Coarse closed season to remain

[no-one in particular]

Not if it was up to the land owners and clubs to decide whether a closed season is needed on their own waters.


Keith

There would soon be a website where you could look up any water and find out if and which dates a CS has been imposed. If clubs, commercials, river/canal authorities etc were allowed, I don't think in this instant access information internet age it would be a problem.
I know one commercial that imposes a CS, May 1st to June 16th.

 

[108831]

Mark,that sort of closed season makes sense for the majority of coarse species,apart from dace and pike which spawn earlier,perch which I think tend to be too,then there are carp who can spawn more than once if conditions allow,often after June the 16th,,our canals and natural still waters don't tend to be problematical because of the lack of a close season,with fish thriving in most,some clubs cordon off areas where spawning takes place to keep morons away,I'm sure when our EU friends see fish spawning on rivers,they take it as opportunity to remove some,especially when no other anglers are about...

 

[no-one in particular]

Mark,that sort of closed season makes sense for the majority of coarse species,apart from dace and pike which spawn earlier,perch which I think tend to be too,then there are carp who can spawn more than once if conditions allow,often after June the 16th,,our canals and natural still waters don't tend to be problematical because of the lack of a close season,with fish thriving in most,some clubs cordon off areas where spawning takes place to keep morons away,I'm sure when our EU friends see fish spawning on rivers,they take it as opportunity to remove some,especially when no other anglers are about...

You know something, I have never seen one scientific study of coarse fish spawning, natural history books usually just say between March/April and June whichever the species.

 

[theartist]

,some clubs cordon off areas where spawning takes place to keep morons away,I'm sure when our EU friends see fish spawning on rivers,they take it as opportunity to remove some,especially when no other anglers are about...

So far everyone on here has gone down the club angle but what about the hundreds of miles of free riverbank?

I am so glad that these places are overgrown and often inaccessible come May/June, it's lucky nature does such a good job of cordoning them off without us there

Long may it continue

 

[108831]

It's an emotive subject really Rob and certainly not one I'm prepared to argue over,there are lots of waters with human access and interference,without an angler being involved,other watersports,running,walking,even picnicking,at Bedford there is a lot of free fishing on the river,but there are lots of scullers,kayakers and people walking that scuff the banks,leave litter and scare wildlife,I rarely see an 'angler',if I do it's the EU spinfisher,without a landing net,who would still be doing it in the close season,while I cant,the timing in the main is poor,as fish are feeding well in preparation for spawning,which doesn't normally occur until at least late April,I'm afraid the kayak/paddle board fraternity get a free ride,because even where they are not allowed,they still go,I saw some going upstream of the bridge pool at Christchurch wednesday,paddled straight past two guys on the punt,who pay an arm and a leg to fish there,then on up to the Royalty,bloody disgrace,I had them ruin three of my evenings on the Stour,they disturb the fish/wildlife enormously,far more than we can and have year long access...close season,yeah ok,timing,nah,all wrong...it would be better to rest them after spawning,maybe we should have six months off of the rivers.

 

[no-one in particular]

Are all waters covered by someone, council/authority if not by a club or owner for example? I fish free bits but someone owns/controls or are responsible for them.
If everyone that owns/controls/are responsible for any water, lake river or canal; had to impose a minimum of 4/6 week CS by law but, were able to impose that how and when they saw fit or even longer if they wanted. Would that work?
Every water's species, needs, usage and geographic location is different.

 

[108831]

Bedford cc control the banks along the Ouse at Bedford,but are forced to allow free fishing by the magna carta,they would love to charge for it as they control adjoining waters downstream and they charge a season ticket,don't know about the rest.
Just to add the close season continuing won't really affect me that much,because we've never known it different,it's the idea that the bungling EA had a poll/vote in the first place,,a bit like the government having a referendum.....

 

[steve2]

At least it's only 3 months, my clubs and others have a 6 month pike close season. Where that one came from no one knows.

 

[108831]

That I believe comes from the old by-laws when the pike season used to kick off in October,back in the days of licencing from each individual river authority...

 

[sam vimes]

Where waters don't allow fishing for pike during the spring/summer is partly born out of tradition and partly from the Pike Anglers Club. There is no legal pike closed season (other than the standard coarse fish closed season) and, as far as I'm aware, there never has been. Always amuses me that both the tradition and PAC don't seem to have any issue with knowingly fishing for gravid pike in late winter/early spring.