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Close Season Retained

I certainly wouldn’t say it was a waste of time as I’ve had some good fish this year when the river was up and pushing through. However I do agree with Neil in the respect I too have always historically done much better mid September through to November. I’ve always done better in the early morning during this time too. It’s a brand new river for me this season so we shall see if that historic trait continues.
 
Phil Heaton said:
Call me an old cynic but the closed season was never intended to look after the fish, it was to keep the oiks off the water while the gentry fished for the salmon and trout.
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I doubt that game anglers complained, but that is a myth. The closed season came about because coarse anglers petitioned their MP(s) for its introduction. Prime movers were in Sheffield and Mundella, their MP.

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjo...story/history-of-the-coarse-fish-close-season
 
Richard Parsons said:
That's pretty bizarre, Neil, bearing in mind the rain, levels and the resulting good fish being caught across the country. Why would you consider fishing now a waste of time? Just curious.
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To be honest I was a wreck a few weeks ago, had food poisoning, car vandalised twice in BAA car parks, , and worst of all I lost my Springer dog,

NOT seeking sympathy, just telling it as it is.

Hopefully my mojo will be restored come Autumn, best of all time through to March.
 
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Neil Smart said:
To be honest I was a wreck a few weeks ago, had food poisoning, car vandalised twice in BAA car parks, , and worst of all I lost my Springer dog,

NOT seeking sympathy, just telling it as it is.

Hopefully my mojo will be restored come Autumn, best of all time through to March.
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Sorry to hear of your travails, Neil. By themselves bad enough but together, I imagine more than enough to put you off. As Derek says, let's hope your angling mojo is fully restored before the cold sets in.
 
On the close season. The EA have totally copt out on it. It should have carried on through the basis it had to be changed in some way whether scrapping or altering. It should have looked at other European countries and looked at what was happening there to find what the right way to donut is. Because our way is definitely the wrong way.

I blame the Tories, Theresa May, brexit, virus Johnson and that arse Nigel garage.,.. Between them they've wrecked our fishing😄💥💥💥
 
Although I was in favour of clubs deciding their own closed seasons (I just don’t think the government does a good job of anything anymore), I’m not throwing my toys out of the pram. A change in dates would have been my next preference. I applaud you Martin for putting up some of your own money to defend something you believe in.
 
Jason Bean said:
Explain Neil.... I didn't think you were a big fish chaser?

Edit.Just read your post about what's been happening, not good hope things get better
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So to compound all that, my time on here has been wasted, you thought I am not a big fish chaser? Enough to push a bloke over the edge ha!
Seiously thanks for the comment Jason , and all the others on here too, at the moment I have a house fully of dogs and a 3 month old puppy lab we are baby sitting that has real attitude, loving it!,
 
Richard Isaacs said:
I certainly wouldn’t say it was a waste of time as I’ve had some good fish this year when the river was up and pushing through. However I do agree with Neil in the respect I too have always historically done much better mid September through to November. I’ve always done better in the early morning during this time too. It’s a brand new river for me this season so we shall see if that historic trait continues.
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With you on that Richard, I live on the Lower Severn and Avon, and these stretches fish better towards the back end. If I need some action I am lucky in having the Wye not far away. Besides I am still dining out on two superb 13 lb Barbel I was fortunate enough to catch just before the season ended.
Then Lady Luck took her revenge, but compared with what many have to cope with my woes are nothing. In fact not fishing has given me more time for other things. Like talking to another guy walking his dogs the other day. He had a speech impediment , and I was patiently listening to his story, that he had a stroke 3 years ago, he survived that, but woke up with an Eastern European accent. We both laughed at that, although I was mindful not to attempt a joke....
 
Jason Bean said:
Ah predictive text and fat thumbs😄
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"The EA have totally copt out on it".
When I saw your wording I thought "News Flash : Roman Catholic leaders in Alexandria, Egypt, and other Middle East countries have got together and decided to leave the mother church. A spokesman said "We've copt out".
Hmmmmm, it'll never get to the Edinburgh Festival methinks 😇 I'll get my coat .....
 
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Andy Frances said:
Here's a link to the announcement:

www.gov.uk

Close season retained following public consultation

The Environment Agency has decided to retain the current coarse fishing close season on English rivers.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk
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Andy.
Not sure that's written by EA correctly?
I think 2.2 % of anglers responded?


Of course a simple 3 question response on the purchase of the annual licence would have been a good way to have done it.

The questionnaire was too lengthy to complete and not too easy.
Many gave up.

Despite this. V happy with outcome
 
Isnt it nice to be in a 2% 😇.

Especially when the outcome was what you voted for... although as said by others ,it would have been accepteable to have the dates either altered or extended to take into account the fact that spawning in general seems to have been later in the last few years , I have had a couple of fish even recently that are still showing signs of spawning, and are somewhat lean and needing building up.

David
 
Hi men ,

David , working on that fact the rivers could be closed from March to August ? , Which would leave a short window before the winter starts , not sure that would attract kids to fish them . The kids now are the working parties and bailiffs of the future , in which case the river bank could be a very deserted spot . All very nostalgic , but the closed season being changed or removed would not effected the fish or wildlife at all . Athough I do think that , I'm quiet happy when the 16th comes as all the hypocrites move from my lake and canal back to the river , after fishing for perch , carp and tench through their spawning time 😉.

Hatter
 
Mixed emotions for me...

On the one hand I was all in favour of some sort of change (although I know my preference for ad-hoc closing during any spawning period - like some clubs do with their lakes - is practically and logistically impossible on a river), on the other I've always happily taken the closed season as a break and time to sort out tackle, respool, etc etc, and the odd trip out for stuff I can't get from rivers near me - tench, crucians etc.

I'm fine with it being kept as-is.
 
Steve Lewis said:
Mixed emotions for me...

On the one hand I was all in favour of some sort of change (although I know my preference for ad-hoc closing during any spawning period - like some clubs do with their lakes - is practically and logistically impossible on a river), on the other I've always happily taken the closed season as a break and time to sort out tackle, respool, etc etc, and the odd trip out for stuff I can't get from rivers near me - tench, crucians etc.

I'm fine with it being kept as-is.
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That's a very good post Steve. Echoes my feelings

Regards leaving the Close season on rivers in the hands of fishing clubs to protect spawning?

One word (or 3) BAA.
 
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