Should we have a close season?

[Peter Waller]

Jim Gibbinson:

While I accept that some stretches of river have no controlling club etc., such stretches are in a minority, surely?

If in a minority then does it reallyt matter Jim? If a river is tidal then it probably has no controlling body as such, other than the EA. The banks can be controlled by the owner, not the water.

 

Tidal rivers such as, for example, the Broads, the Seven, the Trent, and these are often 'natural' fisheries, are controlled by the EA, and we all know how much control that is, or isn't .

 

Can't we just leave things as they are? Those who want to fish can go to commercial mudholes, syndicate lakes and the like, or even fish for trout or sea-fish. But just leave our rivers alone!!

[Jim Gibbinson]

Most of us are saying the same things - although perhaps from s slightly different perspective.

 

I have little knowledge of the tidal rivers of which Pete speaks, so I'm not qualifed to comment. My local river (Medway) is tidal below Allington Sluice, and there are coarse fish throughout the fresh-cum-brackish stretches, but hardly anyone fishes for them at any time of the year. A close season rest-period would, therefore, serve no purpose.

 

On other tidal rivers the situation may be very different, in which case a rest-period of some sort might be required. Will someone tell the cormorants, please...

[Guest sslatter]

I think we should have a close season in some form or another. My local river is the Itchen, which has a council-owned "free" stretch, which is heavily fished. Were it not for the close season, this stretch would pretty soon go downhill. It's bad enough as it is, with some (carpers AND pikers) using three or four rods at a time. The chub come out very lacklustre.. after all, they all get caught many times over during the season.. everyone knows their holding spots. The close season gives the river a chance to breathe again, for the nesting birds to get on with it unhindered, and for the council to remove all the hundreds of bits of broken line, hooks, weights and floats hanging from the farside trees.

I do realise that this stretch is not typical, but I feel that were the close season to be scrapped, many such popular "free" stretches would suffer.

[kleinboet]

I'm with Graham X here.

Let's face facts - ALL rivers containing fish, are fished relentlessly, whether it be by "Week-enders" or the more serious angler. They are all chucking in groundbait, free samples and at the end of the session the excess bait. So the fish are pretty well fed. Apart from the obvious (breeding) haven't any of you noticed how well the fish bite at the beginning of the new season??

Think, they have expended lots of energy breeding and grubbing for food in the close season and now the food is back!!!!

 

[ 15. February 2005, 06:01 PM: Message edited by: kleinboet ]

[Dick Dastardly]

Some strange views here and some even stranger facts!

 

I was sad to see the old close season go I think it took a little something away.But would I want to see it return? I honestly dont know! I have now got used to having no closed season on still waters (even though my most local one still has one) and must admit it doesnt seem to do much harm.

 

Ive always thought the main benifit was the chance for the banks to be rested and rejuvinate rather than resting the fish.Once again here I can see the argument for a "flexible" closed period dictated by the individual waters controlling body.

 

This buisness of fish not spawning in the confines of the old closed season is not entirely true.Admitedly there is cases of late or secondary spawning caused by weather conditions but most fish do spawn in the old alloted period.The reason so many support this fallacey is because the only fish they see (due to the obviousness of the activity) is carp.Remember that carp are triggered into spawning by different stimulus than our own (and lets remember carp are not indigenous)species.As they are far more dependant on a higher water temperature they quite often dont spawn (if at all in some cases) untill later.But lets not let things revolve around carp.

 

Jims comments on security are very poignent.

 

So should the closed season be brought back or the river one abolished to? Well when it was first dropped I was a very staunch suporter of keeping it across the board but now years later Im not so sure...

[Paul_D]

Sorry Budgie but dont agree with one fundamental flaw in your spawning observation and it's one that I keep on arguing. It may be more pertinent to my particular local river fishing but I'm sure it holds sway in most if not all rivers. My local rivers are generally classified as 'mixed' rivers i.e. they cater for both Coarse and Game fisherman. If fishermen of whatever persuasion are not to be hypocrites then the closed season for allowing fish to spawn and recover should begin in October and not open until June. All would then be 'happy'.

[chesters1]

yes because i dont fish rivers

[Peter Waller]

You don't know what you are missing Chesters! Non of the trammels of life that surround being a club bailiff on a still water for one thing!

[chesters1]

when you have to keep your eye on feeble mrs (in both physical and casting sides ) 2 people sharing a swim on a river only brings disaster and short tempers at least with a pond the chances of entanglement are greatly reduced.

i'v nothing against those strange very long fast flowing ponds ,i loved the medway and the wey is very good around here but now the mrs has to come

 

[ 15. February 2005, 10:48 PM: Message edited by: chesters1 ]

[Dick Dastardly]

Yes Paul,I agree,the case of mixed rivers would be a problem.

 

If we were to take the main reason for a closed season being to protect the fish during spawning I would have the following observations to make.

 

When actually spawning fish dont seem that interested in feeding anyway.Catching them whilst full of spawn/milt does cause them to shed a bit when handled but is this of any great harm? It is said that fish are delicate after the rigours of spawning,true,but with silver fish would the benifits of extra food going in to the water at a time they need it out weigh any disadvantages?

 

Most European countries work their closed seasons (which to my knowledge they have all kept) around the system of individual species of fish being "out of season" at different times.In theory you should not try to catch these fish intentionally during these periods.In practice it means that during the fishs closed season it must be returned imediately if captured by accident and not taken or retained.Would this be a more realistic system?

 

Once again I dont know, just playing Devils advocate.

 

[ 16. February 2005, 05:49 AM: Message edited by: BUDGIE ]