What does June 16th mean to you?

Steve Spiller · Apr 22, 2006

I approached my supervisor last week (a keen commercial angler) I wanted to book June 16th off work. Anyway, I asked him to book it off for me, with a big grin on my face, he didn't react! I said you know June 16th, still a blank look on his face. I was gobsmacked! He didn't know it was opening day.

So today I went down to Veals, to stock up on stuff and got chatting to the guy serving me. He told me that anglers are still coming in buying maggots and casters to fish the rivers. He sometimes asks anglers where they are going, when he tells them it's the closed season on rivers they too give him a blank look.

I am seriously "gutted", how many anglers are missing the magic of June 16th? In fact, how many anglers are missing the magic of river fishing?

June 16th is booked off work and I will have three fields, both banks, of river to roam.
Looks like it will be all mine!

Frank "Chubber" Curtis · Apr 22, 2006

It'll be the same for me. A mile of the Wensum and probably not another soul on the bank. The adjoining lakes will occupied by carp anglers sitting behind their 2/3 rod setups as they have been all through the close season and not realising the significance of the glorious 16th.
Poor souls.

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member) · Apr 23, 2006

16th of June will always mean tench fishing. And for several years now I have opened the season by tench fishing in the fenland drains. These are wild waters. A 5 pounder is a good fish and a 6 pounder a monster.

Just as it was in the 60s.

chris 2 · Apr 23, 2006

June the 16th means the start of the river season.Fisherman are now fishing for tench,there is no opening season on still waters any more.Unless the the ruiling clubs say so and there isnt many that stick to the old closed season.

Chris Bishop · Apr 23, 2006

Have a poke about somewhere unless it's too warm. Might have a few hours first thing then go and wind Ron up.

Launch a pre-emptive strike before he starts on the locals.

Beecy · Apr 23, 2006

16th June this year means...

Argentina v Serbia

Mexico v Angola

Holand v ivory coast

Christian Tyroll · Apr 23, 2006

to me it means i get to fish the medway again, along with the rest of my club waters on june 1st (cant wait).

my week of work experiance starts on june the 9th i think, my work expirence finishes at 3 each day then its a minute cycle ride to a club water (5 days fishing in row :O ). then just the weekend to wait....

rivers and club lakes are much nicer places than the commercial im fishing at the moment. not because of the actual place but the people that go there.

BAZ (Angel of the North) aka Fester · Apr 23, 2006

Lots of long walks over the fields side stepping the cowpats, far from the maddening crowd, milkybob stems to suck on, and hopefully a skylark or two to listen to.

Alan Tyler · Apr 23, 2006

Milkybob stems?

Matt Brown · Apr 23, 2006

This will be the first June 16th where I wonlt be fishing a river. Afer experiences of Barbel floating past me last season I intend to leave the fish alone until I know they have spawned and recovered.

BAZ (Angel of the North) aka Fester · Apr 23, 2006

Milkybob stems?
It's the White or Dutch clover Alan. It tastes quite sweet.

Alan Tyler · Apr 23, 2006

Cheers, Baz, I'll try that!

Shows up a fault in Mabey's "Flora Britannica": the folk-names aren't indexed! Duh...

Ric Elwin · Apr 23, 2006

It's still a special day that I look forward to.

I do fish stillwaters but I'm a river man really.

The 'build up' begins around the first of June. Saying that, I tend not to fish opening day because of the number of 'once a year river anglers' trampling the banks, having read in the weeklies that 6lb Chub and 12lb Barbel are queueing up to fall for their clumsy approach.

Monday and tuesday the following week is when I start, hopefully things will have calmed down a bit by then.

Dave Smith · Apr 23, 2006

June the 16th will always mean Tench for me, the lakes I'm fishing this year have a closed season which adds to the exitement, and yes I've booked the day of work difference is that my senior manager is an angler though not fished for awhile so he knew exactly why I wanted the day (week) off.

strange though I always look forward to september 6th too, it's my birthday but I always fish for Perch then. don't care about the birthday but the Perch fishing.......

Dicky (Angling Trust PAC) · Apr 23, 2006

This is the first season in twenty odd years that I shan't be starting the season on the river for similar resons to Matt B.

As an alternative I have found myself a lovely secluded old clay pit that maintains a closed season and has beautiful old carp, perch and some cracking roach.

For some reason no one else seems to fish it, so in glorious seclusion and isolation I will have a can of beer at midnight, and cast my float at first light. Bliss

Fred Bonney · Apr 23, 2006

Sitting on the gravel pit bank in the dark,hearing the birds start up, then the beginning of the mornings first brightness. The sight of pin bubbles frothing over your groundbait and the first cast in anticipation of my first tench of the season.
Ah,seasons past,not the same anymore,but I suppose that's down to me,I should stop on seasons end.

Steve Hall · Apr 23, 2006

June 16th has always been a magical time for me, All the plans and preperations over the last three months finally turn to reality, All the gear in tiptop condition ready for that first bite and first fish of the new season, Pure magic!
This season im hoping for a trip to Sywell and it's tench depending on whether it's been took over and allowing day tickets, My hearts beating faster just writing this!!
Then the magic continues with trips to the river, June 16th is the opening of glorious months ahead and long may it continue.

Fred Blake · Apr 23, 2006

16th June? Tench. No question. I am fortunate too in that one of my local clubs (the one with the choicest stillwaters) still enforces THE closed season, as opposed to a nominal one or two month lay-off. The National Trust do also, so Frensham ponds and Waggoners Wells are shut until the Glorious 16th. Long may it continue.

Now, I have no problem with those who do not stop for the spring; each to his own. Indeed, I will venture out now and then to a local 'commercial' when funds and/or the weather are not conducive to trout fishing. But I still find the 16th to be a special date - and not because I can go back to the rivers. I leave these alone until the autumn.

Steve Spiller · Apr 23, 2006

Good points Matt and ****y, but you don't have to target barbel, summer chub?
I can't wait, three fields of river to stalk and I know I wont be able to sleep the night before, toooooooo excited.

Christian, I know exactly how you feel about THE people, it's not nice mate.

Cakey · Apr 23, 2006

june 16th means I get me lakes back

What does June 16th mean to you?

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