Would you start a new fishery today?

[Steve Walker]

I'm with Steve, no river species or exotics (definitely no barbel) and 600 swims is about 550 too many!

 

There don't seem to be enough people who agree with us and have the kind of money required to pay the ticket prices it would take to run such a thing on a commercial basis. Which is surprising, given what people will pay for other sorts of fishing. I think the only way of getting that kind of thing is on a syndicate basis.

[Steve Burke]

Mark, you may be aware that I already run my own gravel pit complex (see the link below) and so have come across the same problems you have.

 

By far my most important recommendation is to get a business plan set up in conjunction with a professional fishery management consultant. It won't cost you very much at all in comparison with the other costs you'll incur on such a large site, and it'll more than pay for itself. I used and can recommend Dr. Bruno Broughton. His web site is at http://www.bruno-broughton.co.uk/. I also got a lot of help from Ken Crow, who also supplied many of my fish, and who again I can recommend.

 

Certainly I wouldn't dream of stocking any fish until I'd consulted Bruno, Ken or someone similar. It's easy to put fish in, but can be very difficult to get them out, and those remaining will almost certainly continue to breed!

 

I'd also strongly suggest you look at what your target market wants from a fishery and work backwards from there rather than the other way round. For instance specimen carp anglers wouldn't want nearly so many swims. The upside though is that these anglers will pay much more to fish your water.

 

I'd go along with others about the mini-species - almost nobody is interested in these. And I too would recommend that you create different fisheries in each lake.

 

Most of all though do get professional advice!

[Steve Walker]

Bullheads apart, which I think need clean running water or very large clean lakes, I think a marshy little pond with those species in would be an interesting bit of a much larger complex, but a curiosity rather than something really commercially viable. In any case, I can't imagine where one would obtain such numbers of mini-species.

[Dales]

Bullheads apart, which I think need clean running water or very large clean lakes, I think a marshy little pond with those species in would be an interesting bit of a much larger complex, but a curiosity rather than something really commercially viable. In any case, I can't imagine where one would obtain such numbers of mini-species.

 

It would be an interesting little water but like you say doubt they could be purchased in such big numbers but you might be able to get a few. You might be able to get Bitterlings from the ornamental trade and from time to time Gudgeon come up. I remember a few commercials stocking Gudgeon back in the day to provide extra easy weights for winter matches. But I think that is a thing of the past. It would take more then a few Gudgeon to beat even one modest F1.

 

Mark no F1's for Winter sport?

[Norfolkdipper]

I am surprised this thread is so short. I thought there would have been more opinions than just these few. So I am slightly changing the question.

 

What would you want at / in a fishery to make it a top fishery. I accept that ticket costs are probally top of the list, but what else would make your stay a good one? Same lakes & river bank, but what species & facilities would attract you? What would you add or change in the clubhouse? Would food & drink from cafe to peg delivery help?

[Dick Dastardly]

Mark,the first thing you really need to do is decide what YOU want from a fishery!

 

And by this I really mean is it to be your main income or a "hobby" buisness?

[Steve Walker]

My ideal stillwater would have:

 

Tench

Bream (not millions of skimmers)

A few carp

Real crucians

Roach

Rudd

Gudgeon

Perch

Pike

A few big eels

 

It would have a convoluted enough arrangement of bays, islands and peninsulas that from most swims you would not be able to see another angler.

 

It would have a wide range of depths within casting range, from a couple of feet to 15 or so.

 

It would have swims cut through densely wooded banks.

 

It would have dense beds of water lilies, lots of marginal reeds, lots of overhanging or fallen trees.

 

It would be quiet, peaceful, beautiful, crawling with wildlife and with the number of anglers on site at any one time kept low.

 

A clubhouse with cooking, toilet and shower facilities would be nice.

 

Basically a cross between Wingham and an estate lake.

[Anderoo]

Cool, I don't have to design my own lake now - i'd just apply for a ticket at Steve's

[Steve Walker]

Trouble is, I reckon it would be a life's work to create from scratch.

[Dales]

Mark,the first thing you really need to do is decide what YOU want from a fishery!

 

And by this I really mean is it to be your main income or a "hobby" buisness?

 

That sounds like the number one consideration, running something as a hobby/vision is a totaly different to running it as a business to make money.

 

I think the sort of fishery I would run as a business would have very little in common with a water I would run for my own enjoyment and that of a small syndicate and guests.