Please sign this!

[Worms]

If any fishery owner wants to have a water just for silver match fishing (and remove pike / carp etc.), let nature do it for you. Install some otter holts. You can get grants for this too!

Come on Jeff, you know that they'll have the silvers first

[Anderoo]

Signed.

 

All the otters in Oxfordshire really have decimated the fish stocks. The chub fishing this winter has been appalling.

[Worms]

Signed.

 

All the otters in Oxfordshire really have decimated the fish stocks. The chub fishing this winter has been appalling.

Fortunately the fishing should improve dramatically up in Staffordshire this year. I saw a dead otter on the A34 yesterday. A reprieve for the Trent at last!...Mind you I heard that it was so polluted there were no fish left so goodness knows what the otter was doing there

[Jeffwill]

Signed.

 

All the otters in Oxfordshire really have decimated the fish stocks. The chub fishing this winter has been appalling.

 

Hi Anderoo,

 

Truly sorry to hear that.

 

I am surprised though...with the large expanse / choice of waters you have around Oxfordshire and the lack of otter numbers compared to other area's..... you seem to be particulary unlucky.

 

While on the subject, very rarely are otters sighted as they are primarily nocturnal hunters and when on the water mainly hidden or push under cover. Recently I have recorded otter kills on a local pond. Due to the size of the carp.... evidence was left otherwise no one would really be aware and look for clues over this winter. After finding the first spraint I found around eight. (To the untrained eye the spraints would be missed but once you find your first one you know what to look for). If someone quite tall goes around even stooped over they will probably still miss the spraints. I put on a pair of waders and walked around the margin closer to eye level. The spraints are just oily smears...placed to warn off competition.

 

I mention this as if you fish any water that is badly affected by otters the signs will be there. If there's no signs of spraints or paw prints etc... then you are fishing probably unaffected water.

 

But look on the bright side in Oxfordshire you have so much water to choose from and with your finely tuned "angling skills" you will have no problem finding other worth while spots relatively close to you.

[Jeffwill]

Fortunately the fishing should improve dramatically up in Staffordshire this year. I saw a dead otter on the A34 yesterday. A reprieve for the Trent at last!...Mind you I heard that it was so polluted there were no fish left so goodness knows what the otter was doing there

 

 

Hi Worms, did you report it or hand in the dead otter to the E.A.? The E.A. has instructions on their website for all anglers to do this.

[Worms]

Yes Jeff, I reported it to the EA and NE. I didn't pick the body up, it had been dead for a while and had been run over by a succession of vehicles. Mind you, as it was on the A34 and not the riverbank I suppose it was outside of anglers' jurisdiction......unless of course it had been deliberately run over by a jealous crap angler

[Jeffwill]

Yes Jeff, I reported it to the EA and NE. I didn't pick the body up, it had been dead for a while and had been run over by a succession of vehicles. Mind you, as it was on the A34 and not the riverbank I suppose it was outside of anglers' jurisdiction......unless of course it had been deliberately run over by a jealous crap angler

 

 

Well done Worms you did the right thing. Maybe NE can arrange for an unofficial "escapee" replacement.....leave the cage latch off and turn a blind eye like while having a fag

[Worms]

Well done Worms you did the right thing. Maybe NE can arrange for an unofficial "escapee" replacement.....leave the cage latch off and turn a blind eye like while having a fag

Blimey Jeff, anyone would think that somebody was breeding the little cuddly blighters!

[Renrag39]

Signed.

 

As for Otters, I was very happy to see some on the River Ant last year near Irstead.

I understand that they can wreak havoc on smaller commercial fisheries, but on the Broads at least, their impact is minimal and serves much the same purpose as any top predator. Weeding out the weak and diseased, as is natures way.

 

Renrag

Edited March 4, 2011 by Renrag39

[Jeffwill]

Signed.

 

As for Otters, I was very happy to see some on the River Ant last year near Irstead.

I understand that they can wreak havoc on smaller commercial fisheries, but on the Broads at least, their impact is minimal and serves much the same purpose as any top predator. Weeding out the weak and diseased, as is natures way.

 

Renrag

 

 

Very true, though "visibly" healthy medium size to larger specimens are their preference....worth expending the energy on chasing, catching / subdue & dragging out.