Fishing Closed season

Ukwildlifeo · #1 (**permalink**) 17-04-2007, 09:24 PM

Is there a fishing closed season anymore. In Bedfords Park yesterday I saw a number of fisherman fishing in a lake where a few hours earlier some carp were spawning. Yet a Notice in another park said that fishing was banned on there lake there until late April/May. Can anyone explain whats going on?

Tobyh · #2 (**permalink**) 17-04-2007, 09:35 PM

It used to be a closed season from March to June (don't remember exact dates) but I believe some Private waters are able to still allow anglers on if they wish.

agrumpycow · #3 (**permalink**) 17-04-2007, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

Is there a fishing closed season anymore. In Bedfords Park yesterday I saw a number of fisherman fishing in a lake where a few hours earlier some carp were spawning. Yet a Notice in another park said that fishing was banned on there lake there until late April/May. Can anyone explain whats going on?

As far as I'm aware the legal closed season is for all rivers/most canals,etc. But some privately owned or enclosed lakes are exempt. I may be wrong though, so I'm sure someone will confirm

Try looking at the Environment Agency Website.

eeyore · #4 (**permalink**) 17-04-2007, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agrumpycow

As far as I'm aware the legal closed season is for all rivers/most canals,etc. But some privately owned or enclosed lakes are exempt. I may be wrong though, so I'm sure someone will confirm

Try looking at the Environment Agency Website.

where i used to work in MK the rivers and canal were fished all year as were two of the larger lakes - the other smaller waters were closed during the winter (oct to apr)

agrumpycow · #5 (**permalink**) 17-04-2007, 09:57 PM

This should help................

Environment Agency - Coarse Fish Close Season

John · #6 (**permalink**) 18-04-2007, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eeyore

where i used to work in MK the rivers and canal were fished all year as were two of the larger lakes - the other smaller waters were closed during the winter (oct to apr)

Hi Pete

If they were Coarse fishing rivers in that area between 15 March to 15 June inclusive they were fishing illegally. Canals used to be covered by this legislation (and some still are) but most are now exempt from this and can be legally fished. Streams and Drains also come into the no fishing out of season catergory.

John

eeyore · #7 (**permalink**) 18-04-2007, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John

Hi Pete

If they were Coarse fishing rivers in that area between 15 March to 15 June inclusive they were fishing illegally. Canals used to be covered by this legislation (and some still are) but most are now exempt from this and can be legally fished. Streams and Drains also come into the no fishing out of season catergory.

John

I realised that on reading the EA link - I suspect that the rivers werent fished by the fishing club at all , as they tended to prefer the stocked waters of the lakes

so most of the river fishing was presumably illicit and permitless anyway, and probably without a rod licence too

The problem is one of logistics to police the rules - club baliffs tend to only be concerned with their waters (and rightly so) , while EA baliffs are IME thin on the ground, and as rangers my colleagues and I tended to have our hands full dealing with illicit motorcycling , swimming etc - ie those things which pose a direct threat to public safety , plus of course delivering practical conservation, education, events , wildlife survey, so fourth, so fifth

Rich · #8 (**permalink**) 18-04-2007, 11:27 PM

I'm afraid it's going the way of most things these days. Fishing in the close season, hot cross buns available all year round.

I used to take 16th June off work every year to go fishing at 4 a.m., but when I saw signs that people had been there before me I lost interest.

John · #9 (**permalink**) 19-04-2007, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

I'm afraid it's going the way of most things these days. Fishing in the close season, hot cross buns available all year round.

I used to take 16th June off work every year to go fishing at 4 a.m., but when I saw signs that people had been there before me I lost interest.

When I used to go fishing I had a traditional first night at a place called Walcott Lakes (owned by the BAA - B'ham Anglers), fairly near to Craven Arms. It was to do Tench fishing and we used to camp up on the night on the waterside and straight into the water at midnight. It was a great way to start the season. Once the closed season was taken off it lost it's appeal because after that you could go anytime.

John

Lincs Yellowbelly · #10 (**permalink**) 19-04-2007, 07:32 AM

Rivers are still under the traditional close season, running from 15th March to 16th June. Some Canals can now be fished during the close season, depending on which area you live in. Lake aren't now affected by the enforced EA close season ala rivers, but some lake owners still enforce there own close season

On the issue of Carp spawning, it seems unlikely to me that the Carp were spawning this early, unless the lake is really shallow then the water won't be anywhere near the correct temperature to bring about spawning. I know in some areas the Pike have only just started spawning and the do so in colder water. It is likely that the Carp were probably cleaning themselves off rather than spawning

Kayleigh · #11 (**permalink**) 19-04-2007, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John

When I used to go fishing I had a traditional first night at a place called Walcott Lakes (owned by the BAA - B'ham Anglers), fairly near to Craven Arms. It was to do Tench fishing and we used to camp up on the night on the waterside and straight into the water at midnight. It was a great way to start the season. Once the closed season was taken off it lost it's appeal because after that you could go anytime.

John

I have tench in my garden pond and as they are bottom dwellers and green I can't see them to catch them. Can you give any tips on how to catch them.

eeyore · #12 (**permalink**) 19-04-2007, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John

When I used to go fishing I had a traditional first night at a place called Walcott Lakes (owned by the BAA - B'ham Anglers), fairly near to Craven Arms. It was to do Tench fishing and we used to camp up on the night on the waterside and straight into the water at midnight. It was a great way to start the season. Once the closed season was taken off it lost it's appeal because after that you could go anytime.

John

that seems a little unconventional - wouldn't you have caught more fish if you'd stayed on the bank and used a rod and line like everyone else ?

John · #13 (**permalink**) 19-04-2007, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eeyore

that seems a little unconventional - wouldn't you have caught more fish if you'd stayed on the bank and used a rod and line like everyone else ?

John · #14 (**permalink**) 19-04-2007, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

I have tench in my garden pond and as they are bottom dwellers and green I can't see them to catch them. Can you give any tips on how to catch them.

How big is your pond. If it isn't very large then it is hardly sport to go for them but if it is a relatively large body of water I can give you some tips. Mind you I haven't been fishing for ten years now.

John

eeyore · #15 (**permalink**) 19-04-2007, 08:49 PM

get a military surplus wind up feild telephone - cut the handset off , chuck the wire in the water and crank the handle - zap all the fish are stunned and float on the surface , scope em off with a big net.

hey LY can i come and, ahhh, compete in you next match

actually i have done this in wildlife ponds where the fish are a problem , its a lot cheaper than paying a contractor for electro fishing and its kinder than using a hand grenade or dynamite as it only stuns the fish rather than killing them - hand grenades are also an absolute git to get hold of at this time of year

i picked the idea up from reading about american poachers in south dakota who use all three of these techniques to poach fish out in the backwoods

Lincs Yellowbelly · #16 (**permalink**) 19-04-2007, 09:12 PM

Very good

although i don't compete in matches

eeyore · #17 (**permalink**) 19-04-2007, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lincs Yellowbelly

Very good

although i don't fish in matches

I thought as much, I kinda assumed that you fished in water

Lincs Yellowbelly · #18 (**permalink**) 19-04-2007, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eeyore

I thought as much, I kinda assumed that you fished in water

lol, i did actually change my post so that it made more sense, but you were to quick for me

Kayleigh · #19 (**permalink**) 19-04-2007, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eeyore

get a military surplus wind up feild telephone - cut the handset off , chuck the wire in the water and crank the handle - zap all the fish are stunned and float on the surface , scope em off with a big net.

hey LY can i come and, ahhh, compete in you next match

actually i have done this in wildlife ponds where the fish are a problem , its a lot cheaper than paying a contractor for electro fishing and its kinder than using a hand grenade or dynamite as it only stuns the fish rather than killing them - hand grenades are also an absolute git to get hold of at this time of year

i picked the idea up from reading about american poachers in south dakota who use all three of these techniques to poach fish out in the backwoods

Don't want to hurt the newts they are laying eggs at the moment.

eeyore · #20 (**permalink**) 19-04-2007, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Don't want to hurt the newts they are laying eggs at the moment.

so do it when the newts are in their out of water phase - you can use a conventional generator also, but the field telephone wattage/ampage/voltage is just right to stun without killing and is not enough to harm you if you get a shock - 240v on the other hand will fry the fish and you as well if you get in its way.

electro fishing is quite a widely used conservation technique - but in seriousness it is better left to pros or idiots like me

to be honest if its only a small pond your best bet is to pump most of the water into butts then get in and grab the fish by hand , then replace the water - dont do this in very hot weather as the reduced water level will not be sufficiently oxygenated to support the fish who will start gulping and in extremis suffocate slowly and horibly.

Kayleigh · #21 (**permalink**) 19-04-2007, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John

How big is your pond. If it isn't very large then it is hardly sport to go for them but if it is a relatively large body of water I can give you some tips. Mind you I haven't been fishing for ten years now.

John

I used to fish for pike and perch. The pond is only small and the fish have out grown it so I will have to catch them or drain it, and the newts are laying eggs at the moment, then the young newts need water to live and we have toadpoles who will be in water for months yet.

Lincs Yellowbelly · #22 (**permalink**) 20-04-2007, 07:22 AM

It might also be worth pointing out that moving fish between waters is actually illegal and could cause a number of problems with disease

If they have out grown the pond then it might be best to find somebody else with a bigger garden pond to put them into, rather than putting them into the wild

And please don't try and electrofish the pond, it'd be far better to empty most the water out and net from there. This time of year is also not the best time of the year to do anything like this, what with the fish coming up to spawning and the newts laying eggs as you say. You'd be better off waiting until the winter time.