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BFW poll on close season lift or extension.

Would you like to see the close season remain?

  • Yes, keep it as it is.

    Votes: 101 41.2%

  • No, a complete lift on ban.

    Votes: 79 32.2%

  • No, but a new one put in place with more suited start and end dates. (discuss options)

    Votes: 65 26.5%
  • Total voters
    245
Bobby Baker

Bobby Baker

Senior Member
What are your views on the current close season? Should it remain as there is nothing wrong and a few seasons bad weather shouldn't worry anyone, or should it be lifted completely, or even tailored to suit the changing seasons?
 
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Hi men,

Changing the dates .

Barbel - seen them in July spawning , so are we only putting barbel on a pedestal ?, what about pike that can and do start really early ???. So to be fair that's finishing earlier , starting later , 7 months fishing for your rod licence .

Hatter
 
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I am happy with it as it is now. Whatever dates were chosen would be a compromise, just as they are now....so what would be the point of changing it? You cannot cover ALL of the various spawning times of every species, especially as they vary with the weather anyway. It seems to me that the current close season timing is designed so that ON AVERAGE, the maximum number of fish possible will get the best (only) chance they are likely to get at spawning relatively undisturbed.

I find it incomprehensible that in this day and age, some anglers seem unable to find enough to do (fishing or otherwise) to keep themselves happy through the river closed season, without demanding we do away with that as well. I genuinely can't believe it. I guess I am just getting old :eek:

Cheers, Dave.
 
I like the rest to be honest not sure it will ever change so much conjecture. So many fish spawning at different times I'm not sure the fishing community will ever agree on what's right so I see it remaining the same.
 
I can't remember the last time barbel and chub spawned on the stretch of the hants avon I fish before June 16,but do know the last few seasons they have been (at it) mid July onwards.I don't fish still waters or canals and don't have a problem not fishing for 3 months.
 
I took a break from fishing in my youth as I was busy doing other things like going to night clubs and such. When I returned I found the close season was abolished but for still waters only :confused:

I have got my head around the fishing pellet, the hair rig, the semi fixed rig and such strangeness but I still can't understand why the close season was abolished for still waters only?!

Stephen
 
The old question comes around though

Can someone tell me why does a roach , perch , chub or barbel etc in a river need more 'protection' than it's still water cousin ?

It's a nonsense .


Antiquated law designed to keep the 'rough' •• away from the river so his lordship could have the river for the game fish

•• Why are we called 'coarse' anglers ?
 
Personally I'd like to see it gone completely, the reasoning behind it is outdated and was set up at a time when it was normal practice to kill everything caught.

The 'protection' argument would, I believe, be better served now by having people on the bank to discourage the predators, winged, four-legged or two-legged!
 
The close season may have been set up to keep the riff raff out whilst the toffs fished but the fact is most species spawn in that period, no one is putting barbel on a pedestal. A few species can spawn multiple times so when people comment they've seen them in July still going at it and that the season doesn't protect them, well, that could well be wrong, they could be spawning for the second or third time due to the prolonged ideal water temps etc. Anglers trampling around the spawning grounds in waders is not what you want in these stages, although many a fly angler won't think twice about it.
Yes we may just stick a hook in their face to fill our selfish needs but we can at least try and practice as much damage limitation as possible.
As David mentions, it's a best average. My new season starts on March 15th anyhow with walks on new beats, fish spotting, baiting, peg making etc. I have plenty to do with the 3 months and even manage a fair bit of sea fishing then too. I'm all for the close season!
 
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No one was asked an opinion on that Stu, no vote was taken place, no studies either? Not too sure. The only thing you can be certain on, it was money orientated.
 
Can't see it ever changing
 
Stillwaters that are SSSI's remain in the close season because of anglers impact on the plants, habitats and animals.
 
Only two choices in my book because of variable climatic conditions, location, species etc etc. Why confuse things? - either a keep it as it is or scrap it. I'm now of the opinion it should be the latter - get shot - simples.
 
The impact on plants thing for SSSI's is another stupid ruling, the Montgomery Canal is designated SSSI because of it's marginal plants, yet it has a steady and increasing amount of boat traffic which surely does more damage to marginal plants than we anglers do!
However there is more money to be made in hiring out narrow boats to people who know nothing about the countryside.

The studies done before the canal close season was lifted said there was no case for the protection being needed, there was no effort made to form the same opinion on rivers. BTW, if it's so wrong to fish when the fish are spawning why do salmon only get hunted when they are in the rivers to SPAWN!
 
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Do away with close season ,or an option fish on for another 6wks till end of April ?. In the end the option should be there if i wish to fish or not ,if you feel that strongly stay away till the 16th .
 
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