Salmon

csmith10 · Dec 16, 2016

Hi
I'm not entirely sure where to put this post so I'll stick it in general and go from there.
Anyway I'd like to cross salmon off my species list but know virtually nothing about fishing for them.
What I usually do when targeting a non-local species is find a reasonably prolific water, find a local B&B and fish for a couple of days.
I'm not a fly angler so I'd be targeting them on lures, so can anyone suggest somewhere, ideally a day ticket that doesn't cost a small fortune in England that I could spend a couple of days fishing for salmon with a reasonably high chance of success?

Thanks
Chris

Peter Jacobs · Dec 16, 2016

The Salmon season varies depending on the river concerned, but in my area the season runs from April 15th until 31st October, and you will need a valid EA license and that is now £72

This season there was a very good run of salmon on both the Hampshire Avon Royalty fishery and the Itchen.

The cost for a day on the Royalty varies between £25 and £60 depending on the date . . . . . but the Itchen is considerably more expensive.

Around Christchurch there are lots of Guest houses and B&B options from about £45 per night and upwards.

csmith10 · Dec 16, 2016

I've fished the itchen for grayling in the past and looked at prices for salmon fishing but they're a bit rich for me, so I'd need a game licence even if I'm lure fishing during the course season? I'm not looking to take any fish, it'd be purely catch and release.

Thanks

Mark Wintle · Dec 16, 2016

Peter Jacobs said:
The Salmon season varies depending on the river concerned, but in my area the season runs from April 15th until 31st October, and you will need a valid EA license and that is now £72

This season there was a very good run of salmon on both the Hampshire Avon Royalty fishery and the Itchen.

The cost for a day on the Royalty varies between £25 and £60 depending on the date . . . . . but the Itchen is considerably more expensive.

Around Christchurch there are lots of Guest houses and B&B options from about £45 per night and upwards.

The dates Peter has given are for seatrout - The Hants Avon salmon season is 1st Feb to 31st August. On the Itchen and Test it appears to 17th Jan to 2nd October. See EA website for area seasons but also check with individual fisheries.

Peter Jacobs · Dec 16, 2016

As I said, the season dates vary from river to rive in this area.

Here is the link I use:

Salmon fishing seasons in England, English salmon fishing close seasons

greenie62 · Dec 16, 2016

Since I reach the magic age of 65 early next year - and the new Fishing Year's Salmon Licence will only be £45 - I'm tempted to get one again for the first time this century to have a pop at the Salmon again - particularly since we've got them venturing up the Mersey and tributaries now.

Previously - fishing the Dyfrdwy/Dee - we haven't had a good run of salmon until a month after the season has finished and it's been a waste of time and £ notes to fish for them in season.

The only down-side

from reading the EA rules & regs is I won't be able to use it for Coarse Fishing with 3 rods

- which I don't do anyway!

Mark Wintle · Dec 16, 2016

Peter Jacobs said:
As I said, the season dates vary from river to river in this area.

Here is the link I use:

Salmon fishing seasons in England, English salmon fishing close seasons

That website is dangerously wrong!

Find the correct regions in this one for up to date and correct information.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-fishing-byelaws

Peter Jacobs · Dec 16, 2016

greenie62 said:
and it's been a waste of time and £ notes to fish for them in season.

A very good friend of mine who is an avid Salmon fly angler told me one day that salmon fishing in the rain is like standing under a cold shower, fully dressed, tearing up "£10 notes

theartist · Dec 16, 2016

If you were, lets say lure fishing on a free stretch of river for Pike and 'accidentally' caught a Salmon, took a quick photo then slipped it back would one still need a game license? Or is that considered naughty?

flightliner · Dec 16, 2016

csmith10 said:
Hi
I'm not entirely sure where to put this post so I'll stick it in general and go from there.
Anyway I'd like to cross salmon off my species list but know virtually nothing about fishing for them.
What I usually do when targeting a non-local species is find a reasonably prolific water, find a local B&B and fish for a couple of days.
I'm not a fly angler so I'd be targeting them on lures, so can anyone suggest somewhere, ideally a day ticket that doesn't cost a small fortune in England that I could spend a couple of days fishing for salmon with a reasonably high chance of success?

Thanks
Chris

Dont know where you are but look at the possibility of giving the river Don around Doncaster a try.

csmith10 · Dec 17, 2016

flightliner said:
Dont know where you are but look at the possibility of giving the river Don around Doncaster a try.

Location isn't a problem as I'm happy to travel for a couple of days fishing, It's what I've had to do to catch barbel and grayling as there just aren't any in my area.

Thanks

Peter Jacobs · Dec 17, 2016

If you are thinking of the Royalty then also note that Spinning is restricted to salmon anglers only between the 15th May and 31st August.

The Royalty Fishery

Hopefully their website is up to date . . . .

greenie62 · Dec 17, 2016

theartist said:
If you were, lets say lure fishing on a free stretch of river for Pike and 'accidentally' caught a Salmon, took a quick photo then slipped it back would one still need a game license? Or is that considered naughty?

Not just naughty Rob - but 'bad form' as well!

One of our local fluff-chuckers was out on the river recently dry-fly fishing for Chub and accidently caught several Brownies which he photographed and returned. A roving EA officer suggested that he should cease and desist from the practice lest he be reported for fishing for Trout out of season!

The Officer accepted the explanation that he was fishing for Chub but commented that he shouldn't have persisted with the method once he started to 'accidently' catch the Trout - and should certainly not remove them from the water for photographing - he should have unhooked them in the water and released them promptly on the first occasion then ceased totally after the second since it was obvious that this method was endangering trout during their breeding season.

This has led to some clarification being sought over the position of by-catches in mixed fisheries re: Grayling - I can see it being an even bigger problem once we get Salmon running up the Mersey on a regular basis!

Peter Jacobs · Dec 17, 2016

greenie62 said:
The Officer accepted the explanation that he was fishing for Chub but commented that he shouldn't have persisted with the method once he started to 'accidently' catch the Trout - and should certainly not remove them from the water for photographing - he should have unhooked them in the water and released them promptly on the first occasion then ceased totally after the second since it was obvious that this method was endangering trout during their breeding season.

I can see this becoming a burgeoning problem as we see more and more salmon successfully returning to rivers where they have been absent for many years.

It is rarely experienced on rivers that are typically game beats or where coarse fishing is not often permitted, but it does need some form of official definition or ruling in my opinion.

Mark Wintle · Dec 17, 2016

greenie62 said:
Not just naughty Rob - but 'bad form' as well!

One of our local fluff-chuckers was out on the river recently dry-fly fishing for chub and accidentally caught several Brownies which he photographed and returned. A roving EA officer suggested that he should cease and desist from the practice lest he be reported for fishing for trout out of season!

The Officer accepted the explanation that he was fishing for chub but commented that he shouldn't have persisted with the method once he started to 'accidentally' catch the trout - and should certainly not remove them from the water for photographing - he should have unhooked them in the water and released them promptly on the first occasion then ceased totally after the second since it was obvious that this method was endangering trout during their breeding season.

This has led to some clarification being sought over the position of by-catches in mixed fisheries re: grayling - I can see it being an even bigger problem once we get salmon running up the Mersey on a regular basis!

My Dorset club has been fishing game water in the winter for over 60 years; we don't have a problem with accidentally caught game fish provided they are returned immediately but recently some individuals have been photographing and publicising their out of season game fish and this isn't tolerated.

It's hard to know where one would have a genuine chance of an in season salmon within a couple of days. Those who do well on the Hants Avon are experienced and put in the time when conditions are promising.

theartist · Dec 17, 2016

greenie62 said:
Not just naughty Rob - but 'bad form' as well!

One of our local fluff-chuckers was out on the river recently dry-fly fishing for Chub and accidently caught several Brownies which he photographed and returned. A roving EA officer suggested that he should cease and desist from the practice lest he be reported for fishing for Trout out of season!

That's a really rare occurrence to be fair - A roving EA officer I mean

but seriously isn't it a grey area and yet another rule. Sounds like the Ea guy wouldn't be able to prosecute anyhow. Given that half the public want the close season gone and another half want to eat everything in sight, photographing a trout should be the least of their worries.

greenie62 · Dec 17, 2016

theartist said:
.... photographing a trout should be the least of their worries.

Now, now Rob! - don't try to minimise the snapping of the trout and turn it into an excuse for validating your keeping the fish out of the water whilst you do a 'pencil portrait' of it!

mg:

flightliner · Dec 17, 2016

I was chatting to an environmental officer yesterday beside the river trent where he told me it was illegal to fish towards a fish ladder as its veiwed as impeding the passage of migratory fish. He also said that there were plenty of salmon beginning to show in the river along with parr being taken in the river dove.
The times they are a changing!.

lutra · Dec 17, 2016

csmith10 said:
I've fished the itchen for grayling in the past and looked at prices for salmon fishing but they're a bit rich for me, so I'd need a game licence even if I'm lure fishing during the course season? I'm not looking to take any fish, it'd be purely catch and release.

Thanks

Yes you need a salmon licence to salmon fish even if you catch and release.

geoffmaynard · Dec 17, 2016

The rules for salmon are really needing review. On the Wye we are forbidden to fish for salmon with worms - but it's perfectly okay to fish worms for other species. Then a salmon license costs £72 - but all salmon must be returned, just like a coarse fish, so I argue that the fee should be the same as a coarse license as the fish are treated exactly the same and returned. A fish is a fish when C&R is implimented imo.

Salmon

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