I'll start the ball rolling. I think it should be up to the fishery owners to set what ever rules they deem best.
If you do not like them then go elsewhere. Now having said that I think a variety of options should be made available.
For those that want to keep a few fish for the table,can say pay a certain price & the others that want catch & release pay another. All of which to be levied by the owners & hopefully to be fair to everybody. A sort of sliding scale of hours fished,fish kept, C& R etc. etc. Many do have a good selection of prices & I commend those that do.
Fisheries that operate a kill only position show no regard for their fish & are a blight on the world of fly fishing. Anglers who act like some in the previous post should be ashamed to call themselves fly fishers, because quite simply they are shown not to be & to be honest why they fly fish is beyond me.
Tight Lines

 

The owners are running a business and will react to pressure from the market.

Right now, I think they believe the anglers want easy targets. Fat, dumb stockies that will impale themselves on anything that hits the water.

Untill they hear differently, they'll continue to drive down the doomed road of turning a blind eye toward bins full of rotting fish. It's going to be up to anglers to demand a C&R option and to make it clear that the easy bag-up is not what real anglers are after.

Grouse

 

i agree with almost everything you both say ,but i have a problem with anglers,as i said in the last post about this .your average angler cannot be trusted to do safe c+r and the fishery is left with lots of dead fish.what's the answer.i really want to know.now don't get all high and mighty with me,we are talking the lowest common denominater here.how do we do it.

jim

 

catch and release.

Hi, de-barbed hooks are a must for catch and release, I do not believe
that most catch and release anglers use them.
thewidowsson.

 

i agree with almost everything you both say ,but i have a problem with anglers,as i said in the last post about this .your average angler cannot be trusted to do safe c+r and the fishery is left with lots of dead fish.what's the answer.i really want to know.now don't get all high and mighty with me,we are talking the lowest common denominater here.how do we do it.

jim

I think it depends on where you're fishing Jim.
In my experience the average angler on rivers treat the fish with care when returning, and pretty much the same on large stillwaters.The only time I regularly see poor care is on small put and takes, I think that is because many (but not all) anglers who fish these places are only after a quick easy thrill, they seem to care little for the fish and there only concern is how many they can catch.

 

My answer is to vote with your feet. I very seldom fish a catch and kill only venue, in fact, if Rib went that route (which it has for June only) I would not go back. There are now sufficient C&R waters around that in all but the very South East, they can be avoided.

The issue is the Hants, Berks, Surrey, Kent, South Coast area where there are a lot of small put and takes which thrive on charging 30 Quid for four fish. I have no idea why Bewl insists on sticking to its policy - it really is an anomaly now.

Charlie

 

I posted a reply in the other thread if you want to have a read haha


All the best...Martin

 

As Charlie says there is a definite lack of catch and release waters in the south east, which is a bit strange as a very large percentage of populace live here and the customer should get what the customer wants.
Why a large water such as bewl will not offer a sporting ticket is beyond me.
Personally I would much rather fish c+r than cart home 8 fish that I then have to try and give away.
So yes maybe some kind of a campaign would be a good idea, my only concern would be that we as anglers would be opening ourselves up to attack from the anti's.

 

Fact is, in the South East, stocking rainbow trout into the typical small stillwater makes no sense whatsoever. Stocking what is basically a cold water species into a warm water environment is crazy. The fish are not physiologically suited to the environment. Hence catch and kill – because with catch and release you would be simply returning a dying fish into a habitat that will kill it.

Clearly Bewl is a different matter. The answer there must be market forces and for the regulars, who desire catch and release, to take their custom elsewhere. Combine this with an effective lobbying campaign and there may very well be a change of attitude before too long.

And can we please stop holding ourselves up to the mirror held by the antis. They don’t like what we do – period. Nothing that we do, short of consigning angling to history, will appease them.

 

catch and release

understand what you are talking about but there is certain fisherman who will purchase a catch and release ticket and they cant do it ie bringing fish out water flapping about on the paths which does not help the fish do not use barbless hooks either understand why some fisherys dont allow it

 

I think every fishery I have been to in North East England has C&R either dedicated 'sporting' tickets or anywhere between 1 and 8 fish (depending on where you fish) to take then C&R thereafter

some days I just want C&R..I can think of nothing worse than killing a fish for no reason...if I want a meal I will take a fish or 2 I have no problems there

same as releasing a fish...I always try to unhook it in the net then make sure it is ready to swim before releasing..it infuriates me to see other anglers land a fish, unhook it then chuck it straight back before seeing if its able to swim freely or not..I always feel good seeing a fish swim away strongly

 

The rules should be for the fishery to set, we have a choice!

To see C&R working I would suggest having a look at the C&R lake at Haywards Farm Theale: No Nets allowed and you are not allowed to fish without a 'ketchum release' tool and barbless hooks only. Ultimately, the fish naturalise and become very difficult to catch, which begs another question - are we prepared to blank more often?

I believe in the 'hunter gatherer' aspect of angling, so do not mind killing fish for the pot, mixed kill and release is probably best.

 

Clearly Bewl is a different matter. The answer there must be market forces and for the regulars, who desire catch and release, to take their custom elsewhere. Combine this with an effective lobbying campaign and there may very well be a change of attitude before too long.

And can we please stop holding ourselves up to the mirror held by the antis. They don't like what we do - period. Nothing that we do, short of consigning angling to history, will appease them.

Southern Water is unlikely to change a policy that has been put in place (in part) to stop an attack on the morality of catching fish for fun as opposed to catching fish to eat.

Also, in high summer, I wouldn't want to return fish that I have caught from a depth of up to 40ft, played for a few minutes up through warm water and then put them back in the hot surface layer.

I also wouldn't want to drive to Hanningfield or Grafham to go fishing so it's not that easy to take my regular custom elsewhere. I can't just pop into Rutland on the way home from work.

Gillaroo

 

It's going to be up to anglers to demand a C&R option and to make it clear that the easy bag-up is not what real anglers are after.

Grouse

Agree, comes down to the individual angler. If you have strong convictions when it comes to C&R, vote with your feet. Hit the 'bag-up' fisheries where it hearts most, the wallet. If anglers raise their standards to a more challenging experience with educated, returned fish the fishereis will have to raise their own.

J.

 

Can we get the opinion of a fishery owner as to why they do not permit catch & release - is there anyone out there who can comment please?

It may just be as simple as they never thought about it? I'm sure if they thought more fishers would use them if this was an option that they would think about changing their current "rules"? It makes economic sense, doesn't it?

If a fishery does permit C&R then surely they should help educate people into the correct ways of safely returning the fish - as it's in their own interests to do so?

 

Can we get the opinion of a fishery owner as to why they do not permit catch & release - is there anyone out there who can comment please?

I think the main reason why they do not permit C&R has already been mentioned - the fish are easier to catch. Fishery owners do not wish to see customers blanking as they will be unlikely to return.

All of the fisheries I visit offer C&R as an option on the main lakes but the the 'beginners' pools are all catch and kill only to make it easier for beginners.

 

I think the main reason why they do not permit C&R has already been mentioned - the fish are easier to catch. Fishery owners do not wish to see customers blanking as they will be unlikely to return.

Is this really true? Do fishery owners really feel this way? I would be interested to hear from one if they are registered please....

 

Southern Water is unlikely to change a policy that has been put in place (in part) to stop an attack on the morality of catching fish for fun as opposed to catching fish to eat.

Is this opinion or fact? If the former then I find it strange that Southern Water lease the coarse fishing at Testwood

Also, in high summer, I wouldn't want to return fish that I have caught from a depth of up to 40ft, played for a few minutes up through warm water and then put them back in the hot surface layer.

Is there a high mortality associated with such practices? Is this an issue on the reservoirs that do allow catch and release?

Cheers,

Ben

 

Is this opinion or fact? If the former then I find it strange that Southern Water lease the coarse fishing at Testwood

Is there a high mortality associated with such practices? Is this an issue on the reservoirs that do allow catch and release?

Cheers,

Ben

First statement is a fact and can be backed up by any BBFC member who attended the AGM.

Whether there is a high mortality rate or not with such a practice on reservoirs allowing C + R I wouldn't know but on how many can/do you fish up to 40ft down?

Gillaroo

 

The fisheries won't make any money with a lake full of wise fish. If the fish are being returned they'll get wise and harder to catch, which doesn't look good if your trying to sell your lake. With a lake full of fish that will try and eat a Christmas tree, eventually you'll have to restock, that's good for the fishery and the hatchery. Fishery gets a good name for the fantastic sport to be had the hatchery keeps up it's monthly payment to the bank. Everyones a winner. Rainbow trout in the local water authority pond or private lake are just a commodity to be exploited.
The fisheries don't care what you do with the fish, if they really cared they wouldn't put those mutant fish in, the ones with the gamy fins etc. What you do with your catch is your own choice. The moral question is left with the angler after the middle men have taken a cut. Killing trout for fun or competitions and someone not eating them is disgusting. It's the same thing as killing foxes for fun. If we must do something then why don't we empty our deep freezers and give them to soup kitchens, or summet like that?

 

all getting too complicated for me...think I'll just stick to me fishing

 

surely a mix is better though?

you still have fish to catch as there is still catch and kill...1 or 2 fish per angler then the rest go back..so there is still stocking, so there are still easy fish to catch...but there is also the chance of tempting a more naturlised fish..making it at least a partial challenge

 

surely a mix is better though?

Definitely. As I said on the other thread about this, one of the fisheries I visit offers catch and release but you must kill your first fish. All fisheries should do this IMO.

 

Is this really true? Do fishery owners really feel this way?

Are you calling me a liar?

I'm not a fishery owner but I know for a fact that all of the fishery owners I know who enforce catch and kill do it because it means the fish are easier to catch. Why is that so difficult to believe/understand?

 

no, not at all. It's just my local fishery doesn't do that at all - both C&R and take are permitted so that anyone can go and have a good time using whatever method they choose. I don't seem to have any problem in catching the fish - they don't seem anymore "streetwise" to me? Just wondered what the fishery owners thought about this, that's all.