Carp Pollution

[steve2]

This is not an attack on carp or carp angler just the way fishing is now going.

I have just received newsletters from both of my clubs and they are carrying what I call I not being a carp lover will call Carp Pollution.
In one case they are stocking what is a good mixed fishery, Tench to 7lbs, Bream 8lbs, carp to 30lbs with a good mix of other silver fish with 500 more carp. The reason they say is that the carp are rarely caught this will make the carp fishing easier and possibly attract more members.
What this will do to the other fishing and fish on this small lake I know from past experience other fishing will go down hill. They also intend to stock more carp into other waters this year.
The other club are about to remove all the smaller carp and replace them with a number of bigger carp. All the smaller carp will dumped into one of the other lakes this lake as Tench to over 10lbs plus already a health stock of large carp.
Another club I was a member of removed large numbers of bream because the carp anglers complained about them having the cheek to take their baits.
It seems that in all these cases the God Carp now overrules all other thinking.
Does or as your clubs carried out similar schemes?

 

[rich66]

Yes but last year they put in 1000lb of bream between 3-4lb .
That club is more match oriented than carp, they do have a few carp in there upto 20lbs
Personally I think it killed the pleasure fishing, everyone catches 3 or 4 bream then nothing.
Average match weight is 15lb not much gain on the year before.
Overstocking with any one species is bound to have a detrimental impact on all the others
I’m not renewing my ticket this year.

 

[108831]

No,my local club restock carp every two years,numbers depend on carp deaths during that time,what annoys me is they don't restock tench on the same reasoning,two tench have been found dead in the margins in the last few weeks,both around 5 or 6lbs,the only thing I can say is the lake in question has a fantastic stock with carp to around 30,cats up to around 70,bream around 9/10,tench 8,roach 2.8,perch well over 3 andpike to upper twenties,all species are in good numbers,it's been this way for around twenty years of more,a testament to the club,who own it and spend money maintaining it,had two blokes from rat control yesterday,they've had contractors tarmacing the entrance(with kerbs) and drains and recently had swims professionally rebuilt,not particularly to my liking but solid flat and will probably last over twenty years.

 

[mikench]

This approach is not followed to my knowledge in my clubs! Indeed on one water, a day ticket water, the owner periodically nets the lakes and swaps the larger carp for smaller ones ie a 20lber for 10 3lbers . Clearly he has to keep within safe and sensible stocking levels but does it to keep the carpers away. Fishing is dawn to dusk only and there is a maximum of 2 rods!

He has told me that when asked by blokes he doesn't like the look of if there are any big carp stocked, he says no and that they are all in single figures. He would rather his regulars catch and care for the larger carp of which there are many.

 

[sam vimes]

Many clubs are in the difficult position of declining incomes and increasing costs. They have to do what they think is in the best interests of the majority of members with one eye on increasing membership. The harsh reality is that waters without carp don't attract as much interest. Many good waters lacking carp exist, and are like Mecca to a small number of people. However, those small numbers probably wouldn't even cover the rent. They are effectively having their Mecca subsidised by others. I have every sympathy with these anglers, I count myself as one. However, I've seen it from the other side. Sadly, carers seem prepared to pay (especially the persuers of big carp) in a way that many of those chasing tench, bream and crucians etc simply aren't. Belonging to a mixed fishery syndicate, the number of all round anglers, or those uninterested in carp, and are prepared to pay, is rather small. We have a devil of a job keeping the carers happy when spending "their" money on tench, bream, roach etc. I'd love it if the place was full of allrounders and specialists other than carers, but that won't happen any time soon.

 

[mikench]

On my favourite water a new lake has been stocked with a variety of fish but only crucian carp and no bream! I hope it stays that way.

 

[108831]

Nah stuff it full of bream too,if the crucians don't have loads of carp to compete with and no major predators it will be just fine...

 

[terry m]

Many clubs are in the difficult position of declining incomes and increasing costs. They have to do what they think is in the best interests of the majority of members with one eye on increasing membership. The harsh reality is that waters without carp don't attract as much interest. Many good waters lacking carp exist, and are like Mecca to a small number of people. However, those small numbers probably wouldn't even cover the rent. They are effectively having their Mecca subsidised by others. I have every sympathy with these anglers, I count myself as one. However, I've seen it from the other side. Sadly, carers seem prepared to pay (especially the persuers of big carp) in a way that many of those chasing tench, bream and crucians etc simply aren't. Belonging to a mixed fishery syndicate, the number of all round anglers, or those uninterested in carp, and are prepared to pay, is rather small. We have a devil of a job keeping the carers happy when spending "their" money on tench, bream, roach etc. I'd love it if the place was full of allrounders and specialists other than carers, but that won't happen any time soon.

This is reality ^^.

We all have different tastes, but ultimately the rents have to be paid.

One solution may be to get yourself on the committee of the club and influence the policy rom within. Ultimately if the clubs policy is the polar opposite to your likes or preferences, then check out other clubs or syndicates in the vicinity that are more aligned to your way of thinking.

 

[108831]

Lol,the reality is if you had a quality tench lake around here you would sell rakes of tickets,it's just become accepted people want loads of carp,carp are fine,but not in massive numbers,it's great really,but there is talk of invasive species,but we actually stack them in to the detriment of our indigenous species,I suppose that's ok though....

 

[sam vimes]

Lol,the reality is it you had a quality tench lake around here you would sell loads of tickets.

People say that, but the reality is usually somewhat different. I know commies that have done away with "silver" only ponds due to lack of use. My own syndicate lake has some of the biggest bream and tench for miles around. The number of non-carpers showing any interest is limited. I know of one of the best tench waters north of the Humber that was returned to fishing access by a fella I'm acquainted with. He tried to leave it alone and run it as a day ticket venue. He had nowt but bother and still couldn't make it pay. People talk a good fight, but they don't pay as well as they talk.

 

[peter crabtree]

There are alternatives like rivers and canals if you're not keen on carp ...

 

[108831]

But not for tench and crucians and fish of larger sizes,it is worrying that carp seem to be wanted in every lake or pond.

 

[108831]

People say that, but the reality is usually somewhat different. I know commies that have done away with "silver" only ponds due to lack of use. My own syndicate lake has some of the biggest bream and tench for miles around. The number of non-carpers showing any interest is limited. I know of one of the best tench waters north of the Humber that was returned to fishing access by a fella I'm acquainted with. He tried to leave it alone and run it as a day ticket venue. He had nowt but bother and still couldn't make it pay. People talk a good fight, but they don't pay as well as they talk.

I'm on about natural venues,not commies,there are loads of people who want to catch good fish that aren't carp....it's just not right that carp are stocked to a level which is detrimental to the breeding and feeding of other species...

 

[john step]

Good tench lakes are thin on the ground in my parts. We stocked my main fishery with many small tench which now fortunately are starting to show. Its a very good if somewhat temperamental brick pit fishery.
We run two parallel tickets . A general coarse ticket and a carp ticket which is very limited and a long waiting list.
The carp ticket is more expensive than the standard one.

We would not countenance heavy carp stocking. Its well balanced and everyone gets on fine. The carpers have to avoid published match days and anyone breaking the few simple rules would not last long. We have had the odd wise crack from enquirers as to what would happen if I cant fish for carp but like to tench fish with boilies.

Wrong attitude... bye bye.


Another club which I have no control of decided to stock or should I say overstock with F1s to keep the match boys happy.
I don't know what exactly happened but the old large carp started dying off. Several would be dead on the bank almost daily.
The F1s have grown but the good roach fishing has ceased. No roach have been caught for a year or two.

The match scene has stopped along with the roach. The only fish left are the remaining carp and F1s. OK for a little fun/rod pull rounds but a ruined fishery nevertheless.

 

[sam vimes]

I'm on about natural venues,not commies,there are loads of people who want to catch good fish that aren't carp....it's just not right that carp are stocked to a level which is detrimental to the breeding and feeding of other species...

I appreciated exactly what you were talking about. I was giving examples of why, despite being one of them, I don't believe that there really are enough people that want to catch good stillwater fish that aren't carp. When I start seeing non-carp (or non-river) syndicates and non-carp commies proliferating, or clubs with such waters not needing to think about stocking waters with carp just to boost incomes, I might start believing it's true. If I'd ever heard of hoards of mixed fishery stillwater syndicates it would be a start. The day I hear of a plethora of tench syndicates, I'll be sold on it. I am one of those anglers that are interested in good stillwater fish other than carp, but I've had to put my money where my mouth is to satisfy that need.

What really needs to happen is for someone to trust their views and run a tench, bream etc water, or even just a carp free mixed fishery, as a club or syndicate, and see if they can even manage to cover the rent at prices people are prepared to pay. Do a deal with a struggling club for their existing carp free water (before they fill it with the things), or simply start from scratch on a virgin water. I would hope to be wrong, but I doubt either would get enough interest to survive for long.

Unfortunately, this forum is not remotely representative of the average angler. For a start, the average age is relatively high. There are some very regular anglers that fish at least once a week, some three or four times a week. There are many regular posters that won't go near a commie, many that do little but fish rivers, and many that are, at best, indifferent to carp. None of this is anywhere near average angler territory.

 

[peterjg]

I now have absolutely no interest in catching carp, in fact I now view them as a nuisance. They are everywhere, you can't help but catch them! Today I fished a gravel pit for roach and caught more carp than roach!

 

[103841]

There are alternatives like rivers and canals if you're not keen on carp ...

For how long? Fish the Stour in and around Canterbury and you have more chance of catching a carp than a 1lb roach.

 

[john step]

I appreciated exactly what you were talking about. I was giving examples of why, despite being one of them, I don't believe that there really are enough people that want to catch good stillwater fish that aren't carp. When I start seeing non-carp (or non-river) syndicates and non-carp commies proliferating, or clubs with such waters not needing to think about stocking waters with carp just to boost incomes, I might start believing it's true. If I'd ever heard of hoards of mixed fishery stillwater syndicates it would be a start. The day I hear of a plethora of tench syndicates, I'll be sold on it.

What really needs to happen is for someone to trust their views and run a tench, bream etc water, or even just a carp free mixed fishery,

Sam, not a syndicate but day tickets , I read that Fairbrass of all people is to open a tench only water here in true gods county soon. Granted there are to be other carp only lakes on the complex,but it will be interesting to see how the tench one fares.

Apparently the tench will come from other carp lakes where they are not wanted.

I recall the fishery will be at Norton Disney if anyone wants to look it up.

 

[sam vimes]

Sam, not a syndicate but day tickets , I read that Fairbrass of all people is to open a tench only water here in true gods county soon. Granted there are to be other carp only lakes on the complex,but it will be interesting to see how the tench one fares.

Apparently the tench will come from other carp lakes where they are not wanted.

I recall the fishery will be at Norton Disney if anyone wants to look it up.

Yes, I'd read about that. I really hope it does well, and others sit up and take note. However, based on the numbers of non-carpers attracted to my own mixed fishery syndicate and the day ticket tench water I talked about earlier, I have real doubts. However, if anyone stands a chance of doing it successfully, it's DF with all of the attention he can attract.

 

[108831]

Down here there are countless lakes for the carp angler,in fact if you want 20-30lbers they are ten a penny,waters you can catch 6 tench in a day from regularly,rare as rocking horse poop,there was a lake that was alive with tench,but i he been lost to angling and is down to be back filled,every time I'm at the deep club lake I fish less than half the anglers present are not fishing for carp...