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Do you fish at Hampstead Heath?


joolpools

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I would particularly like to see the fishing at Hampstead Heath kept free. It is a great shame that there are so few free fishing waters left in my opinion.

 

The problem is free so often means unregulated and that can result in 'commons syndrome'.

There is no such think as a free lunch.

 

Also with no income and limited funds how do you fund restocking or even ongoing maintance?

Perhaps if the ponds were managed by a non-profit organisation so all fees went into the upkeep of the ponds.

Ideally perhaps such things would be based on the ability to pay, but until then a tiered concessionary structure is easier to implement.

Edited by rarepleasures

Tony

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The problem is free so often means unregulated and that can result in 'commons syndrome'.

There is no such think as a free lunch.

 

Well, I pay tax and I pay for my rod licence. I believe that those things go towards the upkeep of the London parks and the waters therein (well at least I think that they are supposed to!).

 

I do understand what you are saying but I would like to see more waters that have free fishing, if you go back 20-30 years then it was not uncommon for waters to be free to fish. Alas now there are very few.

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Well, I pay tax and I pay for my rod licence. I believe that those things go towards the upkeep of the London parks and the waters therein (well at least I think that they are supposed to!).

 

The rod license goes to the EA. In the case of the Heath, it is managed by the City of London Corporation which is funded partly through the City Fund and partly through income from private and trust funds.

Tony

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  • 4 weeks later...

Fisherman's Blues have had reports of trouble at Hampstead yesterday following the opening of the season. Anyone know what happened ?

 

 

UPDATE

 

 

Apparently fishing is banned till October on some of the ponds because of Swan deaths

Edited by rarepleasures

Tony

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I collected my permit to fish the Heath today, and had a walk round.

Plenty of people fishing.

 

Roach coming out of Hampstead No2 on hemp and bread, Tench and Carp out of the boating lake on bollies.

 

Planning on getting out there tomorrow morning for a couple of hours.

Tony

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  • 5 months later...

I want to let people know what's going on by posting here again but want to get my no. of posts up to 16 so that i can also pm you to make sure you get the message.... so i'm going to be very naughty and spread the news through 8 posts, hope I don't get booted off. This makes 9.

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as a result of a petition from an angler, the Superintendent has approved the setting up of an Angling Club. A formal constitution is being drawn up and it is hoped that the new Club will advertise its first meeting early in the New Year. Membership will be an automatic result of acquiring a permit. In the mean time, if you want to get involved or find out more, please email me julie.brownbridge@cityoflondon.gov.uk and I'll email you the contact details of the people organising it.

 

Other HH angling news:

a report making the case for lifting the ban on fishing when cygnets are present will be presented to the March meeting of the Hampstead Heath Management Committee. The decision on this will rest with them.

 

Two ‘Learn to Fish’ days were run during the summer holidays and proved very popular.

 

Tackle bins have been installed and signage about the new Fishing Regulations is nearly ready.

 

In-house training has been provided for staff about the new Fishing Regs so they will hopefully be able to liaise with anglers and check permits regularly once the signage is up.

 

A sunken bird raft which was snagging lines on Hampstead No2 has been removed.

 

We have met with Environment Agency Fisheries staff, who are putting in a bid for a grant (from rod license income) for improvements to angling facilities at the Heath.

 

sorry about this, please forgive

 

Please don`t spread one post over multiple posts, it makes the forums look untidy and more difficult to read, Thanks, Si...

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Nice to see that a few people are taking such an interest in the fishing on Hampstead Heath. A few years ago, it was featured on a "Your Shout" programme on TV, which was organised by Pisces (the anti angling mob). They rigged the filming, to make it look like the anglers were causing carnage with the bird life, but luckily, it was spotted by the main reporter (a young lady called Katie Razzle, cool name!), who contacted the SACG (now SAA). They offered us the chance to do another "Your Shout" programme as a response to the one the antis were involved in. Laurie Harper appeared on the programme, and played a blinder. As a result, the antis were kicked into touch and were discredited.

 

An excellent model of "inner city angling", can be found on Clapham Common, where the Clapham Angling Preservation Society, do great work in preserving the angling and encouraging new anglers into the passtime. They will always offer advice, as they were formd as a direct result of anti-angling activity on their own common.

http://www.claphamangling.co.uk/

Edited by Dunk Fairley

Dunk Fairley

Fighting for anglers' rights - Join SAA today at http://www.saauk.org

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  • 2 weeks later...
Membership will be an automatic result of acquiring a permit and will cost a tiny amount to cover expenses or may even be free.

 

I would push for a proper fee with concession rates. The majority of people fishing the Heath are Carpers who I imagine regularly spend £30-50 in a tackle shop so its not a large amount to come out of most people's pockets. A fee also makes people act more responsibly - if they have something to lose they're more likely to stick to the rules.

 

Other angling news is that a report making the case for lifting the ban on fishing when cygnets are present will be presented to the March meeting of the Hampstead Heath Management Committee.

 

I'd be cautious about that. Responsible people would never allow harm to come to wildlife but thats not everyone. The mistake the Committee has made in the past is to single out anglers. I'd seen discarded tackle that would definitely pose a threat to wildlife but I've also seen dog walkers allowing their dogs to attack the swans. Both kinds of activities need a zero-tolerance policy IMHO.

Edited by rarepleasures

Tony

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I don't live in the area but obvious things to include in any leaflets would be pond locations, how to get a permit, access - including disabled access, native and invasive species to be found there, regulations (taking of fish and crayfish, fishing closed seasons, night fishing restrictions, rules regarding camping, fires etc) a contact point for reporting trouble makers or wildlife in distress, an insurance disclaimer amongst others.

Species caught in 2020: Barbel. European Eel. Bleak. Perch. Pike.

Species caught in 2019: Pike. Bream. Tench. Chub. Common Carp. European Eel. Barbel. Bleak. Dace.

Species caught in 2018: Perch. Bream. Rainbow Trout. Brown Trout. Chub. Roach. Carp. European Eel.

Species caught in 2017: Siamese carp. Striped catfish. Rohu. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Black Minnow Shark. Perch. Chub. Brown Trout. Pike. Bream. Roach. Rudd. Bleak. Common Carp.

Species caught in 2016: Siamese carp. Jullien's golden carp. Striped catfish. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Alligator gar. Rohu. Black Minnow Shark. Roach, Bream, Perch, Ballan Wrasse. Rudd. Common Carp. Pike. Zander. Chub. Bleak.

Species caught in 2015: Brown Trout. Roach. Bream. Terrapin. Eel. Barbel. Pike. Chub.

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