The positives for fishing in Lockdown Three
The break from the bank doesn't have to be all negative. As we witnessed in the first lockdown, it could bring many benefits to fishing as a sport…
Club boom
Mirfield AC in Yorkshire used the first lockdown to create 25 platforms on a stretch of canal.
“You wouldn’t believe how many club books we sold off the back of just doing that,” said club president Martyn Highe.
“We’re going to use this lockdown to create 50 platforms on the River Calder and permanently peg a new stretch of canal we’ve acquired at Knottingley.”
Mirfield AC in Yorkshire used the first lockdown to create 25 platforms on a stretch of canal
Day-ticket improvements
Tony Bridgefoot, owner of Bluebell Lakes, said:
“I’ve been in this position several times before with flooding and I always try to take the positives from a negative situation. This lockdown will give us time to create permanent stock fencing so we don’t lose any fish to floods, and create better drainage to control the flow of water. It’ll also give me time to think about how I implement restrictions on angler numbers across the site, because last spring we had every swim occupied 24/7 and I don’t think it helped the stock or the natural surroundings.”
Bluebell will be using the time to build stock fencing and plan management of returning anglers
Trade catch-up
Fishing surged in 2020, leaving some manufacturers and shops unable to keep up with demand. This hiatus could see a welcome replenishment of stock.
The Angling Trust’s Martin Salter said:
“If we are going to have a lockdown it’s probably the best time of year for it. My contacts in the trade aren’t anywhere near as distressed as they were last spring.”
This lockdown could well have come at the best time of year for tackle shops
No fishing in England during new lockdown
Fishing in England is banned under new lockdown laws
Angling has been banned in England despite high-level government representations from the Angling Trust.
Fishing can still continue, with tight restrictions, in Scotland and Wales, but Downing Street looks set to keep anglers away from English waters for at least six weeks.
Before the decision was made, the Angling Trust wrote to sports minister Oliver Dowden setting out how angling could continue safely. Key points included angling’s solitary nature, the fact the majority of the population live within five miles of a waterway and that allowing angling would reduce pressure on other public spaces.
The Angling Trust continues to put the case for angling to government
Trust campaign manager Martin Salter told us:
“We made our arguments and we disagreed with the government’s decision, but it was not entirely unexpected. I suspect they felt the need to give the public a serious wake-up call, and sadly fishing has been caught up in that.
He added:
“At every twist and turn from last March right through last year we’ve kept making the case that angling isn’t a problem, and we did that successfully. This time around we are obviously concerned with infection rates higher than back in March and higher than when we locked down. We had a feeling that this might be a lot more challenging.”
Mr Salter said the trust is preparing an updated version of its When We Fish Again proposal, which paved the way for angling’s resumption last spring.
He said:
“Anglers can rest assured when we judge there’s a reasonable likelihood of success we will push for angling to be one of the first activities allowed to resume. And this time with the benefit of a whole lot of experience.
“With a few notable examples of idiocy, the angling community has responded responsibly to our calls. The vast majority are acutely aware of the need to act sensibly and be ambassadors for the sport we all love.”
The Angling Trust is preparing an updated version of its When We Fish Again proposal, which paved the way for angling’s resumption last spring
Was this giant bullhead a record breaker?
LURE fishing fanatic Nick Firth reckons he banked a British record bullhead – but we’ll never know because he slipped it back, thinking it wouldn’t register on his scales!
The 52-year-old from Holmfirth was drop shotting a dendrobaena worm next to a lock gate on the Huddersfield Canal when he received a tentative bite from what he suspected was a small perch.
“When this jet-back thing popped out of the water I couldn’t believe what I was looking at,” Nick said.
“In 40 years of fishing I’d never seen one, let alone caught one, but I recognised what it was and posted a picture on Facebook.
“Comments poured in saying that the record was just 1oz and that I had a decent claim, but it was too late. I reckon mine was around the 2oz-3oz mark!”
The mini-monster that could have broken a record
Fishing TV star helps raise £20,000 for kids meals
MONSTER Carp TV star Ali Hamidi has helped provide 80,000 free meals for kids following a fundraising competition that generated a whopping £20,000 for the worthy cause.
Run in partnership with FareShare UK, the campaign offered prize bundles of Mainline bait, a 48-hour fishing retreat in Essex and a personal visit from Ali and his TV co-star Tom Dove.
Ali said:
“I can’t thank enough everyone in our fishing community who took part in helping to prevent our nation’s kids from going hungry. Next time I’d love to do something bigger and provide 500,000 meals.”
MONSTER Carp TV star Ali Hamidi has helped provide 80,000 free meals for kids
Is this the biggest ever barbel to be caught on the pole?
MATCH angler Brent Wilkes landed possibly the largest barbel ever taken on a pole when he netted this 14lb 14oz brute during a five-hour contest.
Brent’s 14lb 4oz barbel – best ever on a pole?
The 32-year-old told us his hollow elastic was ‘stretched to breaking point’ throughout the tense 15-minute battle on a flooded Bidford AC stretch of the Warwickshire Avon – which ultimately forced him to get off his box and travel downriver to keep himself in the fight!
He said:
“It was so powerful I had no choice but to head downstream with my pole and net in hand. I’d been snapped off by a barbel early on in the match so I was determined not to lose this one!”
The battle dragged on for 15 minutes…
With just a couple of minutes to go until the final whistle, Brent finally shuffled his prize into his 20ins net where he realised just how big it was.
“During the fight it only looked to be about 8lb, but when I saw its head and tail sticking out either side of the net I knew I had a true barbel of a lifetime,” he added.
“I’ve had carp and pike over 20lb on the pole before although this barbel gave me the best scrap – my arms were aching for hours afterwards!
“I’d have thought 5lb-6lb would’ve won the match judging by the conditions, but a boulder in my peg created an area of slack water where I reckoned I could have banked a big bream or barbel.
“Luckily the tactic paid off and the barbel added to a few roach I’d caught for me to take the win with 15lb 14oz.”
Brent’s new barbel best fell to a whole lobworm fished via a pole feeder rig over a bed of casters, chopped worm and groundbait.
NEW 100k fund to boost angling participation
A BUMPER new £100k ‘Get Fishing Fund’ has been created to help support new and returning anglers, and the good news is that you can apply for a slice of the cash to help your club.
The Get Fishing Fund will help support new and returning anglers
The new initiative, announced by the Environment Agency and Angling Trust, has been created using extra cash from 2020’s boom in rod licence sales.
Grants of up to £500 are available for small-scale projects, while larger ones can apply for up to £5,000. Funding can go towards any events that aim to boost angling participation and can cover the costs of tackle and bait, as well as associated resources such as storage facilities.
Graeme Storey, Fisheries Manager for the EA, hopes that the fund will help even more newcomers enter the sport and continue the momentum gathered this year.
“We’re always looking for ways to support angling,” he said,
“and (overall) the Agency has invested £1.5m of the additional income from this year’s licence sales back into projects to improve fisheries.
“The increased interest in fishing over the summer proves that people are not only rediscovering angling, but more people are trying it for the first time. We want to see this continue and hope that the projects will encourage more people to try fishing.”
A few months back Angling Times spoke to Bryan Dray of Wellingborough and District AS, who along with other club members, runs a lot of junior events. We asked him where he wanted to see the additional rod licence money invested. Unsurprisingly, providing coaching events was top of his agenda, so he was understandably delighted with the new fund’s creation.
“It’s brilliant news” he said.
“Finding funds is difficult, particularly between now and Easter, so having this cash available is a real boost, especially at club level. One of our biggest difficulties is storing equipment securely, so knowing the fund can help is fantastic. We’ll definitely be applying.”
To apply for funding visit: grants.anglingtrust.net
Are newcomers missing out on vital skills?
SCROLL back 30 years or so and trotting a stick float, casting accurately and knowing how to feed properly were just three of the core skills people had to master before they could truly call themselves an angler.
Along this challenging journey the foundations for a life in fishing were laid, but are these vital skills being lost on today’s newcomers who make commercials or day-ticket carp lakes their first port of call?
There is a real art to catching consistently on a river
Some old-school anglers, such as carper Nick Helleur, certainly believe so. As one of the most respected people in carp fishing Nick, who turns 50 next year, recently starred on the Thinking Tackle Podcast, where he waxed lyrical about how much angling has changed in recent years.
“I was brought up being told that you ‘cast it out and reel it in’” he said.
“Nowadays, people have bait boats and poles. Learning the skill of casting in a wind or under a bush at range, for example, is falling by the wayside.
“A lot of people are one-trick ponies. Anglers should be able to trot a stick float and set up any rig you care to mention. They should be able to fish for any species without a guide or help. They should be able to go and do it – that’s the joy of angling”
“A lot of people are one-trick ponies”
With a strong correlation between rising rod licence sales and busy day-ticket fisheries this year, it would seem that a lot of newcomers are skipping the challenges of learning to fish natural waters, as Nick suggests. But is that a bad thing? Match legend Tommy Pickering doesn’t think so.
“Does it really matter?” he said.
“I know it concerns some anglers, but a newcomer doesn’t know any different. Commercials are convenient, comfortable, and have all the facilities you need. When people my age grew up, we had no commercials, just rivers and stillwaters where the fishing could be very difficult.”
In Tommy’s mind, the most important thing is that there are new people coming into fishing, full stop.
“The most important advice I can give to a newcomer is to enjoy it,” he added.
“Make sure to ask for advice, too, be it from your local tackle shop or having a coaching day. If you’re catching fish, it’s much more enjoyable, and you’re more likely to stick with it.”
“The most important advice I can give to a newcomer is to enjoy it”
Bob Roberts, one of Britain’s best all-rounders, is of a similar mind to Tommy, although he believes there are certain things that those growing up solely fishing commercials will miss out on.
“The subtlety required in catching roach, dace and skimmers on a natural venue is something that anglers who have grown up on commercials will lack, as well as knowledge of a wide range of techniques, but this is too much to take in,” he told us.
“With the rise of the internet and social media, everything is instant and people expect fishing to be the same. Commercials give people the chance to catch in comfort, with relatively little effort and expenditure. I think they’re brilliant and regularly have catches on them that I would have given my right arm for when I was a newcomer.”
Bob believes the quality of fishing on offer at day-ticket waters will help encourage people to keep fishing, but also isn’t worried that other aspects of angling will die out.
“Take beans on toast. There’s nothing wrong with it, but if you have it every day, you’ll quickly get bored and start adding new flavours or trying different things.
“Fishing is no different. People will eventually want to try something different and will no doubt develop curiosities for fishing a river or canal, even the sea.
“Day-ticket fisheries are having a fantastic impact on fishing and I’m so pleased to see new anglers on the bank. The positive repercussions of the work these fisheries are doing are being felt throughout angling.”
People will eventually want to try something different and will no doubt develop curiosities for fishing a river or canal, even the sea
Former cop to battle poachers as head of Angling Trust project
A retired police officer who once tackled a man armed with a shotgun has been hired to lead a team of 500 volunteer bailiffs fighting poaching and unlicensed fishing.
Nino Brancato served in the police for more than 30 years but has now joined the Angling Trust as its national enforcement support manager.
Nino Brancato served in the police for more than 30 years but has now joined the Angling Trust as its national enforcement support manager
He will lead the 500-strong Voluntary Bailiff Service and the Building Bridges project which works with migrant anglers.
“I’m really looking forward to working with the Angling Trust’s Fisheries Enforcement Support Service and building on the great partnership we have with the Environment Agency,” said Nino.
“Our 500 volunteer bailiffs, led by a dedicated team of regional enforcement managers, and our Building Bridges team, provide quality intelligence which supports the work undertaken by the EA’s fisheries officers and police.”
The former detective inspector received a Higher Chief Constable’s Commendation for disarming a murder suspect who was wielding a pump-action shotgun.
Mark Owen, the Angling Trust’s head of freshwater, said:
“Having someone of Nino’s experience and seniority is a great asset to both the Angling Trust and fishing.”
The EA’s Graham Storey added:
“We’re working hard to crack down on illegal fishing, working in partnership with the Angling Trust, the police and others. With the skills and experience Nino brings to the role, we are confident that we will further reduce illegal fishing.”
The Fisheries Enforcement Support Service is funded by licence sales and includes the Voluntary Bailiff Service, which began as a pilot five years ago and now boasts 500 members. Nino replaces Dilip Sarkar, who left the Trust earlier this year.
The Fisheries Enforcement Support Service is funded by licence sales
Anglers unite to feed lake’s hungry carp
A GROUP of passionate anglers whose favourite fishing lake closed due to the pandemic have descended upon the venue with buckets of bait in an attempt to keep the fish fed during the prolonged period of inactivity.
Shearwater Lake, on Wiltshire’s Longleat Estate, shut its doors to anglers at the start of the March lockdown and it was feared the venue’s prized carp would starve when fishery staff were placed on the Government’s furlough scheme.
Jumping at the chance to intervene was fish farmer Mark Simmonds, whose actions have since inspired others to join in.
He said:
“I’ve supplied the estate’s fish stocks for years so I felt an obligation to help them out. So far I’ve dropped off three tons of Skrettings feed pellets at the fishery, which the estate has since supplemented with its own supply.”
The news of the ‘big feed’ quickly gained traction on social media, causing anglers and dog-walkers to descend on the fishery with buckets and bags full of boilies, pellets and bread to help out.
“As fishing still isn’t allowed, I’m sure all this extra food will be appreciated by the fish!” Mark added.
Angling coaches honoured for 1,000+ hours free coaching
THREE angling coaches have been honoured for giving up over 1,000 hours of their free time to help anyone who wanted to go fishing during the pandemic.
Bryan Dray, Pat Byrne and Ian Halliwell, of Wellingborough and District Nene AC, finished runners-up at the Nene Valley Partnerships Volunteers Stars of the Year awards for services to the sport.
The coaches at Wellingborough and District Nene AC
Broads piker hit with large trespassing fine
A pike angler has been hit with a whopping £641 fine for trespassing on a Norfolk Broad.
Peter Regan (69) was discovered fishing from a boat on Horsey Mere in a joint operation between the Norfolk Police Broads Beat team and the Environment Agency.
PC Paul Bassham, said:
“We hope that this result deters anyone who involves themselves in illegal fishing. It shows that we will take the relevant action, and those responsible will be held to account.”
An angler was fined a whopping £641 for fishing on a Norfolk Broad illegally
“Buy it before it’s gone” warn retailers as angling’s surging popularity causes stock logjam
From the big chain retailers to small independent tackle shops, the message to anglers is clear this Christmas – if you see it in stock, buy it now!
Angling’s booming popularity this year has led to a clamour for tackle, causing delays in the supply chain and the need for some adjustment of expectations from buyers and sellers alike.
There has been a surge in demand for fishing tackle
There have been more than 300,000 new anglers on the banks since the spring lockdown was lifted, and an astonishing 36,000 rod licences were sold in the traditionally quieter month of October alone. This has led to increased pressure on tackle manufacturers and retailers who are also battling the continued worldwide fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“My advice to people is if they see an item they want on the shelves then buy it now because you just don’t know when it will be back in stock,” said Dave Eve of independent shop Castaway Tackle in Oxfordshire.
His sentiments have been echoed by James Bigmore, director of large online retailer Total Fishing Tackle, who told us:
“If it’s in stock with your local retailer or with us, just buy it. If it’s a good-selling item and you know it’s had good reviews then pick it up, because there’s no guarantee when stuff will come back into stock at the moment.”
Lack of stock explained
When fishing was banned in March, few could have predicted the sport would rebound so positively from May.
The rush to buy tackle took retailers and manufacturers, who had been preparing for a bumpy year, largely by surprise. When the surge in demand came, the Chinese factories where the majority of tackle is produced were already playing catch-up after enforced closures earlier in the year. The ripple effect also meant shipping-container space became limited, and prices naturally rose.
“You’ve got to remember that this surge in angling popularity isn’t just in Britain,” said James.
“This boom has been worldwide. Everyone is fighting for shipping space, and companies are struggling to get stock.”
Flying hooks and long delays
One trade source told Angling Times that a large British tackle company had begun flying its hooks into the country to circumvent shipping bottlenecks during the initial lockdown, but air freight prices soon quadrupled as carriers saw the potential to cash in.
Dave Eve added:
“One tackle company has got a container of bedchairs and chairs coming in around now, but it’s all sold on back order and the next one isn’t coming until July.
“We’re seeing most orders coming back with 30 or 40 per cent of it out of stock, though that’s the fast-moving items like terminal tackle. Where before we might be ordering one trade pack of items, we’re now ordering two or three trade packs if we know it’s popular stuff that won’t perish. Talking to the sales reps, everyone is doing the same, so it’s creating even more demand.”
Changing buying habits
“What we’ve seen this year is that customers aren’t as brand loyal as they might once have been,” said James Bigmore.
“Because there’s not as much choice as before, where once they might have only been looking for a Trakker bivvy they may now be looking at the Fox alternative.”
He added:
“There aren’t quite as many deals around at the moment and prices will stay very stable. We’re quite a big clearance buyer because we’ve got the space and capacity to buy end-of-line stock, but there hasn’t been as much available this year.
“However, we’ve still bought clearance from firms like Nash, Daiwa and Shimano, and we will still have Black Friday and Christmas sales. It’s been a tough year for some people and I think customers expect those deals to still take place.”
Looking good for 2021
Despite the current logjams in the supply chain, the picture is improving. James continued:
“We’ve got stock arriving every day and it’s definitely been getting quicker in the last six to eight weeks.
“We’ve placed orders based on what we’ve seen this year and hopefully, by next spring and summer, supplies will be back to normal and it should be one of the best years in a long while for the fishing trade.”
The Big One Show moves to 2022
Angling biggest consumer event, The Big One Show has postponed their 2021 shows due to the uncertainty around large indoor events during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Shows were meant to take place in Spring of 2021, in a statement made today ( Thursday 10th December 2020) they said:
“Firstly, we’d like to say a massive thank you for your continued support in these unprecedented times. Unfortunately, due to current government guidelines and continued uncertainty around large indoor events we are postponing both Big One Shows in Spring 2021.
However, we are pleased to confirm that the dates for the rearranged Farnborough show are March 5th – 6th, 2022. With Stoneleigh now taking place on the 2nd-3rd of April
We will continue to follow Government guidelines as the Covid-19 situation evolves. The health and welfare of our visitors, exhibitors and staff will remain paramount and we are working hard to ensure the 2022 show proves to be a memorable experience for all our visitors.
We hope you will be able to attend these new dates. As you have already purchased a ticket this will be valid for the new show and you don’t need to do anything.
If unfortunately, you are unable to make the show in 2022 you can get full refund on your ticket up until the March 19th 2021.
We would also like to assure you that in the unlikely event that the show is cancelled again you will be able to get a full refund on your tickets.
We are also working hard and looking at bringing you an outdoor angling event in the Spring or Summer next year. As a current loyal ticket holder, we will contact you first with all the details and a great ticket deal.
All The Big One Show team are looking forward to seeing you at the shows in 2022, if not before (outdoors!).
Stay safe”
More info can be found on The Big One Show’s website here: www.thebigoneshow.co.uk
'60 Fish in 60 Days' signs off with 100lb-plus blue shark
FUNDRAISING angler HUGH Arnott signed off his ‘60 Fish in 60 Days’ challenge in style when he boated the largest fish of his countrywide conquest – a 140lb blue shark!
The pleasure fishing fanatic from St Albans was aboard KieLo Charters off the coast of Cornwall when the giant shark took his whole mackerel hookbait.
He told us:
“It was truly the catch of a lifetime and the biggest fish I’ve ever caught by about 30lb, not to mention the biggest of the challenge by a good 120lb!
“It was so long that I needed help from friends Steve and Chris to hold it up for the camera!”
Hugh easily surpassed his target of catching 60 species of fish, with the blue shark being the 68th of 75 he landed during the challenge.
During that time the 60-year-old travelled more than 4,300 miles and raised £3,200 for the Get Hooked on Fishing, England Disabled Fly Fishers and Fishing for Forces charities.
Hugh Arrnott with his 140lb blue shark. The 68th of 75 species caught in his fishing challenge
Bob and Paul back for Gone Christmas Fishing
Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse are to return to television screens for an extended Christmas special later this Sunday.
Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Christmas Fishing will be broadcast on BBC 2 on Sunday, December 13. The hour-long episode will follow Bob back to his childhood haunts on the River Esk and Tees in Middlesbrough.
The comedy pair, who have completed three series of regular programmes, will attempt to catch grayling, while Bob’s task is to fill grumpy Paul with a bit of Christmas cheer after complaining the festive spirit has been lost to commercialism.
Driving Home for Christmas singer Chris Rea, a fellow Middlesbrough lad, will also make an appearance, alongside a familiar Secret Santa when Bob cooks turkey and all the trimmings.
As ever, Paul and Bob’s accommodation is vitally important to the show, and this time around they are lodging in fishermen’s cottages in the harbour village of Staithes before enjoying a night further north on the moors.
The programme, which is expected to be repeated over the Christmas period.
The Christmas special of Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing will hit tv screens on December 13th
Where do our fish go in the cold?
YOU’LL often hear about swims on barbel rivers that will produce fish during the day, yet the chances of catching them from the same swim after dark are virtually nil. But why do fish often move in such a predictable way?
Moving is inherently risky and uses energy, so there must be a strong survival advantage to undertaking such journeys. From daily feeding movement, to annual spawning migrations, fish populations are constantly on the move, and those movements are often critical to their survival.
Finding fish can be tough in the winter
Day and night areas
Many fish species will move on a daily basis, often heading upstream at dusk and back down before dawn. These ‘diurnal’ migrations normally correspond to feeding, with the fish moving upstream to find areas where invertebrate food is most abundant. Often this will be directly below shallow riffles, where the stony riverbed harbours vast quantities of caddis larvae and other invertebrates.
During the day the fish will take advantage of areas offering protection from predators, perhaps beneath overhead cover, or in side streams where bigger fish cannot pass.
How far the fish will move from day to day really depends on the distance between their safe resting areas used during the day and feeding areas used at night. On a big river like the Trent, bream may move several hundred metres each night. On a small stream, fish may only need to move a few metres to find the right conditions.
Incredibly, each fish in a shoal can find its way back to the exact spot that it prefers, often to within a few centimetres. Experiments have shown that fish have a very detailed ‘neural map’ of their environment that enables them to navigate precisely over large areas. This explains why hooked fish know where every snag is!
Fish will often move upstream at dusk and into the night
Reward versus risk
In every population of fish, around a third will rarely stray away from their home range. As long as there is enough food to be found then this is a good strategy, as it minimises risk.
Another third will move over a wider area covering two or three times the home range. These fish may have access to richer food larders, and will likely have less competition for food, but this is countered by the increased risk. The final third are true wanderers that can travel many miles on big rivers and rarely, if ever, return.
These fish face by far the greatest risks, but the rewards may be greater too.
Fish that move further will be at lesser risk from local events, such as flooding or pollution incidents, that could otherwise wipe them out. While the local population could be catastrophically affected, the survival of the true wanderers will in turn ensure that future generations are protected.
In many rivers, well-known productive swims will often hold plenty of fish, but these might not be the same fish all the time. An overhanging tree may be a great spot for chub, some of which are likely to be living there every day. Some others, though, may be just passing through. So a swim can be productive, but not necessarily because the same shoal of fish lives there permanently.
An overhanging tree may be a great spot for chub, some of which are likely to be living there every day
Falling temperatures
As a general rule, in cold weather fish tend to become more lethargic and reluctant to move. As cold-blooded creatures, their metabolism slows, so they’re less inclined to feed as they need less energy to move.
At such times, they’ll often tuck themselves away in areas of slower water such as in slacks, behind cover that deflects the river’s flow, or on the edges of creases.
Many species will often also become more nocturnal during cold weather snaps in a bid to avoid warm-blooded predators such as herons, kingfishers and otters. However, after being harder to catch for the first few days, once they’ve adapted to the change in temperatures, their feeding and movements start to return to normal.
In the cold fish look to hide in cover or become nocturnal to avoid predators
Boundaries to fish
Natural boundaries, such as shallow riffles, may reduce fish movement in times of low river flow, but in a natural lowland river there are rarely any natural boundaries that will halt fish movement. Yet, humans have installed weirs, sluices and dams on rivers, which stop all fish passage. These barriers can often prevent spawning migrations, and radio-tracking studies have shown that even small weirs can block almost all upstream movements of powerful fish, such as barbel. Only during floods are such structures passable. Many fish will remain below the barrier before giving up, so the natural spread of the fish is disrupted.
By migrating upstream to spawn, fish give their young several advantages. Larval fish are poor swimmers and will often be washed downstream after hatching, particularly during floods. By spawning upriver the youngsters have the best chance of spreading out naturally and finding suitable habitat.
Once the adult fish have migrated back downstream the young will face less competition if they stay upstream, often in small shallow streams. Predation may also be less severe here as well.
So, while movements may consume precious energy and have inherent risks, they are an essential part of the behaviour of river fish, whether these are short hops to feed, or epic migrations. disrupted.
Weirs can be a real barrier to fish movement
Fisheries set for busiest winter ever as licence sales soar...again!
THE BOOM in angling participation has shown no signs of slowing down this month, with many venues reporting unprecedented numbers of visitors for the time of year.
After angling’s busiest-ever summer, it was anticipated that numbers on the bank would tail off as temperatures started to fall, but reports suggest quite the opposite, with fisheries saying business is still booming.
Surrey’s Bury Hill Fishery is one of the venues enjoying a productive autumn, as staff member Ian Chennell revealed:
“I’d say there’s probably a 40 per cent increase on the usual numbers we’d experience at this time of year. We sold a lot of memberships for our carp and predator waters, and these anglers keep coming back.
“In particular, we’ve had a lot more people interested in catching pike and zander, so as the temperatures fall, we hope these guys will keep fishing for these winter species.”
A similar trend has been witnessed further north at East Yorkshire’s Starcarr Lakes.
“We’ve had unprecedented numbers on our banks” said fishery boss Shane Turrell.
“I expect things to drop off a bit more when it gets really cold and the bream begin to back off, but if only half the people come who are currently visiting, we’ll still be doing much better than usual.”
In addition to the continued surge in bankside numbers, the Environment Agency has reported yet another boom in rod licence sales, with 36,851 people buying or renewing their licence in October.
This suggests the influx of newcomers to the sport is continuing unabated. An EA spokesperson told us:
“Despite colder weather, we continue to see thousands of people buying licences. We hope this shows that the current popularity of fishing isn’t just a summer trend but the revival of a much-loved sport.”
People can’t get enough of fishing and now look set to hit the banks all winter too!
Cormorant control measures rejected by Government
A FRESH bid to add cormorants to the General Shooting Licence has been rejected once again by Government.
The proposal to try to limit the devastating effect the birds are having on fisheries was submitted by the Angling Trust, the Avon Roach Project and other partners, who are seeking to add cormorants to thelicence alongside jackdaws, magpies and pigeons to afford fish stocks better protection from unsustainable levels of predation.
Cormorants numbers have recently skyrocketed and there are thought to be 30,000 overwintering in England each year, with each bird known to eat more than 1lb of fish each day.
A case for increasing the current cormorant control limit of 3,000 birds in any one year was submitted, but it was rejected by ministers.
“It’s extraordinary that ministers continue to deny the right to a reasonable level of protection of our vulnerable inland fish populations from a non-native visitor,”
said Trevor Harrop of the Avon Roach project.
Martin Salter, Head of Policy at the Angling Trust added:
“The Angling Trust will continue to make representations to Defra and the devolved administrations about the need to manage the impact fisheating birds have upon fisheries”
Cormorant numbers have risen sharply in the past few decades
Call for kit donations to tackle mental health
THE FOUNDER of a newly-formed social club is appealing to the angling community for tackle donations in a drive to bring fishing to people struggling with poor mental health.
Tackling Minds is the brainchild of lifelong angler Dave Lyons, who’s started running free fishing sessions at Hollingworth Lake in Lancashire to provide incentives for those suffering from loneliness, addiction and homelessness.
He said:
“Having previously suffered with poor mental health I know exactly what people are going through, especially at a time like this, so I created Tackling Minds.
“Our aim is to gather enough fishing tackle to run a regular group and teach the wider community how influential fishing can be in life progression.”
Alongside his call-out for tackle, Dave is looking to expand on his team of volunteers and coaches. To donate your old and disused tackle or to volunteer your services, email your interest to Dave at fishing@tacklingminds.org.
Donated tackle will help teach those struggling with mental health to go fishing
Legal threat to club that broke lockdown
MATCH anglers who held a competition during the current lockdown period have been warned they will lose their fishing rights if they do it again.
HanKat Angling Society flouted the rules on organised sporting events by staging a nine-peg event on the Dudley Canal on November 7.
The club advertised a follow-upmatch, before the Canal & Rivers Trust (CRT) warned them that the matches breach Covid restrictions. The CRT told the club
“Should you go ahead and organise further events we will escalate the matter to our legal team to see what the Trust would need to do in order to ensure compliance with law, including the termination of your club’s angling agreement.
This is something we hope we can avoid, as it would not put angling in a good light at this time and undo the work the fisheries team have been doing behind the scenes in fighting the case for angling to be allowed to continue.”
Jamie Cook, the CEO of the Angling Trust, said:
“It is vital that anglers continue to fish safely, locally and responsibly throughout this pandemic. The last thing we need to see is irresponsible actions like this that brings angling into disrepute and endangers the hard-won concessions we have achieved for us to keep fishing through the lockdown.”
HanKat Angling Society flouted the rules on organised sporting events by staging a nine-peg event on the Dudley Canal