Solution Anyone?. Recreational Angling Response

[wurzel]

Hello steve

 

Quote

 

Why do you reckon there was a lack of tide? It should have been going through like a train.

 

It was not an over big tide, the Atmospheric pressure was quite high with a high pressure close by this plus a south west wind forecast all will effect the flood tide , the ebb would have been better .

 

Should have gone tench fishing.

[Steve Coppolo]

Should have gone tench fishing.

 

 

[FishingGuernsey]

Are fish stocks in significant decline around the UK coast, if so, what is the reason, if you believe that they are not, why not'.

 

Please only post recreational responses here;

 

From my own personal experience...

 

Black Bream.

 

There are a lot more bream but the average size of fish has dropped right off, there are literally thousands of 2 inch long ones which strip your bait and you might foul hook one on the strike every now and then. You do still get bigger ones but I suspect the lack of them is simply due to the numbers of smaller ones about stealing the bait. 5 years ago, every bream would be over 1lb with several over 4lb. My best went 3lb7oz but now I don't see many over 2lb.

 

Bass.

 

A lot less Bass about in the last 3 or 4 years. I used to catch up to 3 fish in a plugging session (normally and hour and a half tops due to tidal movement) averaging 3lb in weight biggest 7lb8oz. Now, I do see some smaller fish but in my experience harder to find. The local Bass club had no captures in March and only 1 fish in April amongst all members. The annual Phoenix Fish Bass competition last year saw a total of 29 entries (this is a 12 month comp) which is the highest ever BUT 25 of those were boat caught and most over 14lb in weight. I wonder where they were caught???

 

Plaice

 

What's a plaice look like then? Had 3 in the last 4 years. Rather than 3 or 4 each Autumn.

 

Wrasse

 

Even these seem to be less in number. Used to be a bread and butter fish and the easiest thing in the world to catch, just drop a worm down a wall and hey presto. I haven't seen as many and they are no longer a nuisance fish, more of something to try and target to find one.

 

Garfish

 

Well there's always thousands of these

 

Mackerel

 

Not niticed a huge change as I don't fish for them much.

 

Pollack

 

A few larger ones caught every now and then but I don;t see as many on the float as I used to.

 

Other Bream (Gilthead and Couches)

 

Seen more of these species in recent years, Couches used to be unheard of but now there seem to be quite a few.

 

Red bream

 

Even a few of these being caught off the shore now. In the old days there used to be loads but they vanished, now starting to see a return.

 

 

 

On all of the above, I feel there is a pattern in commercial fisheries in that Bream which are very much a recovering species in the numbers and variety now, were hammered by commercials until they were virtually extinct in Guernsey waters, when they became unviable to fish for the commercials went elsewhere, the stock seems to be recovering but as I said the larger fish seem to be fewer and the majority are small fish. I now know the the trawlers are starting to look at them again. Shame.

 

All personal opinions of course!