Petition to keep the close season on rivers

[gozzer]

It seems to me that there are quite a few people who look upon fishing through rose tinted spectacles.

These people like to have a break in their fishing routine (giving them a feel good factor) and look forward to the buzz of the opening day of the new season. It appears that they think supporting the closed season gives them a moral high ground. Yet some of these 'romantics' are hypocrites as they still fish the still waters for Tench etc during the old closed season and still fish rivers catching the game fish during their spawning/closed season.

 

If they feel so strongly about the rivers closed season why are they fishing at all during the old closed season?

 

If you're including me among the "romantics" tigger, then the answers simple, I don't fish in the old closed season. (The only concession I have made, is on a couple of occassions I've fished to the old Yorkshire dates).

 

John.

[Angly]

I fish commercials during the closed season, but then the fish stocks aren't totally reliant on successful breeding to perpetuate the species, the owner merely restocks to replace fish lost by natural death or predation.

[lutra]

I don't think so. But then we don't have one for fish watching either.

 

John.

Thats true John and do are National Parks have a spring close season...... or do they have some of their busiest times then? I could go on and on with this one, but it makes me think if the close season is to protect wildlife other than coarse fish then coarse fishing is dealt a pretty poor hand.

[Kappa]

It seems to me that there are quite a few people who look upon fishing through rose tinted spectacles.

These people like to have a break in their fishing routine (giving them a feel good factor) and look forward to the buzz of the opening day of the new season. It appears that they think supporting the closed season gives them a moral high ground. Yet some of these 'romantics' are hypocrites as they still fish the still waters for Tench etc during the old closed season and still fish rivers catching the game fish during their spawning/closed season.

 

If they feel so strongly about the rivers closed season why are they fishing at all during the old closed season?

 

Good point well made Tigger (bet you weren't expecting that ).

 

For the record I do think the close season on rivers should stay. However although I used not to, I do also fish still waters for tench during the spring. I could justify this to myself like so:

 

On a well managed fishery with very few anglers the occasional angler does not make a significant difference to the fishery. In this case the fishery can be managed to best care for fish, e.g. a mini close season around the time more delicate species spawn. For example I am allowed to fish a carp lake that only I am allowed to fish, I'll probably go 2 or 3 times a season so is a clsoe season necessary on this water where for 362 days of the year no fishes it?

 

If I owned my own stretch of river I would like to think that I could manage it such that anglers caused little distrubance so a close season would be less necessary, that said given the choice, even if I owned my own river I'd still prefer a closed season as this would protect very busy venues.

 

So I am inconsistent and hypocritical, however I still would prefer the close season on rivers to stay put.

 

Rich

[Kappa]

I fish commercials during the closed season, but then the fish stocks aren't totally reliant on successful breeding to perpetuate the species, the owner merely restocks to replace fish lost by natural death or predation.

 

Ironically these are the venues that could do most with a rest. However, given the unnatural nature of these venues and the year round hammering they get it probably makes the least impact by a few more anglers fishing these waters.

 

I think its all about numbers, I think there is a greater detrimental effect of 50 anglers rather than none on a river in the close season, however 50 instead of 40 on a commercial probably make less of an overall impact.

 

Rich

[tiddlertamer]

Being new to fishing in the last couple of years, I have none of the emotional attachment or nostalgia for the closed season that others here have.

However, I can see the logic for it for rivers to both give the fish and the river banks a breather.

I don’t choose to fish commercial lakes because for me this style of fishing doesn’t hold the same allure. However, I support the right for people not only to fish these lakes, but also open these lakes as they are often commercial concerns and the businessmen (and women) shouldn’t be penalised by laws which could drive them out of business if they weren’t allowed to open all year long.

Edited March 18, 2009 by tiddlertamer

[lutra]

Being new to fishing in the last couple of years, I have none of the emotional attachment or nostalgia for the closed season that others here have,

However, I can see the logic for it for rivers to both give the fish and the river banks a breather.

I don’t choose to fish commercial lakes because for me this style of fishing doesn’t hold the same allure. However, I support the right for people not only to fish these lakes, but also open these lakes as they are often commercial concerns and the businessmen (and women) shouldn’t be penalised by laws which could drive them out of business if they weren’t allowed to open all year long.

I was under the impression it is the banks of the still waters that need a breather not the rivers these days.

 

There are plenty of day tickets sold on rivers are these not commercial concerns as well?

[Guest tigger]

However, I can see the logic for it for rivers to both give the fish and the river banks a breather.

 

 

Ok TT but how is it justifiable to continually hit the totally wild fish in lakes, ponds etc that are unmanaged and truly wild and of no commercial concern ?

Personally I think if there's going to be any form of closed season then it should be a blanket closure covering all rivers and still waters. I think there's no room for excuses made by people allowing them special priveliged fishing rights...

If your argument is that everyone needs to give the fish a rest then EVERYONE should give ALL the fish a rest.

[tiddlertamer]

I was under the impression it is the banks of the still waters that need a breather not the rivers these days.

 

There are plenty of day tickets sold on rivers are these not commercial concerns as well?

 

Other than the Environment Agency, do many commercial concerns stock fish in rivers?

[lutra]

So its just a coincidence then that it coincides with the may flay hatch? I tell you what it does not coincide with, spawning coarse fish in my area, they will be spawning well after June the 16th especially barbel tench carp etc. in most years. If you want a meaningful close season then it needs to occur at different times of the year for different lengths of time to meet the needs of that particular river not this stupid blanket ban to start at an arbitrary date for an arbitrary length of time.

I agree.