Dave Taylor
Senior Member
Hi Tim
I was told that one particular snag swim had been responsible for a few fatalities, but it was normally the fault of an angler trying to fish a swim with a mountain or ranunculus between him and the fish, and being unable to play the fish downstream that resulted in a knackered barbel.
He did not refer to tethered fish, and I did not enquire, but I would imagine most would have been spotted by him or his bailiffs held up on the weed booms,.as I had noticed on the odd occasion.
The guy was really talking about angling ethics, as his job enabled him to witness the aftermath of anglers cockups and the sometimes selfish pusuit of a barbel at all costs.
He told me that 'we must sometimes question what we do', and those words have often resonated with me.
Nevertheless, I believe that there is now a better awareness of fish care and general barbel ethics than 20 years ago, but there will always be inevertable casualties, which an angler has to except.
Mind you, if otters had killed 35 barbel on a prime fishery in less than 3 months I guess all hell would break loose!
I was told that one particular snag swim had been responsible for a few fatalities, but it was normally the fault of an angler trying to fish a swim with a mountain or ranunculus between him and the fish, and being unable to play the fish downstream that resulted in a knackered barbel.
He did not refer to tethered fish, and I did not enquire, but I would imagine most would have been spotted by him or his bailiffs held up on the weed booms,.as I had noticed on the odd occasion.
The guy was really talking about angling ethics, as his job enabled him to witness the aftermath of anglers cockups and the sometimes selfish pusuit of a barbel at all costs.
He told me that 'we must sometimes question what we do', and those words have often resonated with me.
Nevertheless, I believe that there is now a better awareness of fish care and general barbel ethics than 20 years ago, but there will always be inevertable casualties, which an angler has to except.
Mind you, if otters had killed 35 barbel on a prime fishery in less than 3 months I guess all hell would break loose!
Last edited: