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Illegal closed season fishing

Andrew Richardson

Senior Member & Supporter
Anybody know how to put some kind of counter on here for closed season fishing?...... Walked a mile section of the Don today and seen and told SEVEN today. Either shrugged shoulders or said they were fishing worm. More than likely no rod license either
 
Caught my first one at Alwarke onnthe Don yesterday.
 

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I am not a supporter of the close season. It makes no sense to me at all. I also don't understand why canoeists and magnet fishers are not required to have a licence.
 
For the 3 months of not being able to fish the rivers is no biggy in my eyes. I think that everything needs a break and id like to think anglers can notice an improvement come the 16th june. There are plenty of still waters to put a bend in the rod for most. Those that are still out there fishing the rivers need the book chucked at them. Non of this silly slam on the wrist. They need fining heavly and all rods and tackle destroyed. That should send a clear massage. 😡😡
 
Your right in ever sence Gerry. Im not one for telling people whats what. But i have no problem with telling out of season so called anglers/fish takers that the season is closed and they need to clear off. Its just a shame there is never a police officer on hand to lead them to the gallows 😂
 
I think that everything needs a break and id like to think anglers can notice an improvement come the 16th june. There are plenty of still waters to put a bend in the rod for most.
I'm not sure I understand why rivers need a break and still waters don't. There are anglers on commercials nearly every day of the year. Still water anglers outnumber river anglers by 500 to 1. Seeing a non-match angler in Autumn and Winter is a rare site around here these days. I came across 3 in the last five months and they were after pike or perch.
 
I'm not sure I understand why rivers need a break and still waters don't. There are anglers on commercials nearly every day of the year. Still water anglers outnumber river anglers by 500 to 1. Seeing a non-match angler in Autumn and Winter is a rare site around here these days. I came across 3 in the last five months and they were after pike or perch.
The thing with still waters is that someone has spent alot of money providing a place where fish can be caught all year round. Would many still waters still exist if they had to have 3 months rest. There is a small set of 3 pits near me that i sometimed fished but these fished where hammed so much that the mouths of these poor fish where falling to bits. I did tell the bailiff once and was told if i didnt like it then i know what to do. Rightly so i did and iv never been back since. Im sure me alone would not make much of a difference to his yearly turnover. But i think after a short 3 months of not fishing the rivers it gives us a really sence of urge and excitement to get out there after the 16th june and see what has been flourishing under the surface while we have been away.
 
The trouble is that they are legally fishing in the close season if fishing for Eels with worm on the Don. Its the stupid regional bylaws that are still screwing up the system so many years after the EA took over the old river authorities. I remember years ago anglers on the Bristol Avon Chippenham free stretch anglers fishing Worm over a gallon of hemp in the closed season . They could do it legally due to the local bylaws which to me was absolute crap. Its about time all of the regional bylaws were sorted so that there was some kind of conformity across the country. If I want to close season fish a river in the Thames region then it needs to be dry fly only
 
Weather we like it or not is really not relevant as it is was it is.
Bottom line if you catch people fishing and it’s obvious to catch course species then we should rightly challenge these folk to piss off.

I’d do it safely and don’t encourage a bankside row. We don’t know what these people are carrying in their boxes and what they are capable of doing.
 
Fishing the Upper Thames in the summer is an absolute nightmare most of the time. Canoes, boats, steamers, paddle boards, wild swimmers, and this new fad - magnet fishing. The flow is non existent or goes upstream whenever a lock gate is opened which is every five minutes. Consequently, I river fish in the autumn and winter. Ideally, the close season for me would be 1 June to 1 September.
 
The trouble is that they are legally fishing in the close season if fishing for Eels with worm on the Don. Its the stupid regional bylaws that are still screwing up the system so many years after the EA took over the old river authorities. I remember years ago anglers on the Bristol Avon Chippenham free stretch anglers fishing Worm over a gallon of hemp in the closed season . They could do it legally due to the local bylaws which to me was absolute crap. Its about time all of the regional bylaws were sorted so that there was some kind of conformity across the country. If I want to close season fish a river in the Thames region then it needs to be dry fly only
Didn’t think you was allowed to use hemp as free bait in close season. Thought it was worms only
 
Sounds really daft to me. How many eels get caught using a worm anyhow. And what stops it being angling if a different specie of fish is caught i.e roach perch tench etc. Sounds like its just another get out claw that allows people to fish in the close season.
 
The law stated worms only Jon and because it was aimed at Trout or eels made no mention of freebies,it probably still exists. My mate who had moved down there from the Thames region challenged them and was pointed to the rule. Once a gallon of hemp is on the riverbed its impossible to prove you put it there or see it. Alex, I think if you check local bylaws you can fish most rivers legally in the close season throughout the country with worms on a big hook over hemp, even the Trent. Bloody madness when you are trying to regulate fisheries and poaching.
 
The law stated worms only Jon and because it was aimed at Trout or eels made no mention of freebies,it probably still exists. My mate who had moved down there from the Thames region challenged them and was pointed to the rule. Once a gallon of hemp is on the riverbed its impossible to prove you put it there or see it. Alex, I think if you check local bylaws you can fish most rivers legally in the close season throughout the country with worms on a big hook over hemp, even the Trent. Bloody madness when you are trying to regulate fisheries and poaching.
Seems madness that a worm cam be used for fishing but say meat or maggots cant. Just seems strange why the close season is in force anyhow. Never knew about fishing worms on big hooks. School day everyday i guess 👍👍
 
In the Thames region you can buy a weir permit to fish 19 Thames weirs all 12 months. During the close season you can only use flies or Lures for trout or salmon. There is no mention of the Lure size,yes madness for enforcing any laws
 
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Looks like its a regional thing saw it on the gov.UK website. Probably not much chance of a Salmon these days from the Thames though I saw one in the angling press from the Colne recently.
 
Thought it was fly only for salmon until the start of the coarse season? Or is that a regional thing?
Thames, Hants Avon and Itchen are in 2 different regions and allow fishing with "artificial lures" for Trout and Salmon. The Avon it's fly only until 15th May but spinning allowed with permission when water level is over 1.18 Metres at East Mills flume weir at 9.00am.
I legitimately fish both Avon and Itchen and what really gets my goat is the amount of EE's "feeshing for brown Trout boss" with spinners on the free stretches of the Itchen.
As I said to one last year using a flying C, "Id be careful using that, you might get a Salmon or a sea Trout"
 
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