WEEDY WATERS

What are your thoughts on people using bait boats on heavily weeded water? I believe there is a water in the south of the country somewhere, that has banned the use of boats, remote control or otherwise because of fish being caught in the weed and bellying up.

Okay, nobody wants to impose a ban but in the interest of fish welfare would a ban be advisable to stop fish from becoming tethered up in the weed at distance?
I am talking of anglers sending a boat out 100 yds and more, finding a clear spot, probably in the middle of a weed bed, catching a carp, and then what? Imagine a carp getting hooked in such a situation, and then swimming around in the weed.
What are the chances of them becoming tethered?

For somebody to say, that?s easy kill the weed off, I don?t think are thinking too clearly, so killing the weed isn?t the answer either.
Do you think bait boats should be banned in such a situation?
As a passing remark, somebody has already said on this forum that bait boats are okay if used properly, would this be one of those situations where it would be advisable not to use a bait boat?

The trouble is Baz, with modern-day 'beefed up' tackle, most people can cast long distances, and buy the stuff for that reason, so I don't think it would solve the problem.

Again, its down to education, but where do we start?

Its common sense really that if its very weedy, the further out you fish the more weed you will encounter on retrieve - whether hooked into a fish or not!

I personally hate the 'ban everything' culture that some adopt, but thats just my personal opinion.

Depends on the water Baz and if there is resident baliff available. A boat could be made available as malc says you will still get noddies casting there.

Cheers Malc, that is exactly what I am thinking. It would be difficult enough to retrieve a 2 o/z lead through weed never mind if it had a carp attatched aswell.

I do think at times though that we are barking up the wrong tree when we say education is the answer. As you say mate where do we start?

I Agree with you also Bryan, a resident bailiff could help but as you know, there are not too many of them about, and the ordinary club could not risk letting people use a club boat incase of accidents.

I think the best answer would be for clubs etc to listen to the better carp anglers advice on anything concerned with carpy situations, but the chances of that happening must be virtualy zero.