How to find out who owns/runs the water

tilly05 · Jan 1, 2014

Festive greetings and a happy new year to you all.
Haven't been on for a while have been walking the banks and consuming too much food!

Right, couple of months ago I found a nice little run on the River don, up near Thurgoland. I returned and had a couple hours, nice couple of roach and a perch. I went back couple of weeks ago see how it looked after some rain and some signs had been put up (not official, marker pen on white plastic) No shooting and no fishing signs.
There is a public footpath running along the bank so seemed a bit dodgy to me as it's not going to keep people off the land as it's a public path anyway.
Anyway. Point. How can I find who owns what and how far up or downstream of the signs do I need to go to be able to fish?? Had a look on ea website couldn't find anything. Land registry isn't free and isn't cheap from what I saw.
Any ideas of who or where to try? I don't want to walk through the no section to another stretch to find out its same owner and it's all no fishing..
Any help is appreciated can provide a map screens hot if needed.
Apologies for any spelling, predicted text on mobile

tiinker · Jan 1, 2014

Is there a nearby house or village if not take a chance odds are you will soon find out when you wet a line just be polite and explain that you had tried to find out and offer to pay. You could always carry a bottle of scotch with you as a payment and introduction this can work wonders at this time of year.

chav professor · Jan 1, 2014

Easy... keep going till some one asks.... leave no rubbish, be polite and apologetic if you get the 'stiff glare'.. or walk by night

I fish a little stretch with footpath with 'strictly no fishing signs'...... why indulge them....

mick b · Jan 1, 2014

Walk to the other end of the stretch without a rod, or keep walking and see if there are signs at the 'other' end.
Somehow I doubt you will find any.

I strongly suspect that the person who posted the sign is a dog walker/sunday stroller who either wants the place to themselves and/or doesn't like anglers.

As someone who has spent half their life enforcing 'no fishing on private waters' I can assure you that I never ever used a make-shift/homemade sign and neither did anyone else who had an official position.

Tee-Cee · Jan 1, 2014

If the signs don't have the angling club's name on them then I would suggest it's (possibly) the work of 'locals' who like to keep things just so......Not a definite by any means, but it wouldn't be the first time it's happened.....

However, it's not a given so you need to be sure before fishing as I found out some years ago when an officer of the law appeared on my doorstep to advise me that some charming soul had taken out a 'statement of witness' against me and he had located me via my number plate. It all turned out okay, but it proves a point..................

flightliner · Jan 1, 2014

Tilly, pop downstream to stocksbrige and ask around threabouts as someone might know.
If that fails someone on wiremill dam may just have a clue as some of the guys there throw a flyline themselves as well as doing some carp angling.

nicepix · Jan 1, 2014

Call in at Penistone Police Station and ask one of the bobbies, if possible ask for Stuart Barden as he does a bit of fly fishing. One of them will probably know who is the local land owner. They are a good lot up there.

bigray · Jan 1, 2014

Always worth asking in a Local Tackle shop. It doesn't look like the Don is a CRT water so no point in asking them. The other option is a Land Registry search. It won't tell who has the rights but it will say who owns the land (often the same though).

tilly05 · Jan 1, 2014

Thanks very much guys, very grateful for all the advise. General consensus seems the same as I thought, just go and see what happens.
There is a stretch near by which is a club stretch I am planning on calling in with a local map and see if anyone can help with areas.
Last time I was there shooters were walking across fields not sticking to paths etc so most likely a disgruntled local. Sure I'l find out soon enough. Have a good feeling about the swims tho. I shall keep you posted on any events!
Thanks again

Titus · Jan 1, 2014

Unbelievable! The general consensus seems to be just fish it and see what happens. If there are no fishing signs then obviously someone is not happy that it is being fished and you should respect them.
I bet it would be a different story if the original posters name was Mateusz Wiśniewski.

tilly05 · Jan 1, 2014

I'm not going to start a dispute with anyone, more to find where I can and can't fish, was thinking more along the lines of take a rod bag and do some pre baiting. Someone sees me thinks I'm fishing so comes and has a word, I'm not going to argue with anyone just let them come to me rather than scaring half the village when I'm all camo'd up knocking on doors!!

peter crabtree · Jan 1, 2014

tilly05;1273759 when I'm all camo'd up![/QUOTE said:
They may not see you...
I'd have a go at fishing it. At least if anyone approaches you and complains you can ask the questions..

nicepix · Jan 1, 2014

If someone has taken the trouble to put up a 'no fishing' notice then I think it is irresponsible and possibly unlawful to fish there. It is up to the angler to make the necessary enquiries before fishing otherwise they could be prosecuted.

Titus · Jan 1, 2014

I'm a member of a small syndicate with 1.5 miles of fishing, all our signs are home made and simply say private fishing in several languages.
I am mortified to think their are British blokes posting on a forum that it is ok to ignore them just because 'some local' is trying to protect his rights.
Have a look on Google earth to find the properties which are nearest the stretch, put a shirt and a pair of decent slacks on and try knocking a few doors, dont forget to say please and thank you. Someone will know what is going on. I know its a bit old fashioned but it's called research and good manners.

binka · Jan 1, 2014

nicepix said:
If someone has taken the trouble to put up a 'no fishing' notice then I think it is irresponsible and possibly unlawful to fish there. It is up to the angler to make the necessary enquiries before fishing otherwise they could be prosecuted.

I wish it worked the same way with canoes...

richiekelly · Jan 1, 2014

If you find out who owns it you could perhaps arrange a voluntary access agreement

nicepix · Jan 2, 2014

binka said:
I wish it worked the same way with canoes...

Me too.

mick b · Jan 2, 2014

Hi tilley05
You say the signs are marker pen on white plastic 'No fishing and no Shooting'
Yet you say you have seen 'shooters' on the land.
It is safe to assume those shooters had permission from the landowner as armed trespass is a serious offence, so you seem to have missed a golden opportunity to gain the information you require (from the shooters).

If there is a public footpath running across the land your County Council and the Parish Council will have details for the footpath, usually its FP number and which Parish it is in, and, almost certainly, the full details for the landowner over who's land the path runs.
This information is free for the public to access, tho you might have to go through the files yourself.

tilly05 · Jan 2, 2014

Just to make the point, I wnt be going to fish, argue, or participate in any illegal activities!

The shooters were there last time I fished which was before the signs went up. I do plan on investigating the land before I presume I'm OK or not. Last thing I want is a disgruntled pig farmer with a 12 bore lol.

I think it's wire Mill dam not far from said area, hoping to call in and speak to someone regarding the river rights. There is also a group of still waters near by which I'l be enquiring with too. I'm sure I'l get to bottom of it.
If anyone knows the area it's the stretch that runs parrelell to old Mill Lane
Screen shot

The dropped pin indicates the rough position of the footpath and only sign location.

no-one in particular · Jan 2, 2014

The mention of shooters brings too mind an incident some years ago. I was fishing a small stream on farmland and I could hear some shooters in the distance shooting from hides. A couple of pot shots came my way and it was obvious to me they were letting me know I was in there way. I thought about walking and finding them and giving them a piece of my mind and more ! but, decided it could be a bit risky (outnumbered and especially out-gunned !!!) and just moved a good way down stream. My point is that shooters do not like anglers sitting in their line of fire or even dislike anglers full stop, so, it could well be a shooting fraternity that would put signs up like this.

How to find out who owns/runs the water

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