The bad one
Well-known member
Well John with the lunatics regaining power 
at regional level, all things are now possible
at regional level, all things are now possible 
Angling trust fish legal put subs up
- Thread starter stikflote
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stu_the_blank
Well-known member
I’m sorry, have I missed something? Have the ATr ever indicated that they are in favour of scrapping the close season? Or is it just, ‘I don’t like them therefore they must support everything that I don’t’. Well, if you’re not in it, you’ll have no influence at all. You won’t even be able to threaten to leave.
John, why don’t the specialists have any influence? Is it because so few are members? If so, it’s not surprising. If not, you guys used to be very good at punching above your weight, what’s changed?
On a personal level, if this debate ever really gets going, I would like to see a thorough Scientific analysis of the effect of a close season, is there a benefit, when it should be etc. My understanding is that it was originally brought in for course fish to protect roach from being netted on the spawning beds, as there was a market for them. Pike and Perch often spawn before 14th March and Carp and Tench after 16th June. I have an open mind on the subject.
John, why don’t the specialists have any influence? Is it because so few are members? If so, it’s not surprising. If not, you guys used to be very good at punching above your weight, what’s changed?
On a personal level, if this debate ever really gets going, I would like to see a thorough Scientific analysis of the effect of a close season, is there a benefit, when it should be etc. My understanding is that it was originally brought in for course fish to protect roach from being netted on the spawning beds, as there was a market for them. Pike and Perch often spawn before 14th March and Carp and Tench after 16th June. I have an open mind on the subject.
904_cannon
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Sorry guys, I can tell all who say the close season has no affect/benefit, it does!
Stu, I'm not really sure just where the ATr stands but the NFA, was in favour of abolishing the close season, as I said the NAFAC sat on the fence.
Coming from an area of the country that never had a close season for coarse fish on rivers (we did, but could still fish same baits/methods and please do try not to use a keepnet) it has been of enormous benefit to our rivers and their coarse fish stocks. The Northumbria Water Authority/NWplc, the NRA and even the EA for a couple of years from when took over being the guardians of our waters, didn't/wouldn't accept that our rivers should hold any species of fish other than those with a stump of an extra fin) Sadly some within the EA's Ivory Towers of Tyneside House still wont accept that they should
I can still remember what one very high profile angler wrote in CAT about wishing he could have caught a certain chub just before it had spawned during the close season in order to boost his PB. Do we really want on need that type of attitude.
Any roads up, that wasnt the purpose of my post; I was trying to emphasise the fact that those issues/rights that the previous organisations (NASG/NASA/SAA) supported and fought so hard to win and retain and that we now all enjoy, could very well be diluted or even taken away. Do you think that match anglers give two hoots about using 2/3/4 rods, and please remember the very recent BAA livebait issue, an issue where the ATr sat with its thumb up its .....
Although not perfect, the new bye-laws re: the retention/taking away of fish would probably not have come about without the input from the SA groups that were the SAA, and before Mike H was Chair of the ATr (I have all the inter-group e-mails still) Now as I understand it, all SA matters will be dealt with via the new regional forums, and from postings by others on these forums, they hardly represent anything but game/match fishing. All the work and effort of the past will have been for nothing.
I was even told that the Freshwater Committee, the committee that the Specialist Angling Freshwater Group was supposed to feed up to in the hierarchical system the ATr operates, hasn't even been set up yet. That after over two years of people travelling 100's of miles to attend the SAFG meetings, thinking we were having some input.
Anyone from the ATr reading this then please try to remember my very real initial fears of Specialist Angling being erased/written out from the pages of angling history under the leadership of the ATr!! Please read the last two paragraphs HERE
The Angling Trust, the Lib-Dems of angling - so many promises!
I heard on Fishermans Blues yesterday that some of the Angling Trusts new found friends, the Kayakers, have now come to an agreement with the BCU, (they will be demanding unlimited access on all inland waters next) and that sea anglers are now calling for the RSA to represent all sea anglers in the UK.
Stu, I'm not really sure just where the ATr stands but the NFA, was in favour of abolishing the close season, as I said the NAFAC sat on the fence.
Coming from an area of the country that never had a close season for coarse fish on rivers (we did, but could still fish same baits/methods and please do try not to use a keepnet) it has been of enormous benefit to our rivers and their coarse fish stocks. The Northumbria Water Authority/NWplc, the NRA and even the EA for a couple of years from when took over being the guardians of our waters, didn't/wouldn't accept that our rivers should hold any species of fish other than those with a stump of an extra fin) Sadly some within the EA's Ivory Towers of Tyneside House still wont accept that they should
I can still remember what one very high profile angler wrote in CAT about wishing he could have caught a certain chub just before it had spawned during the close season in order to boost his PB. Do we really want on need that type of attitude.
Any roads up, that wasnt the purpose of my post; I was trying to emphasise the fact that those issues/rights that the previous organisations (NASG/NASA/SAA) supported and fought so hard to win and retain and that we now all enjoy, could very well be diluted or even taken away. Do you think that match anglers give two hoots about using 2/3/4 rods, and please remember the very recent BAA livebait issue, an issue where the ATr sat with its thumb up its .....
Although not perfect, the new bye-laws re: the retention/taking away of fish would probably not have come about without the input from the SA groups that were the SAA, and before Mike H was Chair of the ATr (I have all the inter-group e-mails still) Now as I understand it, all SA matters will be dealt with via the new regional forums, and from postings by others on these forums, they hardly represent anything but game/match fishing. All the work and effort of the past will have been for nothing.
I was even told that the Freshwater Committee, the committee that the Specialist Angling Freshwater Group was supposed to feed up to in the hierarchical system the ATr operates, hasn't even been set up yet. That after over two years of people travelling 100's of miles to attend the SAFG meetings, thinking we were having some input.
Anyone from the ATr reading this then please try to remember my very real initial fears of Specialist Angling being erased/written out from the pages of angling history under the leadership of the ATr!! Please read the last two paragraphs HERE
The Angling Trust, the Lib-Dems of angling - so many promises!
I heard on Fishermans Blues yesterday that some of the Angling Trusts new found friends, the Kayakers, have now come to an agreement with the BCU, (they will be demanding unlimited access on all inland waters next) and that sea anglers are now calling for the RSA to represent all sea anglers in the UK.
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A
alan whittington
Guest
Selfish,how many months break do most rivers get through flooding,bad weather etc,its a fact rivers in the main are fished much less than they were and if anglers feel they need to give them more,you and those people dont have to go,do you,funny thing is the people saying there must a CS would be there every week regardless,a very bigotted attitude it seems to me,many stretches i know are unfishable until november,so the fish there have 9 month close season.....rest,lazy bu**ers i say,i wish i had that much holiday,hmmph.
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chav professor
Well-known member
They will never lift the close season anyway - a bit like asking for an otter cull.
Bankside vegetation recovers, fish can congregate and migrate towards their spawning sites without being 'spooked' and caught by anglers.
like I said, YOUR fishing benefits from a 3 month lay off. thats why I call the opening weeks 'duffers fortnight' - the fish are less cagey.........
Bankside vegetation recovers, fish can congregate and migrate towards their spawning sites without being 'spooked' and caught by anglers.
like I said, YOUR fishing benefits from a 3 month lay off. thats why I call the opening weeks 'duffers fortnight' - the fish are less cagey.........
stu_the_blank
Well-known member
Chav, a very eloquent case to ban angling altogether.
'Never' is a very long time. and who are 'they'?
Stu
chav professor
Well-known member
'They' - the Environmental agency.......
The Governent will never ban angling - Never be enough oposition to what is viewed by many non-anglers as strange but harmless activity (most people are at heart quite apathetical unless it has a direct impact on their own lives, so living in fear that public opinion will be swayed is frankly rediculous - most people are have move to worry about - e.g. petrol prices).
Otter culls? otters are a pain in the @rse and will remain so, because in the eyes of the average British citizen they are fluffy and cute and cannot compete on any level with fish, so sadly we are stuck with 'em.......
Close season is there to give fish time to recover from the pressure we impact on places that are special to us. Fishing is a sport, and to remain so, our attitude to this pastime must be sporting - and that means respecting a close season - just like people who would love to shoot deer, pheasants etc.
I'm sorry if a 3 month lay off is an inconveniance to you, but it is part of a sporting ethos that sets us apart from other activities (e.g. tiddly winks).
Lets ask the F.A. if we can have an abolition of the football season, so we can watch football 12 months of the year..........
There will be a VERY strong reaction from many sporting quarters to even the slightest thoughts of lifting something that is central to our enjoyment of the sport and really does benefit our quarry.
The only bans I have ever heard of come from within branches of fishing its self. you only have to read one of the weekly mags for some fisherman calling for bans of all descriptions e.g. livebaiting, barbed hooks, keepnets - the list is endless.
We have more to be concerned from bigoted opinions within fishing than a few irrelavant cranks......
The Governent will never ban angling - Never be enough oposition to what is viewed by many non-anglers as strange but harmless activity (most people are at heart quite apathetical unless it has a direct impact on their own lives, so living in fear that public opinion will be swayed is frankly rediculous - most people are have move to worry about - e.g. petrol prices).
Otter culls? otters are a pain in the @rse and will remain so, because in the eyes of the average British citizen they are fluffy and cute and cannot compete on any level with fish, so sadly we are stuck with 'em.......
Close season is there to give fish time to recover from the pressure we impact on places that are special to us. Fishing is a sport, and to remain so, our attitude to this pastime must be sporting - and that means respecting a close season - just like people who would love to shoot deer, pheasants etc.
I'm sorry if a 3 month lay off is an inconveniance to you, but it is part of a sporting ethos that sets us apart from other activities (e.g. tiddly winks).
Lets ask the F.A. if we can have an abolition of the football season, so we can watch football 12 months of the year..........
There will be a VERY strong reaction from many sporting quarters to even the slightest thoughts of lifting something that is central to our enjoyment of the sport and really does benefit our quarry.
The only bans I have ever heard of come from within branches of fishing its self. you only have to read one of the weekly mags for some fisherman calling for bans of all descriptions e.g. livebaiting, barbed hooks, keepnets - the list is endless.
We have more to be concerned from bigoted opinions within fishing than a few irrelavant cranks......
cg74
Well-known member
"They will never lift the close season anyway"
Correct me if I'm wrong did the EA not ask for open consultation a year or so ago, and are they not going to repeat this process in about 3-4 years time??
(thanks for reminding me to contact my local fisheries officer on this matter, sure as hell won't be leaving this matter to be discretely decided upon by the vocal minority, again!)
"a bit like asking for an otter cull"
Not exactly, otters are a CITES protected species and as such gain a certain level of immunity from futile calls from anglers to cull em.
Just to clarify; most fish cease feeding in the latter stages of their pre-spawning ritual and tend to lose all or most of their innate inhibitions towards predators (anglers included).
It is often to possible to skyline pre-spawning congregating fish and not spook them and whilst actually undertaking the deed of procreation most fish are literally oblivious to all else except attempting to reproduce.
I would suggest the period you call "duffers fortnight" is more a reaction of the fish attempting to regain body condition (with a bit of wanton abandon), than the fish forgetting that anglers are 'predators' because we haven't pursued them for 3 months.
This was very evident this season, as due to a colder spring chub and barbel spawned very late (well into June on many rivers), leading to a "duffers" month.
A
alan whittington
Guest
Chav,vegetation recovers even in muddy commercials,fish congregate and spawn,the only coarse fish that i know that gets caught when spawning is tench,apart from people who deliberately foul-hook,who should be banned from fishing anyway,answer me this is your fishing greatly improved after the break,most people's is not,the fish have to become accustomed to anglers and their baits,which all to often takes two weeks or so,not so much on lakes but certainly on running water.
chav professor
Well-known member
The first week of this season was one of the best opening weeks I have ever experienced. Just using maggots! I have high expectations that next season fish will be equally keen to get onto some 'natural' type baits for stalking.
cg74, lets not get picky that I forgot to mention that Otters are protected...
Anyway, time to disengage from this thread as it is another one where views are entrenched and there is no swaying either way.
I enjoy that feeling of visiting my river, spotting and seeking out fish. feeding them vaious bits and pieces and just watching them in a natural state. I am rarely away from the river in the close season.
you can learn so much from just observing fish without a rod......... wether you consider this an imposed folly, or as myself, a chance to observe fish behave more naturally (fish a pressured area for chub and compare it to a less pressured area - you get wrap round bites).
Salmon and trout have a season, course fish have a season - thats just the way it is - and many believe passionately for a reason.
cg74, lets not get picky that I forgot to mention that Otters are protected...
Anyway, time to disengage from this thread as it is another one where views are entrenched and there is no swaying either way.
I enjoy that feeling of visiting my river, spotting and seeking out fish. feeding them vaious bits and pieces and just watching them in a natural state. I am rarely away from the river in the close season.
you can learn so much from just observing fish without a rod......... wether you consider this an imposed folly, or as myself, a chance to observe fish behave more naturally (fish a pressured area for chub and compare it to a less pressured area - you get wrap round bites).
Salmon and trout have a season, course fish have a season - thats just the way it is - and many believe passionately for a reason.
stu_the_blank
Well-known member
Chav, your conviction that the logic of your argument is beyond reasonable question is touching. Where to start?
'They' - the Environmental agency.......
‘They’ already have abolished the close season on most waters.
The Governent will never ban angling - Never be enough oposition to what is viewed by many non-anglers as strange but harmless activity (most people are at heart quite apathetical unless it has a direct impact on their own lives, so living in fear that public opinion will be swayed is frankly rediculous - most people are have move to worry about - e.g. petrol prices).
Exactly the same argument is true of vermin control with hounds (Fox Hunting). Governments only look at the numbers and the politics. We are only safe while they fear that.
Otter culls? otters are a pain in the @rse and will remain so, because in the eyes of the average British citizen they are fluffy and cute and cannot compete on any level with fish, so sadly we are stuck with 'em.......
The otter population will reach equilibrium in time. You are right we are stuck with them.
Close season is there to give fish time to recover from the pressure we impact on places that are special to us. Fishing is a sport, and to remain so, our attitude to this pastime must be sporting - and that means respecting a close season - just like people who would love to shoot deer, pheasants etc.
I don’t think that the close season was started for this reason and what’s the difference between a fish in still or running water?
I'm sorry if a 3 month lay off is an inconveniance to you, but it is part of a sporting ethos that sets us apart from other activities (e.g. tiddly winks).
It’s no inconvenience to me, I fly fish as well and as I said earlier there is no close season on most waters.
Lets ask the F.A. if we can have an abolition of the football season, so we can watch football 12 months of the year..........
There virtually is a 12 month season already and the FA are exploring the possibility of staggering the seasons for different divisions to enable 12 month saturation coverage. Get ready for football 24/7 all year round.
There will be a VERY strong reaction from many sporting quarters to even the slightest thoughts of lifting something that is central to our enjoyment of the sport and really does benefit our quarry.
You’re about 15 years too late. When the close season was abolished on still waters that argument was lost (and forgotten).
The only bans I have ever heard of come from within branches of fishing its self. you only have to read one of the weekly mags for some fisherman calling for bans of all descriptions e.g. livebaiting, barbed hooks, keepnets - the list is endless.
Absolutely, I assume that you want to add legally fishing on still waters in the old close season to that list.
We have more to be concerned from bigoted opinions within fishing than a few irrelavant cranks......
The irony of that statement is obviously lost on you Prof.
As I posted earlier, if we are going to have a proper debate about this, I would like to see some scientific analysis of the situation. It may be that we need a longer one, a different one on different types of water or none at all. Who knows? At the moment we just have a lot of hot air and anecdotal ‘evidence’. To repeat myself, I have an open mind on this.
Stu
'They' - the Environmental agency.......
‘They’ already have abolished the close season on most waters.
The Governent will never ban angling - Never be enough oposition to what is viewed by many non-anglers as strange but harmless activity (most people are at heart quite apathetical unless it has a direct impact on their own lives, so living in fear that public opinion will be swayed is frankly rediculous - most people are have move to worry about - e.g. petrol prices).
Exactly the same argument is true of vermin control with hounds (Fox Hunting). Governments only look at the numbers and the politics. We are only safe while they fear that.
Otter culls? otters are a pain in the @rse and will remain so, because in the eyes of the average British citizen they are fluffy and cute and cannot compete on any level with fish, so sadly we are stuck with 'em.......
The otter population will reach equilibrium in time. You are right we are stuck with them.
Close season is there to give fish time to recover from the pressure we impact on places that are special to us. Fishing is a sport, and to remain so, our attitude to this pastime must be sporting - and that means respecting a close season - just like people who would love to shoot deer, pheasants etc.
I don’t think that the close season was started for this reason and what’s the difference between a fish in still or running water?
I'm sorry if a 3 month lay off is an inconveniance to you, but it is part of a sporting ethos that sets us apart from other activities (e.g. tiddly winks).
It’s no inconvenience to me, I fly fish as well and as I said earlier there is no close season on most waters.
Lets ask the F.A. if we can have an abolition of the football season, so we can watch football 12 months of the year..........
There virtually is a 12 month season already and the FA are exploring the possibility of staggering the seasons for different divisions to enable 12 month saturation coverage. Get ready for football 24/7 all year round.
There will be a VERY strong reaction from many sporting quarters to even the slightest thoughts of lifting something that is central to our enjoyment of the sport and really does benefit our quarry.
You’re about 15 years too late. When the close season was abolished on still waters that argument was lost (and forgotten).
The only bans I have ever heard of come from within branches of fishing its self. you only have to read one of the weekly mags for some fisherman calling for bans of all descriptions e.g. livebaiting, barbed hooks, keepnets - the list is endless.
Absolutely, I assume that you want to add legally fishing on still waters in the old close season to that list.
We have more to be concerned from bigoted opinions within fishing than a few irrelavant cranks......
The irony of that statement is obviously lost on you Prof.
As I posted earlier, if we are going to have a proper debate about this, I would like to see some scientific analysis of the situation. It may be that we need a longer one, a different one on different types of water or none at all. Who knows? At the moment we just have a lot of hot air and anecdotal ‘evidence’. To repeat myself, I have an open mind on this.
Stu
i cant see why fisherman are responsible for bankside vegetation
needing a rest, on my local stretch of the derwent we have walkers dogs bikes canoes ,they dont stop for a close season,,in my opinion fisherman are most likely ,to be the ones who do least damage ,and reason it takes so long to get fish interested in bites after close season is because ,they need to get used to the feed that we cut off suddenly,
Chav, please come and look at the derwent in a couple weeks time ,and then you can tell all those fishing it its a close season ,no one else is bothered
needing a rest, on my local stretch of the derwent we have walkers dogs bikes canoes ,they dont stop for a close season,,in my opinion fisherman are most likely ,to be the ones who do least damage ,and reason it takes so long to get fish interested in bites after close season is because ,they need to get used to the feed that we cut off suddenly,
Chav, please come and look at the derwent in a couple weeks time ,and then you can tell all those fishing it its a close season ,no one else is bothered
Jeff Woodhouse
Moaning Marlow Meldrew
Nope.
The close season was introduced by match anglers (there was no carp or specimen or specialist or "pleasure" anglers at the time) because there were no keep nets and all fish required to be weighed in had to be killed. They were then taken home and most got eaten or fed their families or cats, but it seemed to many like a waste that they should be killing heavily gravid females at a time when they should be spawning.
All the rest about giving the banks a rest, letting vegetation recover, letting the shoals gather, absolute spurious nonsense put out by the most avid supporter of the close season. It wouldn't make one bit of difference to vegetation or to shoals (doubtful anyway) and I've questioned many top marine biologists at the EA on this and even though some support the CS, they cannot defend it to those extremes.
As soon as keepnets came into being and used by the match anglers (c 1910-1920) the CS became totally obsolete. Even more so today with very few anglers visiting rivers. In fact, if it was lifted, I bet the fish wouldn't notice one bit of difference anyway.
chav professor
Well-known member
Well, there is only one way to find out I suppose - lift the close season - No one in government or the general public would care a jot one way or the other and it certainly would not be reinstated if its impact was found to be detrimental.
I love the close season - I focuss my attentions on rivers till the 14th (must have fished 6 out of the last 7 days (or nights after work) - then my focuss switches to the spring run of cod off the East coast, that takes me up till end of March beginning. Then there's the Bass and the commercial collection of peeler crabs from my crab traps.
If I fancy, I will even hit the still waters - But river are different. In my experience, rivers are the least managed water systems and most of the still waters in my region are being heavily stocked and do not really depend on natural replenishment.
Chub and Barbel fishing would in my opinion be the most susceptible - they are targeted more aggressively these days with carp style rigs (for barbel) - our methods are ruthlessly efficient compared with the past.
As for us cutting off their food supply, they are probably better off eating a more natural diet and the chub on my river looked stunning and fit at the start of the river season.
My arguments might be simplistic and 'touching' but are shared by many who share similar convictions. And to be fair it illustrates the folly of an angling trust that wishes to speak as an umbrella organisation that represents the views of all. The Angling Trust would do well to steer clear of a controversial topic like this if it wants to develop trust within the various fishing factions.
Scientifically establish using facts and evidence that there is no harm and then lift the close season. The problem is, some are happy to do it the other way around........
Perhaps I should address the 'cranks' comment I made - I have never come across anyone in my every day life that would like to see fishing banned - I have seen a stupid add campaign that was shown in Anglers Mail regarding a poster by the most well known crank organisation PETA........ That has not exactly built up a head of steam.
I love the close season - I focuss my attentions on rivers till the 14th (must have fished 6 out of the last 7 days (or nights after work) - then my focuss switches to the spring run of cod off the East coast, that takes me up till end of March beginning. Then there's the Bass and the commercial collection of peeler crabs from my crab traps.
If I fancy, I will even hit the still waters - But river are different. In my experience, rivers are the least managed water systems and most of the still waters in my region are being heavily stocked and do not really depend on natural replenishment.
Chub and Barbel fishing would in my opinion be the most susceptible - they are targeted more aggressively these days with carp style rigs (for barbel) - our methods are ruthlessly efficient compared with the past.
As for us cutting off their food supply, they are probably better off eating a more natural diet and the chub on my river looked stunning and fit at the start of the river season.
My arguments might be simplistic and 'touching' but are shared by many who share similar convictions. And to be fair it illustrates the folly of an angling trust that wishes to speak as an umbrella organisation that represents the views of all. The Angling Trust would do well to steer clear of a controversial topic like this if it wants to develop trust within the various fishing factions.
Scientifically establish using facts and evidence that there is no harm and then lift the close season. The problem is, some are happy to do it the other way around........
Perhaps I should address the 'cranks' comment I made - I have never come across anyone in my every day life that would like to see fishing banned - I have seen a stupid add campaign that was shown in Anglers Mail regarding a poster by the most well known crank organisation PETA........ That has not exactly built up a head of steam.
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Jeff Woodhouse
Moaning Marlow Meldrew
I'll agree with that, but stay out of it COMPLETELY! that is the key. It's down to the EA and they won't do anything as part of their policy.
I doubt very much whether you would continue catching chub and barbel throughout April and May, possible up to mid April, but then a switch of attack to maybe perch and pike that should by then have finished. There's always river carp of course and tehy'll have places to go, anglers aren't going to stop them or get in their way one bit.
But please, don't ever bring vegetation into it. As soon as the weather warms in spring, the grasses will literally grow beneath your feet. Look at any local Council football pitch that's a pile of mud in March whilst matches are still being played and look again in early May when they finish, the pitch is usually a lush green again.
Ray Daywalker Clarke
Well-known member
It's very strange how things change and minds. I was always for the close season, but not now as i have said i am for the close season going for good.
The still waters are doing just fine with no rest, everything grows just fine, the wildlife is doing just fine, and the fish are getting bigger.
Their are not enough anglers on our rivers during the season, and doing away with the close season will help protect the fish stocks we have, not harm them.
Fish in spawn dont only get caught during the close season, many dont spawn during this period, and get caught when the season opens. Change the dates ?? Why ?? that wont make any difference.
Seeing how well all the wildlife is doing around our stillwaters, i am sure that the wildlife along our rivers would benefit even more from us fishing and the close season going.
The still waters are doing just fine with no rest, everything grows just fine, the wildlife is doing just fine, and the fish are getting bigger.
Their are not enough anglers on our rivers during the season, and doing away with the close season will help protect the fish stocks we have, not harm them.
Fish in spawn dont only get caught during the close season, many dont spawn during this period, and get caught when the season opens. Change the dates ?? Why ?? that wont make any difference.
Seeing how well all the wildlife is doing around our stillwaters, i am sure that the wildlife along our rivers would benefit even more from us fishing and the close season going.
and it just might save a lot of fish from being taken for the pot,
so have a close season but at least make it stick, and enforce,it last season on my local stretch anglers were using keep nets with barbel in up to around 6 t 8lb i phoned EA we have no manpower to send
absolute rubbish answer, so if you cant enforce it do away with it ,and lets have less of the B s***t.
river season is very short half the years its impossible too fish with floods and snow melt
so have a close season but at least make it stick, and enforce,it last season on my local stretch anglers were using keep nets with barbel in up to around 6 t 8lb i phoned EA we have no manpower to send
absolute rubbish answer, so if you cant enforce it do away with it ,and lets have less of the B s***t.
river season is very short half the years its impossible too fish with floods and snow melt
904_cannon
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"duffers fortnight" I think that was originally referred to on the opening of the trout season after the annul stocking, at least it was always that in the North East.
I don't think Jeff could ever have been on the Yorkshire rivers during "the close season", there were cries of horror from some 'anglers' when maggots were eventually banned.
I don't think Jeff could ever have been on the Yorkshire rivers during "the close season", there were cries of horror from some 'anglers' when maggots were eventually banned.
matthew barter
Well-known member
Duffers fortnight is the mayfly hatch. The trout go mad when a big hatch is on, I've never seen a big hatch like they say used to happen in the good old days. It still makes for some good fishing.
jef bertels
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Can only speak for the Thames but the 3 month close season was in place by the 1850s. It was 1st March - 1st June. Before that there was a 1 month close season for some species.
It had very little to do with anglers' sporting principles I'm afraid.
It was prompted by a river in decline (locks, paddle steamers, sewage, industrial pollution). Professional netsmens' livings had disappeared for salmon and were rapidly decreasing for eels, lampern, shad, smelt etc and for anglers, trout catches were down.
The close season was negotiated to 3 months between anglers, professional fishermen (both netsmen and buck operators) and the Lord Mayor as Conservator of the Thames. Horse trading was done on the months to appease anglers and netsmen so the result was a compromise that still stands today (albeit with the dates shifted to the 15th).
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