terms) I just cant believe that without man 99.99999% of waters would have no fish in them.....????

[Kiwi Carper]

Hi les

Shes 12 now and yes still fishes....not as often as she likes but thats my fault, if she goes her 8 yr old brother goes and he likes short sharp sessions....60minutes that will do, even if hes raking em out....Kirsten will sit there all day, but just taking her as you can imagine causes all sorts of family &quot;issues&quot; LOL

[Mark Wintle]

I would say that flooding causes much more than birds. Underground streams only if the geology allows it which generally it doesn't. It is surprising how many disposals of the contents of aquariums/garden pondsand the like take place where people don't have the heart to kill the contents of their tank/pond so these stockings are non angler related. On the lower Dorset Stour five years ago there was a sudden unexplained influx of small rudd that are still present albeit in much smaller numbers. If an isolated pond is visited by birds and no people then eventually it is possible that natural population could be caused simply on the basis of the passing of time. But I know that many years ago we tracked a type of carp through a whole load of entirely illegal stockings in East Dorset over a period of more than thirty years. It was possible to have some semblence of the dates when these took place. Similarly barbel suddenly moved ten miles upriver in the mid seventies on the Stour. It was oncejoked that carp could easily reach 80mph in the right circumstances....ie the back of a car!

Man is far faster......but nature can in time stock waters, i'm convinced of that.