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Spawning in April!

Just let it be ffs, it's a chance for us all to stop and think, have a break from it and look forward to a new season.
Not forgetting the chance to bitch and whine at each other on forums without (river) fishing getting in the way!;):D

Can't quite believe how entrenched and argumentative some folks can get over the poxy closed season. There are plenty of valid reasons to keep it, there are plenty of valid reasons for it to go. Which is right, which is wrong? I don't know. I do know that, while you've got barbel in some rivers spawning early this year, spawning usually takes place after 16th June on many of the more northerly rivers and lakes. This far north I definitely expect to see pike and perch spawn before June. Outside of a fairly exceptional year, many other species will be later. Hopefully the weather will stay good and the barbel will spawn before June. Maybe we'll even get multiple spawnings, I really hope so.
 
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Nice one! :)

Actually Steve, slightly off topic but you seem to be very knowledgable about the preds, how long do you keep fishing for the pike for?

Stu

I was up in the lakes last weekend, I'm out with a neighbours son tomorrow morning.... I'll knock the stillwater Pike fishing on the head when I feel the water temp is getting too high, and probably switch to Eels.

I'm going to be 'Zander' fishing much earlier this year on my boat, probably not from the 16th, but not too many weeks afterwards.

If you use the correct tackle and methods, I don't feel there is too much wrong with pike fishing right throughout the year, except for very hot periods.

Steve
 
Wow, I didn't mean to spark off a heated debate about the merits of the Closed Season - I was just pleased to see some barbel after a long lay off from the river following the birth of our son! We went out again today, to a different stretch and saw lots more spawning action and even one or two doubles getting in on the act.

Simon.
 
Don't worry, Simon, I saw some Cold Turkeys spawning today, and a fair few of them were moaning about Christmas...
 
Hi Colin never been called drippy before :p As I have already stated we all have a right to express our opinion on what we think on a particular subject .
To answer your question I was on the river bank on June 16th last year after barbel and yes I blanked .

Some people have already commented that barbel have spawned early this year . I assume it's due to the unseasonal warm weather and its only April . Correct me if I am wrong in April 2010 we had snow so river conditions were hardly favourable for the fish to start spawning .
We all know about global warming and how weather patterns are changing from year to year .

So tell me Colin do you have a viable suggestion to what should be done about the present close season . Bearing in mind that even game birds and other four legged game that are shot for sport are left alone during the mating season .
So why should fish be any different .
Accept it or lump it for the time being you are stuck with it :)

Hi Joe, it wasn't that I think you are drippy, more that you along with the vast majority of our populas share a common trait regards change, as I said: "If it isn't obliterated don't change it." Hence; "drippy level of apathy."
Seemingly oblivious to changes even for the good, just moseying on, same old same old!

Viable suggestions for improving the current close season debarcle:
- Scrap it altogether, its a pathetic half baked idea that sole purpose/function is to appease both trains of thought.
Rather akin to Sunday shop opening hours...

-Make it more pertinent to each individual water courses and before I get told how unworkable that is, yes I it'd be hard initially but what major changes aren't?
I mean how stupid is it having a close season kept in place to promote fish breeding success, with designated dates that just aren't relevant to anything.
Barbel and chub spawn early April to early June here in the south east, can the same be said of northern rivers, err no!

But one thing that never ceases to amaze me is the anglers (yourself included) that rush out June 16th to catch (in the case of last year) a freshly spawned out or worse, a spawn laden barbel or chub.
Just a bit contradictory, if not plain hypocritical.

As for comparing the coarse fishing season to that of the ones inplace for sport shooting; sorry but that is a futile case to make as only certain feathered and four legged animals are covered.
Foxes, an indigenous species of this country, fair game all year round. Same goes for Crows, Magpies and Rooks.
Before I get informed that they are vermin, bear in mind they're all indigenous species and what stinking mess our country would be without them, more about perception than anything else.
 
close season

Has anyone ever thought what went on before rivers where policed and governed by agencies in the past,do some anglers realy think Barbel are truly on the decline?
These over protetive lovers of the Barbel should stop thinking about the fish so much and think about the Humans thats on the top of the food chain,has been for hundreds of years.
Barbel have been in the rivers for longer and i dont think there goin anywere cos of a few hundred avid anglers,who decend on them for 9 months of the year.
Another 3months aint goin to make any difference to there numbers,remember we dont eat Barbel folks we put em strait back you know!
 
Has anyone ever thought what went on before rivers where policed and governed by agencies in the past,do some anglers realy think Barbel are truly on the decline?
These over protetive lovers of the Barbel should stop thinking about the fish so much and think about the Humans thats on the top of the food chain,has been for hundreds of years.
Barbel have been in the rivers for longer and i dont think there goin anywere cos of a few hundred avid anglers,who decend on them for 9 months of the year.
Another 3months aint goin to make any difference to there numbers,remember we dont eat Barbel folks we put em strait back you know!

although i think the closed season should be kept, the 3months we are all away look at all the unwelcome visitors the rivers will get from our polish friends, ever wondered why theres no decent fishing in poland!!! they,ve decimated there own lakes, how long do you think ours will last with them and all the other predation problems
cheers
jerry
 
This polish thing?

C'mon do u reaiy think i've got polish poachers goin down my favorite streches on the yor swale in close season,pulling Barbel out in the droves to put on there dinner plate?
Its hard enouph being English from a diffrent county,when you pass by the local residents near a strech,they'd be strait onto the old bill mate.
 
C'mon do u reaiy think i've got polish poachers goin down my favorite streches on the yor swale in close season,pulling Barbel out in the droves to put on there dinner plate?
Its hard enouph being English from a diffrent county,when you pass by the local residents near a strech,they'd be strait onto the old bill mate.

Not the whole point is it? The fact that EE's do not adhere to the rules is the real issue, but I can tell you they do quite well in the catching as well, the Chub and Pike especially fall into their bank side BBQ's at a fairly consistent rate. Not really sure what your last point is about the OB? but do you thing 'local residents' really care about fish stealing?
Where I live in the Vale of Evesham it's rife, the fact the area employs a large amount of migrant workers in the summer means that the local Rivers here do get hit hard, the evidence is everywhere,easy pickings, it's come one and all, without any fear of prosecution...crazy.
 
although i think the closed season should be kept, the 3months we are all away look at all the unwelcome visitors the rivers will get from our polish friends, ever wondered why theres no decent fishing in poland!!! they,ve decimated there own lakes, how long do you think ours will last with them and all the other predation problems
cheers
jerry

Yes Jerry, did you see Matt Hayes Lake Escapes (which was apt) from Poland, he spent the best part of a week on a Polish Lake, and all he had to show was one very small Jack.
We will pay unless we get real about the situation and stop being very English about things in turning a blind eye. I fear the problem is worse than we think, but hey not to worry we are shut away for 3 months for some idealistic reasons, no wonder they think we are a soft touch.
 
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Right. I believe that I am beginning to get the picture now ... that the reason why barbel are spawning in mid April (what this thread was about, after all) is to avoid the attentions of countless ravening Poles, that neither our plucky Tommy fish will be safe nor this Country of Curs* a decent place in which to live again until all said Poles have been packed into a bus or five hundred and sent back to Warsaw...

* Correction - "Ours"
 
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Right. I believe that I am beginning to get the picture now ... that the reason why barbel are spawning in mid April (what this thread was about, after all) is to avoid the attentions of countless ravening Poles, that neither our plucky Tommy fish will be safe nor this Country of Curs* a decent place in which to live again until all said Poles have been packed into a bus or five hundred and sent back to Warsaw...

* Correction - "Ours"

Crikey you have escalated it to Ethnic Cleansing:)

That's some leap...even for you:)
 
Nah, I merely jokingly extrapolated from the subtext of some of the stuff written by others, ostensibly about fish f---- and Close Seasons, here - an oblique critique of their definitely non-fishy, discreetly immo-bashing agenda. Geddit?
 
on a very expensive fluff chucking syndicate in the home countys, a few who tried to take advantage were quickly seen off with a farmers pop gun, i don't think they will be back in a hurry.
 
Same happened several summers running in the 1980s with dozen-strong, handlining, traveller gangs on a trout river in Berkshire / Hampshire until tyre damage (as in all of them) to any van etc parked down or in a cornfield just off local country lanes rather deterred them.
 
No no, no, I am sorry Paul, but I can't have you joining in...nay, even contributing to :eek: this minority baiting/bashing you so roundly castigate and clearly despise others for. I am sure there is a word for that, can't bring it to mind at the moment :rolleyes: You are very good with words Paul....see if you can remind me old chap :D:D

Cheers, Dave.
 
Frighteningly good with words backed by an even more terrifying, infinitely flexible mind - hence my "Fan Club".
 
Frighteningly good with words backed by an even more terrifying, infinitely flexible mind - hence my "Fan Club".

I tell you what Paul in these times of austerity perhaps we should merge our fan clubs (share resources), together we might muster one member.....






That'll be you and your fan club.
 
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