Invasive species....

[flightliner]

A similar experience for me too, Pete.

Around three or our years ago now and I was deadbaiting one October and I had taken three Pike to 22lb that morning, no problems at all with the gear.

It all went quiet until around 2.30pm when the float just slid away, none of the dips and slides that you typically get when a pike picks up the bait and the baitrunner slowly began clicking away.

At first I wondered if a large, submerged log had come down the river as I was just pulling a very heavy dead weight to the surface and when it broke the surface all hell broke loose, until that point I reckon it didn't even realise it was hooked but I clocked the mottled colouring as it went into an almighty S-shaped thrash and shot off UPRIVER at a pace that the drag on the reel couldn't keep up with and I ended up smashed to bits.

Hard to estimate a weight but I reckon it was a good five feet in length, if not more.

I remember looking into the gear needed to land one back at the time with a view to fishing a sleeper rod for them but even with strong enough gear I reckon I would have had to strap myself to a tree to be able to get enough winding power on it.

People do land 'em though so it can be done.

Steve, you should have done what a friend of mine who had a similar experience on the welland deciced he should have done when a seal picked up his deadbait and spooled him back in the early eighties--- throw it a big bouncy ball!

 

[thecrow]

People do land 'em though so it can be done.

Indeed they do I crossed a part of the Trent yesterday evening where they are fished for, the river looked very inviting.

 

[silvers]

talking of non-native species. I'm surprised to not have seen any whisper yet on the interweb about the Sturgeon in the river Soar ...
I saw a photo yesterday of a 30 pound fish that was caught in a match a week ago ... and learnt
a) that two more followed it to the surface when it leapt from the water
b) that apparently they've been out a few times already this season (not in matches)

has anybody else heard about this?

 

[silvers]

searching using a different phrase found a facebook post on loughborough soar AS ...

so perhaps common knowledge?

 

[tigger]

searching using a different phrase found a facebook post on loughborough soar AS ...

so perhaps common knowledge?

Why on earth would someone put them back!

 

[silvers]

where do you draw the line though?

Zander, Wels, moderlieschen ? Perhaps Barbel in the Ribble or other west draining rivers?
Goldfish maybe?
I know there is also at least 1 grass carp in the Soar.

I have no idea whether this sturgeon species can breed in UK environment, or whether there are both male and female in the "shoal". Equally I don't know what damage they might do.

I suspect the genie is out of the bottle overall - there are very few success stories like the Coypu when it comes to eradicating alien species. The vast majority of the public give even less of a monkeys about the aquatic environment, because they can't see most of it!

 

[thecrow]

Lets just get rid of all none indigenous species from this country including sheep that are not indigenous to this country if you go back far enough so imo there's the problem, how far back does one go and how long does a species have to be here to be considered indigenous?

 

[tigger]

where do you draw the line though?

Zander, Wels, moderlieschen ? Perhaps Barbel in the Ribble or other west draining rivers?
Goldfish maybe?
I know there is also at least 1 grass carp in the Soar.

I have no idea whether this sturgeon species can breed in UK environment, or whether there are both male and female in the "shoal". Equally I don't know what damage they might do.

I suspect the genie is out of the bottle overall - there are very few success stories like the Coypu when it comes to eradicating alien species. The vast majority of the public give even less of a monkeys about the aquatic environment, because they can't see most of it!

Obviously different species have varying impacts, some far greater than others. It's in anglers own interest to kill these invasive species if they are caught.
Even if the fish can't breed then they're just eating machines competing with the indigenous species and more than likely eating their eggs, fry and even the adult fish.
Similar in a way to triploid trout which can't breed but eat anything and everything.....what on earth is the point in introducing these things!
As i've said before, anglers are the rivers and waters worst enemy because they know eff all about nature and how it works, they want to kill any mammal or bird that eats fish and yet fall over backwards to stick up for invasive monster fish munching machines because they like to catch them.....selfish numpties describes a high percentage of anglers in the uk.

 

[daniel121]

I'm not happy with the idea of catfish in our rivers but I'd rather them than crayfish

 

[binka]

talking of non-native species. I'm surprised to not have seen any whisper yet on the interweb about the Sturgeon in the river Soar ...
I saw a photo yesterday of a 30 pound fish that was caught in a match a week ago ... and learnt
a) that two more followed it to the surface when it leapt from the water
b) that apparently they've been out a few times already this season (not in matches)

has anybody else heard about this?

I've not heard of any Soar reports but don't doubt them either, it doesn't surprise me one bit as a fair few have come out the Trent over the last couple of seasons and they were in the Ashby Canal a good six years ago.