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Change of heart?

Mark Mole

Mark Mole

Senior Member
Due to this unprecedented weather at the moment I've had a change of heart as regards the close season debate. For a long time now I've been all for scrapping the close altogether,but due to people's irresponsible actions in continuing to deliberately target barbel,I've changed my mind. I thought we as anglers would be able to police ourselves,I couldn't have been more wrong. It seems the Trent anglers are mostly the main culprits,but it's happening on most other rivers too. I'd like to see the close retained,but moved to run from May until August,hopefully protecting spawning and any future potentially devastating conditions,like we're now experiencing. The rivers need idiot proofing as much as possible,as they say 'you can't reason with an idiot'
 
Trent Angler here,not fished since 16th June due to Spawning,Heat and finally my Society closed their parts of the Trent.
A few other clubs and Societies have followed suit but the private stretches and day ticket venues are still open- this is where anglers are still fishing for Barbel but unfortunately unless these areas are closed( which due to income probably won’t happen) they will still be pursued and consequently put at risk.
 
Mark Mole said:
Due to this unprecedented weather at the moment I've had a change of heart as regards the close season debate. For a long time now I've been all for scrapping the close altogether,but due to people's irresponsible actions in continuing to deliberately target barbel,I've changed my mind. I thought we as anglers would be able to police ourselves,I couldn't have been more wrong. It seems the Trent anglers are mostly the main culprits,but it's happening on most other rivers too. I'd like to see the close retained,but moved to run from May until August,hopefully protecting spawning and any future potentially devastating conditions,like we're now experiencing. The rivers need idiot proofing as much as possible,as they say 'you can't reason with an idiot'
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Problem with your idiot proof idea is that these extreme conditions have not been seen as the norm in the last few years, as far as super low rivers. In fact just the opposite. I think any decisions on closing rivers have to be made on a need at the time basis. Can you imagine closing rivers in August if they are brim full? The weather is volatile and I believe we should act on a need to basis. These conditions will be repeated more regularly if we are to believe the forecasters so any closures should have some scientific credibility that we can all accept as fair.
 
Matthew Thomas said:
Trent Angler here,not fished since 16th June due to Spawning,Heat and finally my Society closed their parts of the Trent.
A few other clubs and Societies have followed suit but the private stretches and day ticket venues are still open- this is where anglers are still fishing for Barbel but unfortunately unless these areas are closed( which due to income probably won’t happen) they will still be pursued and consequently put at risk.
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Fair play Matthew,may you be blessed with good karma come the autumn.
 
Neil Smart said:
Problem with your idiot proof idea is that these extreme conditions have not been seen as the norm in the last few years, as far as super low rivers. In fact just the opposite. I think any decisions on closing rivers have to be made on a need at the time basis. Can you imagine closing rivers in August if they are brim full? The weather is volatile and I believe we should act on a need to basis. These conditions will be repeated more regularly if we are to believe the forecasters so any closures should have some scientific credibility that we can all accept as fair.
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It's fundamentally important we maintain sustainability of dwindling stocks,that's just not happening at the moment. Most of the rivers problems,we as anglers have no control of whatsoever,but the ability to abstain from fishing we do. There's not much point fishing any month of the river season, even august,if there's not enough barbel to go at.
 
How about we cover all species with a closed season from 31st December to 1st September :)

Its unfortunate that some anglers selfishness and some clubs/ day ticket refusal to close rivers is affecting fish stocks, clubs I don't understand as most ime will have joined and paid for their membership prior to the season opening and day ticket waters are more interested in the income than the fish welfare in these conditions.
 
Mark Mole said:
It's fundamentally important we maintain sustainability of dwindling stocks,that's just not happening at the moment. Most of the rivers problems,we as anglers have no control of whatsoever,but the ability to abstain from fishing we do. There's not much point fishing any month of the river season, even august,if there's not enough barbel to go at.
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Problem is one size does not fit all, the Wye is on it's bones, and considering that is the premier river as far as stock, the so called controlling body for the main, the WUF have ignored the welfare of the Barbel. So it is going to be clubs and individuals that will decide to fish or not, you would hope that the right decisions would be made, as with me.:D
 
I don't understand why the EA don't step in and close rivers, a flexible approach to close seasons could work in theory, once people get used to the idea.
I'm seeing lots of reports of people trying to justify still catching them "rested for a good 20 mins then went off strongly"! Totally missing the point that they've had to rest a fish for 20mins in the first place!
 
Neil Smart said:
Problem is one size does not fit all, the Wye is on it's bones, and considering that is the premier river as far as stock, the so called controlling body for the main, the WUF have ignored the welfare of the Barbel. So it is going to be clubs and individuals that will decide to fish or not, you would hope that the right decisions would be made, as with me.:D
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I think you will find Neil that it is not just the Wye that is suffering . Its all rivers across the UK . The Trent has had some of its sections closed by clubs . Perhaps it time to call for a blanket ban on all Rivers ? Yes I know it would be totally unworkable
 
Mark Mole said:
Due to this unprecedented weather at the moment I've had a change of heart as regards the close season debate. For a long time now I've been all for scrapping the close altogether,but due to people's irresponsible actions in continuing to deliberately target barbel,I've changed my mind. I thought we as anglers would be able to police ourselves,I couldn't have been more wrong. It seems the Trent anglers are mostly the main culprits,but it's happening on most other rivers too. I'd like to see the close retained,but moved to run from May until August,hopefully protecting spawning and any future potentially devastating conditions,like we're now experiencing. The rivers need idiot proofing as much as possible,as they say 'you can't reason with an idiot'
Click to expand...

Mark you have to only look on the facebook pages to see people are still targeting Barbel against all the advice from the EA and the experts
 
Keith Arthur advocating using keep nets for barbel recovery in this weeks angling times. Personally I agree with him. But I don't agree with fishing for them in the first place in these conditions.
 
Joe Fletcher said:
I think you will find Neil that it is not just the Wye that is suffering . Its all rivers across the UK . The Trent has had some of its sections closed by clubs . Perhaps it time to call for a blanket ban on all Rivers ? Yes I know it would be totally unworkable
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Yes I understand that Joe, but the Wye is in particular trouble due to it's lack of depth, and also large stock of fish. It just so happens to be the go to river if you want to catch. I don't think anyone will impose an outright ban, it's only coarse fish after all, not my sentiment btw. Besides the last concern is fish welfare with the problems farmers are facing, plus water shortages. Perhaps even the Otter might think it's just too much and commit mass suicide?
 
Joe Fletcher said:
Mark you have to only look on the facebook pages to see people are still targeting Barbel against all the advice from the EA and the experts
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Shocking Joe,perhaps a blanket ban is the only option. People need protecting from themselves. I've not fished at all now for over 3 weeks,and I'm not going to lie,it's killing me. I'm on a 2 week summer shutdown and bored sh#*less. I had a walk along the cut the other day and saw carp gulping air at the surface,almost stationary.
 
Joe Fletcher said:
Mark you have to only look on the facebook pages to see people are still targeting Barbel against all the advice from the EA and the experts
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So what do you do Joe, Did you have a 'pop' like I did at the would be Severn Record Holder for fishing the Wye, or do you get your knickers in a twist and have a go at me?:oops:
 
Mark Mole said:
Shocking Joe,perhaps a blanket ban is the only option. People need protecting from themselves. I've not fished at all now for over 3 weeks,and I'm not going to lie,it's killing me. I'm on a 2 week summer shutdown and bored sh#*less. I had a walk along the cut the other day and saw carp gulping air at the surface,almost stationary.
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Carp will do that, they can tolerate low O2 levels, but I wouldn't fish for anything unless the oxygen levels were suitable, that is the crux of the matter. Perhaps the experts might verify that?
 
I had a walk along the cut the other day and saw carp gulping air at the surface said:
I think they were perhaps hungry Mark!

the thing is the fish welfare problem revolves around fishing for barbel, the vast majority and other species are perfectly fishable for with no welfare issues, so to call for bans to protect anglers from ourselves shows a total lack of understanding.............I think you definetly need to go and catch some tench Mark :)
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Jason Bean said:
Keith Arthur advocating using keep nets for barbel recovery in this weeks angling times. Personally I agree with him. But I don't agree with fishing for them in the first place in these conditions.
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It's the matchman's stock reply, don't believe there is any jusification in keeping barbel in keep nets.
 
Jason
No don't think they were hungry at all, they were probably gulping for air, but that's what they do, they can compensate in this weather.
 
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