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Close Season Blues

Paul Bullinger

Paul Bullinger

Senior Member & Supporter
I've fished from the age of 7. I'm now 71. Strangely I am missing my river fishing more acutely this Close Season than ever before. There are no canals in Norfolk so I can't even fish them unless I travel.
In desperation for a bit of "rod action" I visited a local "commercial" and caught some nice stocked carp in the 4lb - 10lb range.
But here's the strange thing. I would actually have preferred catching small dace and roach trotting my local river.
Is there something wrong with me? A 10lb carp is quite a nice fish, but knowing its been put in the lake to be caught kind of takes the shine off a bit.
Am I alone in thinking this? 🤔
 
Nothing wrong with you Paul but there’s more in stillwaters than just carp 😉
 
Nothing wrong with carp, they are a great species for fish for. It's the modern habit of overstocking waters with them that's the problem. That, and putting them into waters they should never be stocked into.

My rule of thumb for carp...if I can't see the bottom of the lake in a few feet of water, it's not the water for me.
 
Coming from a match fishing background, I feel that commercials saved fishing at a time when fishing natural venues was in decline. However, I also feel that they have now become so popular that there are generations of anglers that have never fished a river, big open water or even a canal and have desire to do so, and I find that a little sad.

I only fish a commercial on the odd occasion, not really my thing TBH. But as a venue to put a bend in your rod they are ok, although some of the fish are absolutely battered and a bad advert for that type of fishing.
 
Every close season I pledge to fish still waters more but as my 3 favourite target species are barbel, chub & pike I struggle to get motivated. I think I would have a crack at Tench but in a desert up here
Glass half full- only about 6 weeks to go
I’m tying rigs, servicing reels , re-spooling etc
Little and often. Also do some of the jobs that will not get done once the season opens( gardening etc)
Great time of year just to walk by the river or any bit of water as nature is at its busiest
I find a good meander sorts my head out without having to wet a line
We’ll be having working parties soon and I always have a couple of sessions fish watching, just feeding a suitable swim with bait and watch the behaviour- absolutely fascinating and I always learn something, perhaps see a target fish which gets the juices flowing and no temptation to fish as you can’t !
Also good for someone to be on the river as not everyone sticks to the rules!
So you’re very normal Paul in my world 👍
 
Desperate times ... even rang the local muddy hole to get some info, apparently 1,569 lbs of carp were caught in the last match.
Good for them.🤔
 
Paul Bullinger said:
Yes you're right. Need to find one with tench and maybe crucians?
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Now you’re talking. I’ve never really targeted Crucians but have been lucky to get a couple of crackers when float fishing for Tench. Lovely, lovely fish 👍
 
My mind wanders to the small river Isbourne a unique little river that rises on Cleeve Hill and enters the Warks Avon at Evesham. I would rather catch a little solitary Dace from this river than a netfull of Carp from a commercial. This river is typical of the demise in our rivers walking the banks recently it was devoid of all.life seemingly, it should be brim full of everything.
I might dabble a worm just in case .🤔
 
Neil Smart said:
My mind wanders to the small river Isbourne a unique little river that rises on Cleeve Hill and enters the Warks Avon at Evesham. I would rather catch a little solitary Dace from this river than a netfull of Carp from a commercial. This river is typical of the demise in our rivers walking the banks recently it was devoid of all.life seemingly, it should be brim full of everything.
I might dabble a worm just in case .🤔
Click to expand...
That is quite sad Neil but I know what you mean. Our smaller rivers are less able to cope with pollution and extraction than the bigger ones, but even they suffer as we all know. Good luck with your target of catching a dace from the Isbourne post June 16th !
 
Paul Bullinger said:
I've fished from the age of 7. I'm now 71. Strangely I am missing my river fishing more acutely this Close Season than ever before. There are no canals in Norfolk so I can't even fish them unless I travel.
In desperation for a bit of "rod action" I visited a local "commercial" and caught some nice stocked carp in the 4lb - 10lb range.
But here's the strange thing. I would actually have preferred catching small dace and roach trotting my local river.
Is there something wrong with me? A 10lb carp is quite a nice fish, but knowing its been put in the lake to be caught kind of takes the shine off a bit.
Am I alone in thinking this? 🤔
Click to expand...
No you are not alone Paul. I’ve been doing exactly the same and catching some belting fish. My son smashed his and mine crucian pb this morning with a fish just over 2lb which was nice but your dead right …… it ain’t a patch on fishing a river. I particularly don’t get any enjoyment out of these commys rammed to the edges with fish. It’s a bit of sport yeah but stick me on the bank of the nene waiting for 1 bite any day of the week. Not long now. Buy more rods …. That usually makes me feeling better
 
Oh of course…… pics or it didn’t happen!
Boys pb crucian just this morning 😎
IMG_3567.jpeg
 
I think it’s an age/ generation thing as previously stated. I wouldn’t decry anyone who pays their money and fishes a commercial safe in the knowledge that a blank is unlikely. For me they killed the enjoyment and ultimately I stopped fishing for years. I did find enjoyment in fly fishing but still missed the challenge of running water and the diversity of the surroundings and wildlife encounters. As I have started fishing again only in the last 18 months and chosen to fish predominantly for barbel and chub I have no one to blame but myself, however I long for days when I can get back at it and the gap between mid March and mid June seems longer that I remember the ap between christmases as a child in the 60’s.
 
There's a difference between natural stillwater and commercials, I enjoy my natural stillwater fishing as much as my river fishing.
And yes, I don't like fishing commercial, just not type of fishing for me.
 
Bill Walford said:
Nothing wrong with you Paul but there’s more in stillwaters than just carp 😉
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Obviously true but here in Essex, I only fish club still waters. Matters not how small I rig or bait, 90+% of what I land are carp! Love to know what I am doing wrong
 
Alec Hague said:
Obviously true but here in Essex, I only fish club still waters. Matters not how small I rig or bait, 90+% of what I land are carp! Love to know what I am doing wrong
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Hi Alec, im based in Essex nr Chelmsford, what club stillwaters are you fishing ?
 
Brick house at Brentwood. Waps Witham, both brilliant and Ongar which is fine but not in class of the orhers
 
After a 72hr blank (two liners and a sausage and egg bfast were the highlight) on my syndicate I'm actually feeling the same . . .might dust the pole off for something different. Saying that if the weather changes its mind it wont be long before a bit of floater fishing which always raises the spirits!
 
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