End of river season

[fred hall]

I intended to go straight from work to my beloved Ribble this afternoon (last day of season) but got delayed and when I did get out it was hissing down. It was one of those times when you just say to yourself enough is enough. I thought back to the months from last June to December which for me was the best fishing I have enjoyed on the river in (gulp) almost fifty years of fishing the place. Admittedly my criteria for success are probably lower than yours but I don't care!
I stopped briefly at a local lake on the way home to throw my remaining bait in. If the weather warms up I'll probably give this lake a go (for bream and tench) in a week or three.
So, everybody,what shall we talk about in the meantime?
PS-if anyone is still out on a river as I write this good luck to you.

 

[jason fisher]

PS-if anyone is still out on a river as I write this good luck to you.
not likely i wondered what all the barking and miaowing was earlier so i looked out the window and it was raining cats and dogs.

 

[jason fisher]

as for what to talk about looks like it's tench and bream season again nearly.
either that or what we should do about unwanted american invaders like rainbow trout.

 

[Ric Elwin]

I've got 2 pints of maggots turning nicely. Come the weekend I'll have a pint of the best quality casters. Half a pint of hemp to go with them. I WILL beat my personal best Roach one day...

 

[ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)]

You could always talk about banning the close season on rivers .......


(light blue touch paper and retire ..........)

 

[Frank "Chubber" Curtis]

I'll pass on that Ed.
Let's talk about women and booze.
Graham please banish anyone that mentions decorating.
Ooops! I just did.

 

[Robbie H]

What about the hidden secrets of canals? Have been on the river all winter, but now i shall be going for some nice carp and bream on our local cut.
Boat owners are a mine of information. Have been given great advice by one and so have been feeding up 2 swims over the past few days. Fingers crossed for Thursday!!

 

[swordsy]

Ladybower, sheffield canal, pebley res, clowne, dam flask.......they all interest me but none of them give me the dander on like a good stretch of river with a healthy stock of porpoising barbel.

 

[Richard Parsons]

I wont talk about the close season on rivers as no one seems to bother with the "close" bit once the weather gets better.Last year I was under the impression that it was open season intill I checked my new permits.
What can (or should) I do about it?
On a better note I feel a large Tench and small carp season coming and I hope to get my first double of both before I got back to the Barbel in mid June.

 

[Bob Martin]

This morning (Tuesday) as I was walking the dog I met a group of anglers in the car park who were preparing to enjoy the last day of the river season. I had to tell them the bad news that you can't fish on the 15th. They decided to go on the nearby canal instead.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Richard,
What you can and should do is to call the local office of the EA and alert them as to where and when this is happening. Obviously a call at the time you spot it is batter than waiting until later when the offenders may have already moved on.

As to what to talk about now that the close season is upon is us; well, how about next seasons plans, which species will you be targeting and where? What methods you may be continuing with or even trying out for the first time?

I tend to look on the close season positively and with purpose rather than negatively, but then I don't fish at all during this period even though some lakes and canals are (wrongly IMO) still open.

Cue JW et al to enter the fray which has started a little earleir than normal this year

 

[jason fisher]

even though some lakes and canals are (wrongly IMO) still open.

oh shut up!

why should we be banned from fishing for 3 months, there's plenty of lakes that have hardly seen anyone since september.

 

[Woody (Cheeky Monkey)]

"Cue JW et al to enter the fray"










No.

 

[swordsy]

For many years I was in favour of the closed season, it gave the bankside a break and allowed the wildlife a little peace and quiet. Things have changed somewhat over the last few years that force me to change my opinion, the closed season is now IMO (nice us of abreviations hey?)the same as leaving the telly and video on the doorstep with a note to all and sundry telling them to help themselves to all my stuff plus if the local authorities want to dump toxic substances they can chuck them down my toilet and give it a couple of good flushes, by the time I get back off my three month break, the smell will have cleared and the lack of fish in my garden pond can be blamed on next doors cat.....which I will subsequently shoot in the head(twice)......then hit with a spade(twice)

We need to be on the banks, there are some wierd people out there who want to nick your telly and blame it on next doors moggy!!

 

[swordsy]

put the bottle down Lee and go to bed!

 

[swordsy]

By the way J&B rare if anyone is interested, very nice, a little thin on the palate perhaps, a decent enough sipping whisky for the beginners to whisky drinking.

 

[Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)]

Whats wrong with you simply going for a walk by the river Lee?

 

[swordsy]

Agreed Nigel, agreed.......but whats wrong with going for a walk pulling a trolly full of gear and bagging up big time?

No, seriously joking over, like I have said before I have been in the closed season camp for many years, it is only now that the goal posts have(IMO)moved that I question its worth and even go so far as to wondering if it is not actually a liability.

I do not enjoy catching gravid fish I do not wish to increase my p/b through the weight of hydrated eggs or a belly full of milt and yet it is these fish that need protecting and we are not on the bankside doing so by being the eyes and ears of the river.

should we keep the closed season? God only knows, I can see reasons for both sides of the argument.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Lee,

I think you will find that spawning fish are already protected by LAW and this is in spite of the fact that it is flaunted daily on lakes that allow fishing all the year around!

I don't know about you but I still go to my local rivers during the closed season and spend hours walking and watching (and hopefully learning) so there is no need to actively 'fish' in order to maintain a watchful eye on our rivers.

I would however be interested to hear which goal posts you believe may have moved unless you are referring to the abolition of the closed season on still waters and canals.

In all honsety I cannot see any case for allowing year-round fishing on our already 'suffering' rivers.

 

[Woody (Cheeky Monkey)]

Peter, you can now read my response in this also .