spawning times?

chav professor · Apr 14, 2014

NOT A BACKDOOR CLOSE SEASON DEBATE.

Been down the river and certainly seems likely that spawning will be taking place far earlier this season...... in-deed, taken place!

Inch long fry are prolific in the margins and the Chub have started shoaling up.. in fact this was already happening to a minor extent at the back end.

Its been a very mild Winter.... Anyone add to these observations?

I imagine, if the fish get a jolly on, fry will be that it bigger and cope with the anticipated floods we seem to be experiencing come winter time.

Can't really comment on still waters as I rarely inhabit them in the same way and therefor fail to keep in 'tune' with them....

All observations/thoughts welcome

binka · Apr 14, 2014

I can only add that on a local lake the perch have spawned much earlier than last year, around five or six weeks earlier although last year was exceptionally late in these parts for the early spawning species... I can't comment on the pike but suspect much the same thing.

It wouldn't surprise me one bit if the river fish are starting to dim the lights considering how far ahead of ourselves we seem to be with the weather this year.

barbelboi · Apr 14, 2014

It's interesting that the weed in the rivers hasn't died down this winter - plenty of cover for the fry..............

neil1970 · Apr 14, 2014

I noticed loads of fry in the margins on the last day of the season on the Colne.
Glad they haven't all been washed away!

chav professor · Apr 14, 2014

neil1970 said:
I noticed loads of fry in the margins on the last day of the season on the Colne.
Glad they haven't all been washed away!

Always surprises me how resilient fry are to adverse flood conditons... last season there were floods around this time and quite a few perished on the fields as evident as pathways had plenty of casualties.....

Often a good head of fish is down to one or two really good seasons where everything falls into place.... Mild winters, little or no flooding....

fingers crossed.

no-one in particular · Apr 15, 2014

That's true, nature is vary adaptable and resilient. Last year it was going to be a dire year for the garden but, everything caught up very quickly. I don't know if it was the same for spawning but, this year could be a bumper year for spawning if the temps hold up. As to the garden-everything is going great guns and very early. Loads of butterflies and bees about. I swear I saw a Blackbird with a young bird next to it 6 weeks ago which means it must have nested in about Feb and I also saw a Brimstone Butterfly at the same time. Quite remarkable.
So, fish should do well this year and make up for any deficiency last year. We worry too much sometimes about nature, it adapts and balances out over time.

chav professor · Apr 15, 2014

I'm down the river photographing Chub that.... normally would not be there in any number till May.

Ironically, last year I was having the discussion with many anglers that the seasons appeared to be at least a month behind.....

Nature must be playing 'catch up'......

Hopefully capture some video footage this year.... fingers crossed!

stu_the_blank · Apr 15, 2014

Hi Chav,

The pike in my lake spawned third/forth week in March, the Perch a week later, which is about average.

I believe that the earlier spawning fish, Pike, Perch and even Roach and Chub are influenced more by the length of the days and light intensity than by temperature. If you remember, last year was overcast and grey until May, a shorter day in 'light' terms, this year has been very sunny and clear which gives a longer 'day' in light terms.

I think that the fish have been fooled into thinking it's later in the year! I doubt that the water temperatures are wildly different to last year, especially in Rivers.

Stu

chav professor · Apr 15, 2014

light values seemed to have more impact than temperatures when I used to have crab traps out...... possibly so..... but they are not looking far off going for it.

Steve2020 · Apr 16, 2014

Went for a walk along my local river sow to find that there were hundreds of fry shoaled up in a very small area

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spawning times?

chav professor

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binka

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barbelboi

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neil1970

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chav professor

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no-one in particular

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chav professor

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stu_the_blank

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chav professor

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Steve2020

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