Fishing.

[BroadAmbition]

We know it gets cold because the so called boaters out there have to put there boats to bed till the weather warms up.

Not this boater - who is also a fisherman too

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

As a Keen fisherman myself, I like the closed season.  Yes there is many a morning when onboard and I'm up early that I'm aching to drown a few maggots but can't do so due to the closed season.  But I kinda like the idea of the fish population getting a break, the other wildlife getting a break too from anglers.  Us boaters also have a respite from avoiding rods longer than the rivers are wide in some circumstances and then the differing of opinions on moorings where anglers have to move for boats wanting to berth, we all get three months away from that too which is a blessing.  If the EA ever did a survey on the closed season - I'd vote to keep it.  I also think it should be enforced on canals and naturally stocked lakes too.  There would still be the man made and man stocked puddles for those to use that must do so at any cost.  Anyroadup the above is just my opinion and what do I know?

Griff

[brandenjg]

I river fish when the weathers good, sea fish in winter and moan like s*** in the closed season as I absolutely hate lake fishing.

It's easy enough to fish year round if your willing to travel. I agree somewhat about the closed season being silly but only on the basis that it doesn't seem to be in-line with the actual breeding time of the fish.

Branden

[MauriceMynah]

Try River fishing when the weather is good, Sea fishing in the winter and fly fishing from April 1st to June 16th and no fishing between March 16th and April 1st. Just a fortnight (or you could go sea fishing then.)

[Timbo]

I'm a water bailiff. The closed season is there for a damned good reason. On my water's the closed season not only covers the statutory closed season, first imposed in the 1878 Fish Preservation Bill, but will also extend at the whim of the bailiffs collectively... dependent upon water and fish condition, water temperature and when the spawn actually takes place. We constantly and actively monitor this.

I often hear arguments from the modern angler against the closed season. To me it demonstrates their lack of understanding of angling and fisheries and the modern inability to accept that the word 'no' could possibly refer to them.

We apply the 'close' across the board on our rivers and lakes. We do work closely with the EA and do actively offer help and advice to other fisheries.

The 'close' applies to both anglers and naturalists. Of the two groups the naturalists and bird watchers are the ones that have the most difficulty understanding why they particularly are excluded.

We actively manage our lands and waters. Dredging, reed cutting, ditching, and tree planting.We have two nature reserves and three commercial fisheries as neighbours. Both nature reserves are stagnant wastelands. The commercial fisheries are packed all year with anglers and restocked on an almost tri monthly basis. On the other hand we have established populations of kingfisher, otter, little grebe, deer, badger, fox and a fantastic head of tench,bream,roach, barbel,chub, perch, rudd, and carp.

We also have a ten year waiting list for membership.

 

[grendel]

28 minutes ago, Timbo said:

 

The 'close' applies to both anglers and naturalists. Of the two groups the naturalists and bird watchers are the ones that have the most difficulty understanding why they particularly are excluded.

 

 

I can understand that in these early months the wearing of nothing but skin could be a little uncomfortable, but would think the nettles might discourage them. 

Oh sorry you said Naturalists.

[Timbo]

6 minutes ago, grendel said:

Oh sorry you said Naturalists.

...we do have a naturists camp located nearby. I was once greeted by the sight of anglers and spuggie worriers all congregated on one spot all peering across the fields into the trees. Shouts of 'Altogether pull!' were coming from our neighbours. Later research discovered it to be a 'sports day' and the final of the ladies tug of war competition!

[brandenjg]

2 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

Try River fishing when the weather is good, Sea fishing in the winter and fly fishing from April 1st to June 16th and no fishing between March 16th and April 1st. Just a fortnight (or you could go sea fishing then.)

I've never tried fly fishing before but have plenty of books on it so may have to give that a go  branden

[brandenjg]

1 hour ago, Timbo said:

On my water's the closed season not only covers the statutory closed season, first imposed in the 1878 Fish Preservation Bill, but will also extend at the whim of the bailiffs collectively... dependent upon water and fish condition, water temperature and when the spawn actually takes place. We constantly and actively monitor this.

It's impossible to argue with that logic. If waiting longer for the fish to breed means more bigger healthy fish to catch later in the season then it's got to be worth the wait. Branden

[Timbo]

The trick Branden is the two periods of 'feeding' either side of the 'breeding'. After winter the fish go on the feed big time. Anglers love this as the fish are easier to catch while they cram on the calories to replace what they lost over winter. The same with the 'big feed' after the 'big breed'. But here in lies the problem, interfere with the fish's feeding, particularly the last spell when they are knackered and stressed, and you are going to have trouble, not just in this season but the next.

It's really the two big feeds that we try to protect. 

[grendel]

1 hour ago, Timbo said:

...we do have a naturists camp located nearby. I was once greeted by the sight of anglers and spuggie worriers all congregated on one spot all peering across the fields into the trees. Shouts of 'Altogether pull!' were coming from our neighbours. Later research discovered it to be a 'sports day' and the final of the ladies tug of war competition!

I always wondered why bird watchers had big binoculars.

[JennyMorgan]

On the pull, community style?

[dnks34]

I vote the BA/EA employ a few of these to patrol the rivers and eat anyone they come across flouting the law......

 

[Wildfuzz]

4 hours ago, brandenjg said:

I've never tried fly fishing before but have plenty of books on it so may have to give that a go  branden

I often use fly rods on the broads, great fun to target individual fish, also a great way to catch pike......

[bigbream]

8 hours ago, Timbo said:

I'm a water bailiff. The closed season is there for a damned good reason. On my water's the closed season not only covers the statutory closed season, first imposed in the 1878 Fish Preservation Bill, but will also extend at the whim of the bailiffs collectively... dependent upon water and fish condition, water temperature and when the spawn actually takes place. We constantly and actively monitor this.

 

 

 

I hate to tell you this but 1878 is a long while ago things have moved on since then or is that the problem people don't move with the times, we all know that seasons are changing all the while so to reflect on that we all have to change our ways in life.

[dnks34]

Its coming across in your posts bigbream that you are not a fan of the closed season!

I also enjoy fishing, Im not a match fisherman but surely anything that gives the fish a break for a few months and protects fish stocks for future generations has got to be a good thing.

Why are you so against it?  As others members have said if people still want to fish during the closed season then there are plenty of other options available to them on managed waters etc.  

[bigbream]

On ‎02‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 6:16 PM, dnks34 said:

 

Please explain how the fish in our rivers , broads need a break for example what do they need a break from.

[dnks34]

I dont see why them having a break is such a problem for you. 

You are just one fisherman but on any half decent day on the broads there could be 500 hooks dangling in the water.  Ok 500 fisherman across the broads on one day is probably unrealistic but its possible isnt it? The Broad are wild, not managed, theres many things affecting the fish, predators, salt, waterborne diseases, fisherman etc

A few months respite just from the fisherman each year must be good for the fish and the environment. 

I cant see any reason to have a problem with it, its got to be in the interests of the fish. 

[ZimbiIV]

Bigbream, are you sure you are on the right forum. This the friendly one!

I always used to give a lot of room when mooring if anglers were there I would moor further away than should have needed rather than disturb them.

With your attitude I may just insist in my right to moor.

paul

 

[bigbream]

Just now, ZimbiIV said:

Bigbream, are you sure you are on the right forum. This the friendly one!

I always used to give a lot of room when mooring if anglers were there I would moor further away than should have needed rather than disturb them.

With your attitude I may just insist in my right to moor.

paul

 

Explain what you mean please I have voiced my opinion like others on here have aswell what attitude do you think I have given to you.

[Timbo]

Hang on a minute guys, Big Bream did ask a question. It's all part of the debate, we've got to have both sides you know?

1 hour ago, bigbream said:

I hate to tell you this but 1878 is a long while ago things have moved on since then

What 'things' have moved on then? I've had a good look but there's little or no change in the chemical composition of our lakes. Although the river certainly is much cleaner than it's 1875 counterpart the fish stocks are a fraction of their number in 1878 or 1905, or 1955, 1975, 2001 or any relevant pieces of legislation.

There are one or two slight changes in the biology of the fish specimens in some waters however the ecology stays the same.

There's something else that stays the same too...the face of the bloke that owns the fishery across the way every time he asks why our waters and fish stocks are in better condition than his, why we make the same amount of income on 98% fewer anglers than he does and why we won't sell so he can ruin yet more land.

Just now, bigbream said:

Please explain how the fish in our rivers , broads need a break for example what do they need a break from.

I mentioned earlier...

7 hours ago, Timbo said:

The trick Branden is the two periods of 'feeding' either side of the 'breeding'. After winter the fish go on the feed big time. Anglers love this as the fish are easier to catch while they cram on the calories to replace what they lost over winter. The same with the 'big feed' after the 'big breed'. But here in lies the problem, interfere with the fish's feeding, particularly the last spell when they are knackered and stressed, and you are going to have trouble, not just in this season but the next.

It's really the two big feeds that we try to protect. 

However, you are not just looking at the fish. You are looking at a broad spectrum of the ecosystem from the start of the food chain to the predators that feed on the fish.  I've sat and watched the odd 'charlie' mixing groundbait in a dustbin with a concrete stir on the end of a drill and heaving the lot in at locations such as Barton, St Benet's, Thurne on a weekly and daily basis. Salt incursions, dredging or lack of, chemical run off from agriculture, run off from sewage. Disease, stress, exhaustion...the list is endless and that's just the human part, add into that the natural predation...oh and I forgot to mention the human conservation projects carried out by the planks that don't understand land management....take any section of the Broads. Compared with the three reasons to discard the closed season because, some people can't wait, refuse or unable to understand the issues or want to sell more product to an already saturated market.

Perhaps it's an age thing but I seem to have more patience now I'm an old codger, but then the wait for the closed season to end when I was a nipper was a bigger thrill than Christmas. Perhaps I can see the environmental and economic benefits of the closed season better these days, maybe both? 

 

 

[Wussername]

10 hours ago, Timbo said:

 

We also have a ten year waiting list for membership.

 

Well you would have being next door to a nudist camp.

[Speleologist]

1 minute ago, bigbream said:

I have voiced my opinion like others on here

First admission - I'm not an angler. I haven't been for many years, in fact ever since my grandfather was no longer around to go out fishing with. However, an observation on the way this thread has developed seems relevant. Bigbream has, as stated above, voiced his opinion. SO have others. However most of these are not supported by any substantive information. The only real exception is Timbo, who has described sound practical reasons, based on real experience as to why the closed season is beneficial. The only valid way to debate an alternative view is with properly presented evidence, not opinions. As a non angler I have much more respect for facts about this than opinions.

[bigbream]

Timbo you speak a lot of sense, one big factor is climate change our summers seem to get later and later last year the bream on our rivers spawned in July because of the crap spring we had and this year will be the same.

Oh yeah and I own a groundbait whisk aswelllol

[dnks34]

15 minutes ago, Speleologist said:

The only valid way to debate an alternative view is with properly presented evidence, not opinions. As a non angler I have much more respect for facts about this than opinions.

this comment make no sense to me. 

Voicing your opinion whether for or against is part of what a forum is all about. 

If you only want to read the facts on any subject its probably best not getting involved in debates on forums! 

Thats just my opinion! 

Bigbream, I am genuinely interested in your reasoning for being against the closed season, I was not attempting to start a rucas!!