On Brenig this week, all boats in by 4.45, gates are locked at 5pm.

 

True, but you can still bank fish on the east side until sunset/dark. Having said that, we dont seem to get a good evening rise like we did back in the 80s.

 

Yes, that confused me when I was there a month or so ago. Part time fishing ? Is it just to give the poachers more time ?? The evening rise (sedges) used to be epic, with the rangers waiting to shut the gates at DARK !!!!
Do they NOT want flyfishers ???

 

It is an unusual day when I see anyone claiming to work for South West Lakes Trust whilst I am fishing any of the lakes on my patch.
So that's Colliford, Fernworthy, Siblyback, Stithians, and Roadford. I have only once ever been asked to show that I have bought a ticket - immediately post-Covid at Colliford when there was a brief period when one ranger did seem to patrol the fishery.
There are staff in the office at Roadford, Siblyback, and Stithians but they go home at 5 and never come round checking tickets. You never see a ranger on the bank. It is easy for anyone to just turn up and fish without buying a ticket and stay until when you want in the evening. The only place I see other anglers regularly is Siblyback, and only one or two - even early season the most I have ever seen you could count on one hand.
I am pretty sceptical of the future of fly fishing at these lakes. It must be hugely expensive to maintain the stocking and everything else associated.
If people just aren't fishing them in number anymore it doesn't take a genius to see that this must be unsustainable.

 

When I started to fish Stithians day tickets were 15 shillings (75p) and were available from the Water Treatment works below the dam. In those days it was unusual to find another angler on the bank let alone a water authority employee!

 

Only fished Brenig once this year ? No rangers out, but an EA bailiff did ask to see my licence ? 1st time in about 40 years. He had not caught anyone yet, but was due back on the Saturday, when, he said, he would definitely catch a few ! Turns out he also patrols my local river and is on a committee with our club president ? Small world.

 

I fished Colliford a few times just after it opened and I don’t think there were any staff in site at all back then (1980’s).

I fished Roadford a fair bit from the first season that was open and again never saw anyone working there. I fished it again during foot and mouth from the boats and one windy day two guys did come out in a small rib to check that we were ok as we drifted down the far side. Other than that never saw anyone.

Trout fishing was never top of the list for South West Water (I think that is what they were called) or the South West Lakes Trust. It does seem that the glory days of reservoir trout fishing are long past down in the Westcountry.

The Wessex Water reservoirs always had rangers on site who were doing something of a 24/7 job during the fishing season. I wonder how many people would be willing to put those hours in now?


Andy

 

I wonder if it’s an insurance thing, that people have to be on site when people are fishing? As long as I’ve fished ( which isn’t as long as many on here to be honest) still waters have wanted you off before things get really interesting with late buzzers or surface sedge activity.

I’ve no idea about this beyond the resignation that societies most stupid restraints and “elf and safety gone mad” constraints that we get tethered by, aren’t any nanny state , but just bloody insurance companies fearing litigation. If it doesn’t read well on the health and safety report….theres no allowance for personal responsibility anymore sadly.
Pom

 

I wonder if it’s an insurance thing, that people have to be on site when people are fishing? As long as I’ve fished ( which isn’t as long as many on here to be honest) still waters have wanted you off before things get really interesting with late buzzers or surface sedge activity.

I’ve no idea about this beyond the resignation that societies most stupid restraints and “elf and safety gone mad” constraints that we get tethered by, aren’t any nanny state , but just bloody insurance companies fearing litigation. If it doesn’t read well on the health and safety report….theres no allowance for personal responsibility anymore sadly.
Pom

We have a start time of 8am, it used to be 7am and must be off the water by 8pm or dusk if it comes earlier.
This is what the bailiffs agreed to at one of the clubs meetings, considering that they work for free we accept it, plus for their safety the club only excepts card payment for tickets.

 

My 64 year old neighbour was telling me he's off to Glasgow and is going to have a ride on Scotland's only 'Bucking Broncho' located in the pub. Maybe if fishermen had several pints before stepping in a boat the Elves would be satisfied that everything was ok?

 

When I lived in London, late 1980's to early 1990's I fished Barn Elms reservoir regularly. The bailiff would drive round in his Land Rover at dusk telling everyone "time to go now mate, I'm locking the gate in 10 minutes." Me, "yeah, yeah, one more cast"

I fished their with a friend, we weren't for packing up when a rise had started after a fishless day.The two of us fished on until dark and climbed over the six feet high steel fence with our tackle bags strapped on our backs, and passed our rods through the gaps in the fence. No bother to us back then.

 

I’ve fished the SW lakes trust waters for many years and have witnessed the closure of many of them. I guess the writing is on the wall and wonder how long they can keep operating as they are.
On the point of finishing time they still sell an evening ticket on many which states “until dusk”
I have always interpreted this as when you can’t see the end of your line.

 

I’ve fished the SW lakes trust waters for many years and have witnessed the closure of many of them. I guess the writing is on the wall and wonder how long they can keep operating as they are.
On the point of finishing time they still sell an evening ticket on many which states “until dusk”
I have always interpreted this as when you can’t see the end of your line.

Is there an official definition of the word dusk? If not, then I'd suggest the time from sunset until an average human can no longer see colour in their terrestrial surroundings when illuminated by natural light only. At that point, I'd say it's officially dark. But does the "until dusk" rule apply to the end of dusk or the beginning of dusk?

From a fishing rules enforcement point of view, I'd suggest that it would probably be better to state 'until 20 minutes after sunset', then everyone should be clear on exactly what time the cut-off point is.

 

Perhaps the rangers are working from home now

 

The problem lies in the fact that 'dusk' is a period of time, not a moment in time. Dusk is the period between sundown and when it becomes dark.

 

I like to use Astronomical Dusk - when the sun no longer affects astronomical observations - so today I could start at 05:14 and fish until 21:07 😆

This also means I could fish from 03:00 until at least 23:30 in the summer 😳

 

On SWLT waters the given permitted fishing time is one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset. There is an additional rider that you should be offsite by no later than one hour and fifteen minutes after sunset 👍

 

Hi Dean,
It says dawn to dusk on the pl er.it bit of their website?
Bugger all chance od actually seeing a ranger on the water outside 9-5 though 😚

 

Ah, I see those rules here;

https://www.swlakestrust.org.uk/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=3d19d3cd-cd37-4313-ab2a-1655fe580431

Ah, I see those rules here;

https://www.swlakestrust.org.uk/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=3d19d3cd-cd37-4313-ab2a-1655fe580431

Hi Rich Yes those are the rules. Back in the day SWLT would send you a set of rules along with your season ticket when you renewed. Doesn’t seem to happen now though