Everywhere is rammed !

[rich66]

Our clubs decided to not take on anymore new members for this year. Some days it’s pretty packed & don’t think it’s done the fishing or the fish much good. Also we’ve had umpteen locks broken in the first month or so of new books going out. A few litter louts and some bugger with a radio blaring !

 

[Phil Adams]

I've experienced the same. It is far busier than usual and the club ran out of club books way back into the first lock down. One local stretch of the Ouse used to be very quiet. A couple of match lads out practising and a couple tucked away fishing for chub etc. Now it's an angler every 30yrds with downstream pressure on the free stretch.

I don't blame people for it. After all, I'm trying to do the same thing myself. However I like my space and peace so it doesn't suit me at all.

 

[rayner]

I have no doubt that most places are at least a bit busier than previous years. Even the places I frequent, that rarely sees other anglers, have been a touch busier this year. I accept that the area I live in hardly has the population density of the Home Counties, but I'm struggling to believe that "everywhere is rammed". Is this not even a touch hyperbolic? Can folks seriously not find somewhere that's less than full? Now if people mean that they only frequent the most popular club, day ticket and commercial venues and these are all even busier than normal, I will understand, otherwise, I'm sorry, but I'm struggling to believe you.

You hit the nail firmly on the head with population densities, add to that every pond no matter how small we have someone with the idea they have the perfect venue to make a killing with day tickets. We have hoards of anglers who only want to fish commercials, forced on them by having no club waters around here.
There's one water that used to belong to South Yorkshire police a twenty peg venue with mostly carp, pegging is very tight. That didn't prevent the owner from stocking a sturgeon of around 30lb. I had a trip there to assess the roach fishing, there are a few but when we went through the gate I started laughing so much my wife thought I'd cracked up. There were twenty blokes all sat about six yards apart with two rods in a tiny pond, rediculous.
The added pressure means non are fishing as they normally do.
That's in Sheffield and surrounding areas. Had I been capable I would fish local reservoirs like the Flask or Underbank there's also the rivers Don and Rother, the Rother is a few hundred yards from my front door sadly not suitable for me. Four venues that are stuffed with fish but not in vogue with local anglers, perhaps a little tricky. Either way, they aren't popular, there's plenty of room there.
On the other hand, commercials with which we're overrun every peg as been taken up, good for owners not so much for a few fish.
It reminds me of fishing club matches when anglers are peg for peg, totally opposite to open matches where fishery owners try to leave a spare peg between competitors.
My tackles staying put until the madness eases.

 

[Ray Roberts]

I’ve found that trying the less easily accessed venues offers more room.

The two main lakes my club owns have easy access and good parking and they are normally fairly busy and even more so in the present crisis, as are certain parts of the local river that offer the same in the way of access and parking.

I have ventured to some of the more distant club waters and on the last three occasions I have had them to myself. It is in some way more interesting to pioneer new waters and get away from the herd. Unfortunately not everyone is physically capable of hoofing it for a couple of miles along a river bank trying out different spots, but it may be that your club has waters that are not so popular because they are a longer drive from where the club is based.

Two venues I fished recently were just over 30 miles from the town the club is based in. Now 60 miles round trip is a PIA, but not as much as being unable to fish or being made to feel uncomfortable due to overcrowding.


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[rayner]

I certainly wouldn't travel any distance from home these days, I'm unable to drive now so my wife does all the driving, She would rather scratch her eyes out than sit beside the water in sunny weather never mind anything inclement. She would object in no uncertain terms to have to drive any distance when there are waters near home.
For me, fish local or stay home.

 

[Philip]

I dont know if its got worse but in the 90s I was in the SE and had some popular club cards of the time such as the old RMC & RDAA plus a few others and never really had much trouble fiding a quiet bit of fishing if I was prepared to avoid the very well known places.

Especially nowadays the idea of fishing shoulder to shoulder I simply cant hack. I suspect if it was a choice of that or nothing I'd pick nothing.

 

[no-one in particular]

I can find plenty of empty fishing river lake and sea, I live in the SE as well and during this lockdown. I doubt many of you have ever heard of the rivers or places. They are just not blurbed about by clubs or magazines or on line, not great fishing but if it is solitude you want, just think of it as a relative challenge. The last place I looked at last week, just 4 anglers along about a mile/half of water. Just a case of looking off the beaten well worn tracks. I just looked up a place I fished when I was a kid, in London as well, just to see if it was still going, free fishing and lovely surroundings and I bet no ones heard of it or knows about it. I would bet half a dollar there is no one or hardly anyone fishing it today. One day I will go back there and give it a go for nostalgia. Osterly Park. I am sure they must be there for most anglers if they looked a bit harder and don't get stuck in the sort of club, famous place , well advertised etc. etc. mode.. I don't know much about club fishing but even here I am finding head the opposite direction to wherever everyone else heads too can pay dividends.

 

[Krang]

More people taking up angling is undoubtedly good for the sport. However last week I went to a usually deserted spot and had an altercation with a bunch of yobs I've never seen there before who arrived and then kept casting into my swim and then kept telling me to "stand down" when I objected. I've never encountered attitudes like it in fishing. I'm quite an amiable character on the bank, but there was no reasoning with these guys.

 

[108831]

I've been out this morning,rose at 4.41am,left home at 5.30am,no chance of being there for the draw at the small river,arrived at the gate at around 5.55am,there were quite a few cars there and an area where 7/8 guys were chatting(others milling around their cars),i'd forgotten to take my tablets in my rush and thought 'sod it' so turned round and drove home,really can't be arsed to have basically no choice,even though I would catch something,from next monday the flyers are being closed for two weeks,now that will either equate to loads more pressure for the remaining swims,or if the anglers that really are only interested in the top four or five swims don't bother,maybe a bit of peace for two weeks....

 

[john step]

I suspect I know where that is as I used to live in Hertfordshire. If I am correct? There is a public recreation space immediately upstream that I fished if the club stretch was busy. I never saw anyone else fish there.

 

[markcw]

I am going to start giving different stretches of the Oxford canal a go.
I had a look at a stretch after a write up in Angling Times a few weeks ago, One bloke was fishing it and he gave me a few tips, So I will be paying it a visit, The only snag is that it is opposite some moorings where the boats moor up bow to the bank , so they reverse out when they are going any where.

 

[theartist]

I've been out this morning,rose at 4.41am,left home at 5.30am,no chance of being there for the draw at the small river,arrived at the gate at around 5.55am,there were quite a few cars there and an area where 7/8 guys were chatting(others milling around their cars),i'd forgotten to take my tablets in my rush and thought 'sod it' so turned round and drove home,really can't be arsed to have basically no choice,even though I would catch something,from next monday the flyers are being closed for two weeks,now that will either equate to loads more pressure for the remaining swims,or if the anglers that really are only interested in the top four or five swims don't bother,maybe a bit of peace for two weeks....

They close those swims most seasons Alan usually in Autumn when it gets a bit low and clear, you'll probably find four or five people on the whole stretch once word gets around

I blame you lot for getting there so early each morning, still it gives those cormorants a shock

 

[Philip]

I've been out this morning,rose at 4.41am,left home at 5.30am,no chance of being there for the draw at the small river,arrived at the gate at around 5.55am,there were quite a few cars there and an area where 7/8 guys were chatting(others milling around their cars),i'd forgotten to take my tablets in my rush and thought 'sod it' so turned round and drove home,really can't be arsed to have basically no choice,even though I would catch something,from next monday the flyers are being closed for two weeks,now that will either equate to loads more pressure for the remaining swims,or if the anglers that really are only interested in the top four or five swims don't bother,maybe a bit of peace for two weeks....

I dont want to knock other peoples fishing but that just sounds appalling. I couldn’t do it…fishing a water with no track record & blanking with an unknown element to it has to be a million times better than fishing shoulder to shoulder with draw bags in my opinion anyway.

The Canals up that way must have miles of bank with little pressure and have thrown up some really really big fish down the years…Chub, Perch, Carp, Zander, Eels..might be worth a go ?

 

[108831]

Yes Philip,there is other products availabe(well fisheries anyway)but I love river fishing at 66yoa,though relatively fit and well,yomping on stretches of the Ouse means basically set tackle regimes,barbel gear,chub gear,or light trotting bag etc,the venue I mention I can use my trolley and cover all the bases,that said I was going to try a stretch of the Ouse yesterday,but there was a lot of water on and flooding was likely,the lockdown scenarios have brought loads of anglers back to the sport,when normality returns many will slink back to their previous interests.
Yesterday I shot off around 11am to a club lake with around forty swims on it,loads of anglers there,more tyan half the swims gone,little being caught....

 

[108831]

They close those swims most seasons Alan usually in Autumn when it gets a bit low and clear, you'll probably find four or five people on the whole stretch once word gets around

I blame you lot for getting there so early each morning, still it gives those cormorants a shock

Not bloody early enough lol,we both know these swims take a right tonking,but so do others,the amount of anglers there at present is incredible,the membership must be at a record high I would imagine....

 

[Krang]

I am going to start giving different stretches of the Oxford canal a go.
I had a look at a stretch after a write up in Angling Times a few weeks ago, One bloke was fishing it and he gave me a few tips, So I will be paying it a visit, The only snag is that it is opposite some moorings where the boats moor up bow to the bank , so they reverse out when they are going any where.

I've caught a fair few decent pike and a couple of nice perch while having a stroll along the canal between Oxford and Wolvercote. Pretty hard going though. I was targeting zander. Never caught one on that stretch but did catch one when I went further north. Can't remember exactly where. I caught it, figured I was onto a shoal and literally about a minute later two hired narrow boats came through, throttle on full and churned the whole canal up. Rest of the day was a blank. All things considered I prefer the river, but am glad the canal is there for closed season.

 

[mikench]

I won’t queue for a toilet let alone a fishing peg . I very nearly gave up fishing as soon as I started in 2015 seeing anglers cheek by jowl on water after water at a commercial . It looked like a model garden gnome factory.


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[108831]

Couldn't agree more,but this has become a norm since lockdown,many waters are not exactly in the middle of town,not so far from population centres,but where is,I have posted on the club forum stating that I for one and i'm sure there are others would seriously rethink membership for next season,if they want to prevent pressures on fish stocks,keep membership numbers lower,not low,but manage it,if I have to travel to a water,then go elsewhere because it's rammed,it simply isn't worth my time and money,no matter how good the fishing is sadly....

 

[markcw]

I phoned the tackle shop yesterday about click and collect, I happened to ask if the waters were open , Yes they are, the two popular ones on the complex have been busy , bloody pensioners and furloughed people,
That left the carp lake or the specimen lake across the road,
I think I will be taking a chance on the canal for now,

 

[mikench]

bloody pensioners!

Don't they just get up your nose Mark.