Boddington resvior

[ayjay]

 

What concerns do you mean ? I'd be interested to know

...........and therein lies the problem.

 

I'm not having a go at you Ryan, but it's only a 3 line answer.

 

This is one of them.

 

This is a feeder res for the Oxford canal, which then feeds into the Thames, and several other canals.

[Ryanrecon]

To be honest if it's that bad why do so many names in the industry fish and conduct matches here

And I don't take it personally

But if you feel so passionate about this topic mane you should post more than a three line response as I said I'd be interested in what your trying to say

[terry t shirt]

The carp from boddingtons are already making there way down into the oxford canal. Some might remember a long time ago the carp in the grand union in its lower reaches originally came from the tring resevoir group these carp now go over 35lbs . The problem with these fisheries is more the size the carp grow to than the amount they inititially introduce. They rapidly become unsuitable for match fishing and these venues wrecked from the natural state they once had. It seems all todays anglers want to catch is carp. Just look in any tackle shop and you have to hunt for 2lb line and size 20 hooks, and then you get very little choice.

[Ryanrecon]

Thank you terry, I understand what you mean iv been a river fisherman down South since I started fishing with my dad , it's hard most of the time but for filling with some good fish , sadly it's declining as pollution as poachers and signal cray fish have had a devastating affect on fish stocks ,

As fishing is the biggest sport in England mane the ea should do more on all leavals to control these problems but when thay try everybody objects

[Anderoo]

To be honest if it's that bad why do so many names in the industry fish and conduct matches here

It's something to do with the value of the pound.

[Ryanrecon]

I understand , as iv blanked on the rivers sometimes it's been an ego boost , but not understanding the affects of places like this I must pled ignorance but with a willing to learn

[gozzer]

I can't comment on Clattercote john , but as I said in my previous post as a match fishing venue it is what it is and now starting in that circuit was a good place to start as philocalist said he's not fished this 65 acre lake, the head bailiff ken will tell you a lot of people blank here

What concerns do you mean ? I'd be interested to know

 

Wow Ryan, I'm not too sure where to start. You've obviously not read any of my rants on the subject in your short time on AN, otherwise you wouldn't ask. So, at the risk of boring the pants off the long time members, (which incidentally I'm assured is not a pretty sight), I'll attempt to fill you in on my concerns.

The mass stocking of fish, and it's not just carp, (I would feel the same about the mass stocking of any species, and the effects it would have on other waters), concern me on several levels, I will start on the personal effect on me and my local waters.

First it is a matter of choice, or rather the lack of it. I haven't a stillwater near me that hasn't succumbed to 'carpitus'. There were many waters that had good balanced, mixed stocks of fish, where anyone could go and try for different species, whenever they wanted. Now it's all carp, with stocking levels up to 10 times what the water could naturally hold. By 'natural' I mean the fish could survive, and thrive on food provided by the water itself, no artificial feeding. This has reduced my choice of fishing dramatically, and in some cases it's a choice between carp, and not fishing at all, I've partially chosen the latter, and as such my sessions are few and far between these days. This is after enjoying, with a passion, (some have said an obsession), angling for over 50yrs.

This mass stocking of stillwaters is bad enough, but the stocks have a tendency to leach into the surrounding waters. Any water has a finite supply of natural food, which will sustain a finite amount of fish. Introduce an alien species to that water, and it will have a detrimental effect on the resident stocks. If that alien species is in large numbers, and a voracious feeder like carp, then the effect will be much greater. Carp will eat just about anything, from filtering small items from the silt, to eating the fish themselves, so the effect will be felt right through the life cycle of other fish. When stocked in great numbers, their feeding habits also cause the water to 'cloud up', this reduces the amount of sunlight entering the water which in turn reduces the ability of the water to produce food.

While carp are not regarded as a truly invasive species in this country, by comparison with the likes of Australia and the US, mainly because our climate isn't conducive to them breeding at an alarming rate. The actions of angling clubs, private owners, anglers themselves, and the EA in allowing it to happen, have made them into an invasive species, the stocking of hundreds of thousands, (maybe millions) of carp all round the country, has made sure of that.

I know that the whole thing started with the idea of making a 'level playing field', for match anglers. Like most such ideas it had a flaw, fish will not distribute themselves evenly around a lake. There will always be some areas that produce better than others, due to temp, flow, cover, depth, and availability of food, etc. The way some 'fishery' owners attempted to get round this, was to increase the stock levels even further. This proved to be popular with some of the match fraternity, and made for easier fishing for some pleasure anglers, with an almost guarantee of catching. Before anyone says that there is skill in catching from these waters, notice I said 'easier' fishing. I was into match fishing for around 25yrs, so I know there is skill in keeping a shoal feeding for 5 or more hours. It's much easier to do so on a water with high stock levels, than one with a more natural stock level, simply because there are more hungry fish. In fact pulling out several hundred pounds of carp is as much about stamina, and endurance, as it is about any skill. Now if these waters could be contained, and escape proof, then I would not have a problem with them, apart from the effect on me, and my local fisheries. This doesn't happen because many are built on floodplains, many are connected to other waterways, and because of illegal activities of some anglers in moving fish. There has been a call for more carp to be stocked in canals, with scant regard to the fact that all canals eventually run into a river.

In all the years I've campaigned against this level of stocking, I haven't heard one good argument for their existence, that outweighs mine against them. I'm talking mainly about the overstocked commercials, here. I've heard that it's good for the elderly,and the disabled, with easy access pegs and facilities, both of which could be available on a more natural, balanced water. Match anglers say its better, but having been a match angler myself, I can't see the difference in winning with 10 or 20lb, and winning with 200lb, except to the ego. In fact I'd prefer to win with a smaller weight from a more natural water, than with 100lb from an overstocked puddle. I've heard people say they are good places for novices to learn. To learn what? To have higher than natural expectancies, only to pack it in at the first relatively harder water they visit? The only people I can see who benefit from these waters, are the owners, and the companies and individuals who make money from them.

It's getting late, so I'd better stop there, but I could go on, about the chance of spreading disease, the effect very turbid water can have on the other flora and fauna in and around our waterside. Also the big part I believe these overstocked waters have on providing unnatural amounts of easy food for certain predators, that have many anglers, and journalists, complaining are too numerous.

I've tried to keep it short Ryan, but I hope it gives some clues as to my concerns about overstocking.

 

John.

[Ryanrecon]

Iv taken on board what you'v said and looking at where I fish ( uracs ) waters most of witch are natural waters , hard water but good roach Rudd bream with a few good carp but balanced iv had some good days

One of our waters produced me a 15lb bream from the original stocking after the lake was filled with water (m25 gravel supply)

When I was a lad my dad took me to a lake called little Britain it was and now due to being a bird sanctuary as well is a natural lake

Iv spent many hours on this water and the river clone that runs by near here great days

Iv fished Boddington 2 times and honestly it's been more for my ego than anything

Reading your post put perspective on it for me as my Maine concern is and always will be the wellness of the fish all the fish roach and Rudd bream ect

Thanks for being so honest I'll be viewing my local waters with a bit more respect and pride in what I do catch

Ps had a lovely 11lb barbel on the clone a couple of weeks a go ( much more my style )

Thanks again john

The converted

[Anderoo]

From 'Chasing Dreams' by Tony Miles (© 2001):

 

'Since the mid-80s, I have taken 44 pike over twenty pounds from three Midland reservoirs, Hollowell, Stanford, and Boddington. Of these three, Boddington was for years one of the best pike waters I ever fished with many twenties and numerous mid-doubles. They fed on the large shoals of good roach and bream the water held. In recent years, thanks to the enlightened (!) activities of British Waterways, all those wonderful fish have been removed and in their place grotesquely overstocked small carp abound. In angling terms, the BWB have conducted the modern equivalent of rape and pillage on numerous Midland's waters that were once fine mixed fisheries. But I digress.'

[Ryanrecon]

Anderoo , this is why I joins this forum to learn , and my view has been changed bye the response of posts iv revived (john ) by taking time to exsplane to a fisherman retuning to fishing now since I was a lad what the problems with modern day fishing and the damage of these type of fisherys is having on it

So thank you for your views