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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
Extremely encouraging to see so many sensible anglers coming round to the only logical view - which is to abolish the Close season completely.
 
No need for close season on a carp lake I fish as when they are spawning they will not bite!
I presume same for barbell as early season you don't seem to catch many,scrap it I say,its an out of date law but nothing will get done about it.
 
The close season changes on stillwaters came about through selfish greed from commercial fishery owners, ..not logic.
I remember way over 30 years ago, when the then manager of a well known local commercial Redlands stillwater exploited a loophole in the law and introduced a handfull of trout into the lake ,[ not to sure if he obtained a section 30! ], and then invited punters to catch them using 'any method'.
I hired a punt and went piking in April,..it just did'nt feel right, and have never bothered again.
We are always debating poor recruitment of barbel on here, so why risk making it worse?
Every year at the end of the season there is this same debate, and there are many valid points made by those who would wish to see an end to the close season, but the difference between stillwaters and rivers is,.. that unlike landlocked fisheries, river fish are shared.
If a controlling club or riparian owner wished to 'rest' a stretch of river for three months, it may all be in vain if the opposite bank was controlled by someone who did not, so unlike stillwaters, there would not always be a choice.
What happens upstream and downstream of a river fishery can have an impact on resident fish stocks if they migrate to spawn or clean off in a weir for instance.
A stretch of the hamp. avon that I have fished for many years recently allowed 24 hour fishing. The barbel and chub that inhabited that stretch in numbers have moved upstream, leaving the once 'banker' swims almost devoid of fish, and in the proccess have improved the lot of the upstream fishery that is not night fished.
This would seem to be in part due to angling pressure.
I see chub and barbel spawning most years during April,..they were late last year because of the cold spring.
I have always maintained that rivers should be bailiffed as much as possible during the close season, for as we must agree, there are many who will take advantage of our absence!
 
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in my opinion this poll will nver show the real truth unless its a straight forward vote keep it or no, anything else is distorted because there is more than one keep it vote, the fact of a keep it but with changes means there is two, this thus reduces the keep it votes by by 50% against the scrap it vote 100%.
i never fish either still waters or running waters during the close season
 
All those still in favour have a read the EA document on the rational for the close season - even they admit that the original reason for having a close season is no longer valid (fish being taken for food in the 19th century).

The 'banks need a rest' argument is total nonsense as no other river users leave river alone for 3 months.

The spawning fish reason is invalid also. Pike, perch and dace often spawn before the 14th of March and most other species seem to spawn from late May to late June meaning that they get the most focused amount of pressure right when they are at their most vulnerable.

I say put the rights in the hands of clubs and riparian landowners. Much more sensible to have dates that will actually help, stopping fishing in late March and April is total nonsense as is a massive influx of anglers in mid June.
 
, not only give's the fish a rest, but allows the surrounding bankside vegetation and fauna to grow unmolested during the spring , i feel we as anglers owe nature time to heal and grow. we are only visitors to the wonderful environment of the river bank , give it the respect it deserves,. and keep it as it is.
and when you finally arrive on the 16th, try to keep it the way you found it !
 
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John, this thread/poll was never meant to 'reveal the truth'. It's just some forum banter. Something to talk about other than dribble and moan over peoples fish weights.
 
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bobby, its still an interesting thread and some very good views and points made, meself i too enjoy the refreshed vegetaion and relaxed wild life during or at the start of the season:)
 
Paul/ Mods. I just mis-voted, wanted to vote in favour of keeping it as it is, but pressed the wrong button at about 1.40pm today. Could my vote be changed to reflect this? apologies. I'm voting to keep it as it is. Its good to have a break, in analogy you wouldn't want the football season to run all year round. It's a chance to catch up with other things - no bad thing.

Cheers, Nick
 
John Walker said:
in my opinion this poll will nver show the real truth unless its a straight forward vote keep it or no, anything else is distorted because there is more than one keep it vote, the fact of a keep it but with changes means there is two, this thus reduces the keep it votes by by 50% against the scrap it vote 100%.
i never fish either still waters or running waters during the close season
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There's only three choices John mate, I really don't know how this can confuse. The choices given by Bobby I feel are well thought out pal. Covers all options chum.
 
I voted to keep it., but in a selfish way I would scrap it. I generally fish v quiet areas so for all the hammered stretches I have voted to keep the closed season.
 
Stuart Prescott said:
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 ?
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Hi Stuart, back home yet mate?

In answer to your question...those fish do not need more 'protection' than their stilwater cousins. So as you say, it is a nonsense. But that nonsensical situation was brought about by greed, which caused the closed season on stillwaters to be wrongly done away with. To do away with the closed season on rivers as well would only compound that wrongness. It wouldn't make it right...two wrongs never do.

The stillwater closed season was done away with at the behest of tackle manufacturers and fishery owners, to extend their profit making to a year round affair. The proliferation of commercials developed to take advantage of that, pretty well destroying traditional river match fishing in the process. I would hate to see them get away with it on rivers as well.

I am of course a hypocrite, because nowadays I have surrendered and joined the vast majority in fishing stillwaters during the river closed season....there seemed little point in not doing so eventually. However, my weakness does not make it right, and I would happily refrain again if the general closed season were to be reinstated. Just my opinion Stuart...which means you and I cancel each other out voting wise. Pretty much the story of my life to be honest.

Take it easy mate, and tight lines for next season :D

Cheers, Dave.
 
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Like you say David , Its all about greed and self gratification ?
My own personal opinion , It will be a sad day for Angling if the close season is abolished . We all know its not perfect , For me its better than no close season at all .
A bit like Marmite , Love it or hate it ? for the time being all you people that hate it , You are stuck with it :)
 
personally I would like to see it gone, but I think we have to be a little bit careful on what we wish for. Firstly the prices of fishing tickets might increase because most of the club rivers are often leased off the local farmer, and if he is on the ball he could say that the members will be on his land for an extra 3 months and wants an increase of 25% in charges. Also fishing clubs could possible invoke their own mini close season if they want, which would be a whole different ball game, imagine fishing say the river severn, with a club on on side having say a month break whilst a club on the other side not bothering??
 
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