Spawning

[BIGMAN]

hi all

been some interesting topics of late,some quite contentious too,hope this dosen't open the floodgates but can someone tell me when the course fishing spawning season starts and ends and if it is frowned upon to fish between those dates or is it ok to just carry on? excuse my ignorance.

bigman.

[Ed Matysiak]

Most fish will be spawning between March 15th and June 16th. (Closed Season). You can still fish still waters through these dates but dont fish rivers. You'll get in trouble!

[Paul_D]

I'm pretty sure that you are able to fish on the West Yorks. canals as well during the river season lay off.

 

Some people do indeed frown on any fishing during the close season dates but where it is allowed the choice is yours.

[chris mc]

don't a hand full of places still close during closed season?I personally think the closed season should be respeckted to give the fish a rest.Thats just my humble oppion though!

 

[ 19. February 2003, 07:51 PM: Message edited by: chris mc ]

[wotawoppa]

I must admit I used to like the close season and spent many happy hours in my bedroom looking at my tackle with anticipation of the big day!

 

The old close season was a best guess to try and cover a period during which all fish might possibly spawn as some of them spawn earlier than others.

 

Commercial type fisheries etc are normally open 365 days a year. Club waters are the same although it is at the clubs discretion and some still close, some stay open. One local club whose water contains mainly carp shuts for the month of June as this is the most likely time for them to spawn.

 

Personal opinion is that we should maybe give things a rest for a while, but its difficult to balance this up against a commercial environment of a managed fishery or a club water where pressure from anglers and accountants dictates that bums on banks are required.

[chris mc]

A couple of Lyms waters are closed for the closed season,and the others that are not day water you have to do 2 workpartys to fish on them.Wich i think is a preety good idea.

 

[ 19. February 2003, 08:53 PM: Message edited by: chris mc ]

[Newt]

Anyone know of a decent study showing that fishing for a species during it's spawning season has any effect whatever on the fish population or survival of the spawning adults?

 

Granted, catching a spawning female of a species that lays eggs in beds could have a profound effect on that particular female and that particular bed. But on the overall fishery?

 

The reality is that most eggs will not hatch fry that live to become adults. And more fry often just means a lower survival percentage.

 

I know there have been several studies done in the US on largemouth bass. Several reasons; the species is very popular as a sport fish and given it's habit of using beds in shallow water, bass anglers in spring will often look for beds and fish over them with crayfish or salamander lure patterns because the fish attack so well. Protecting the nets. It is a very emotive issue with many who are dead set against the practice and their usual reasoning is damage to the hatch. Turns out the population numbers for a given year group just aren't affected by bed fishing vs. no bed fishing. And no numbers of dead post-spawn large females ever noted that I can find.

[Keith Finn]

chris mc:

A couple of Lyms waters are closed for the closed season,and the others that are not day water you have to do 2 workpartys to fish on them.Wich i think is a preety good idea.

Best idea that they have, Do two days and you practically have a few of the waters to yourself for a few months:D

Keith