Fishing Close Season

[Lower Limit 1909]

Their have been a pair of RIBS with multiple occupants on each and multiple rods onboard fishing downstream from Teddington Lock most of today. My understanding is that it is the 'close season' for Trout and Salmon but that the 'close season' for 'Course fish and Eels' is only 15th March - 15th June (above the Thames Barrier). These anglers are presumably therefore only going to catch Eels and Course Fish . I don't know what these guys are attempting to reel in (or are actually reeling in) although I thought the trolling method they are using was only useful for catching Salmon or Trout? I trust that most responsible anglers abide by the regulations and will have good reason to be as incensed by abuse of them as other river users. I do however regularly see people fishing including multiple rods between 15th March - 15th June and don't expect this year to be any different.

With the increasingly 'industrial' approach to fishing on the the Uper Tidal Thames observed over recent years sometimes involving RIBS trolling with half a dozen rods onboard (including fishing charters being offered out of Kingston to the Tidal Thames) I'm curious as to whether there is actually any enforcement of the byelaws? Or is this another area, like so many on the Thames (especially anything that is EA responsibility on the Tidal section), where any enforcement is just a quaint thing of the past? I've certainly never seen any.

 

[Old Crusty]

There is no close season on the tidal river. The close season on the non-tidal river for coarse fish and eels is as you say, 15 March to 15 June. There are few EA bailiffs to cover 215 miles of river but they do patrol and have been out frequently lately. I follow them on twitter and their comments suggest they are active.

If they are fishing in the close season, chances are they'll claim they are after trout, brown, rainbow and migratory. In my experience, most close season fishermen are after carp for minced fish cakes. usually, after a reminder of the £50k fine, they either leave or tell me to go away in some unintelligible lingo. At Sunbury a couple of years ago, they were using depth charges to stun the fish then netting them, hardly sporting is it?

 

[Old Crusty]

As an addition, I did hear an EA patrol boat officer shout at some eastern European fisherman during the close season, 'Oi, no fishki and no dig for wormski either!' I expect he's having attitude adjustment training now

 

[Baddox]

Fishermen trolling in fresh water at this time of year are probably after pike.

 

[Momac]

There is no close season on the tidal river.

Are you sure about that ?
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/617739/LIT_10140.pdf

 

[Old Crusty]

Are you sure about that ?
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/617739/LIT_10140.pdf

Well done, someone paying attention. There is no close season for eels.

 

[oldgit]

Nitrates !

Well done, someone paying attention. There is no close season for eels.

worth a read...........
The Thames/Medway are one of the worst areas..http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...ution-blackspot-can-seriously-affect-eelgrass

 

[Momac]

Well done, someone paying attention. There is no close season for eels.

..........when fishing with rod and line downstream on the thames barrier.
How do the fish other then eels know they are no allowed to be caught ?

The following website suggests the eels are critically endangered . Perhaps that is because it's the only fish that has no close season and eastenders traditionally like to eat them . Never fancied jellied eels myself.
https://londonist.com/2014/11/what-lives-in-the-thames

 

[Old Crusty]

..........when fishing with rod and line downstream on the thames barrier.
How do the fish other then eels know they are no allowed to be caught ?

The following website suggests the eels are critically endangered . Perhaps that is because it's the only fish that has no close season and eastenders traditionally like to eat them . Never fancied jellied eels myself.
https://londonist.com/2014/11/what-lives-in-the-thames

Leev orf guv'nor! Eels? Pie, mash n liquor? Oysters? Boiled beef n carrots? Propuh pukkah innit! Wivowt 'em we'dve starved during the war dontcha know.

 

[oldgit]

..........when fishing with rod and line downstream on the thames barrier.
How do the fish other then eels know they are no allowed to be caught ?

The following website suggests the eels are critically endangered . Perhaps that is because it's the only fish that has no close season and eastenders traditionally like to eat them . Never fancied jellied eels myself.
https://londonist.com/2014/11/what-lives-in-the-thames

watched the rather dramatic decline in the eel population in the Medway over my lifetime.
Once all that could survive in our filthy river was eels, literally everything else died or fled.
Suspect mainly due to industrial pollution from papermills/cement factories and the chemical works that once lined the river banks.
The other probable cause was our delightful habit of dumping raw human sewage into the river near Horrid Hill (seriously ). The stink was awful and could be smelt miles away on hot summer days.
Human sewage is still being dumped into the river at Hoo from houseboats.
Fortunately EU legislation forced industry and water companies to clean up their act., nothing can be done about the livaboards apparently.
It would appear now that agribusiness nitrate fertilizer is the main culprit with run off from farms far upriver from where the main damage is being observed .

 

[Momac]

You make the Thames sound like England's most polluted river. Perhaps it is ?
In my youth I used to go fishing on the R.Witham - we considered eels a pest.

 

[CX54WEK]

You make the Thames sound like England's most polluted river. Perhaps it is ?
In my youth I used to go fishing on the R.Witham - we considered eels a pest.

Eels are all I can bloody catch when I get my rod out!

 

[oldgit]

Improving ...Could do better ?

From Old Harrys thread on Yotwhinge

https://www.myscience.org.uk/news/20...e-2018-cardiff, while the report itself is here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles...018.00133/full

Vastly improved over the years with return of migratory fish in both Thames and Medway.
Suspect as we learn more about the effects of the stuff we were dumping into the waterway we can do something about it.
Now that using our watercourses as free method of moving human sewage and industrial waste out of sight and mind ,is no longer acceptable, stuff we are still allowing into our rivers is unfinished business.
Here on the Medway the signs of the clear up are obvious with seals and porpoises being spotted and some rather oldball fish such as Red Gurnard being caught.
Egrets are now a common sight on the marshes.
More recently we had a neat treat in the Club with local caught deep fried sardines on the menu.
Oysters are now allowed to be gathered ,with a licence !

 

[Lower Limit 1909]

Re: Improving ...Could do better ?

Well - given we've established that they aren't allowed to fish for trout or salmon this time of year, fishing for coarse fish and eels must have it's rewards as both boats were out again at 7AM today at -2C and they have been out most of the day, everyday, this week. One boat out today (open whaler type) has two large (10-12") LCD screens on it. Beginning to wonder if this isn't actually some kind of research exercise.

They don't however appear to be as successful at catching fish as the very large grey seal that's been seen daily on this reach for the last couple of weeks.

 

[Old Crusty]

Re: Improving ...Could do better ?

Well - given we've established that they aren't allowed to fish for trout or salmon this time of year, fishing for coarse fish and eels must have it's rewards as both boats were out again at 7AM today at -2C and they have been out most of the day, everyday, this week. One boat out today (open whaler type) has two large (10-12") LCD screens on it. Beginning to wonder if this isn't actually some kind of research exercise.

They don't however appear to be as successful at catching fish as the very large grey seal that's been seen daily on this reach for the last couple of weeks.

The bailiffs are out checking rod licences until the close season starts on 15 March then they'll be looking for anyone fishing. As someone said earlier, the trout and salmon can't distinguish a baited hook from other food sources but the rule is if caught, throw them back. That said, I've had no reports of salmon being seen or caught over the last 10 years despite the investment in fish passes at all weirs. Meanwhile, other coarse fish are fair game.

Given the screens, I wonder if you've seen our old chum Warwick on 'Fling Your Hook' with new fish detection kit.

 

[oldgit]

Re: Improving ...Could do better ?

Salmon have been caught in the Medway above Rochester Bridge by trawl, not heard of anything recently, lockeepers have reported trout spotted at Allington lock.
Search of Thames forum indicate forumites actually catching Trout around Pangbourne ?

 

[CX54WEK]

Re: Improving ...Could do better ?

Salmon have been caught in the Medway above Rochester Bridge by trawl, not heard of anything recently, lockeepers have reported trout spotted at Allington lock.
Search of Thames forum indicate forumites actually catching Trout around Pangbourne ?

I would be surprised if they were not there the salmon and trout.

The River Don, once one of the most polluted rivers in Europe has them again now.

https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/jump...er-don-in-sheffield-after-200-years-1-7940643

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/leaping-salmon-seen-in-rotherham

 

[Normalfornorfolk]

Re: Improving ...Could do better ?

Salmon and trout fishing in the Thames? No close(d) season in tidal waters? Trolling only useful for salmon and trout?
Not many people know that...
The OP is roughly the equivalent of a fishreman accusing yotties of racing Open 60s at 50Kts at Marlow in pursuit of the Blue Riband...

They were pike fishing in the prime part of the open season in a river that contains virtually no salmon (none caught by rod in aeons) nor any natural trout, just a few escapees muuuch further upstream from Teddington though. Are fishermen not allowed gadgets like fish-finders and depth instruments too?

Poor old fishermen, what have they done to deserve such critique? They have as much right to be on the river as anyone else.

edit.
To add that anyone fishing after Mar 15 is almost certainly E European (very, very few UK fishermen behave as badly as this) and pillaging the water for every fish thay can extract to eat. They take and eat everything, carrier bags full. They should be reported to the EA and the local Police Wildlife Protection Officer immediately. They are also widely imploicated in taking swans and other river fowl.

Foul.

 

[Lower Limit 1909]

Re: Improving ...Could do better ?

Salmon and trout fishing in the Thames? No close(d) season in tidal waters? Trolling only useful for salmon and trout?
Not many people know that...
The OP is roughly the equivalent of a fishreman accusing yotties of racing Open 60s at 50Kts at Marlow in pursuit of the Blue Riband...

They were pike fishing in the prime part of the open season in a river that contains virtually no salmon (none caught by rod in aeons) nor any natural trout, just a few escapees muuuch further upstream from Teddington though. Are fishermen not allowed gadgets like fish-finders and depth instruments too?

Poor old fishermen, what have they done to deserve such critique? They have as much right to be on the river as anyone else.

edit.
To add that anyone fishing after Mar 15 is almost certainly E European (very, very few UK fishermen behave as badly as this) and pillaging the water for every fish thay can extract to eat. They take and eat everything, carrier bags full. They should be reported to the EA and the local Police Wildlife Protection Officer immediately. They are also widely imploicated in taking swans and other river fowl.

Foul.

Well - we almost got to the end of page 2 on this thread with a variety of useful and civil contributions (responding to what were genuine questions from me). I (at least) have learned a few bits and pieces from the useful responses and discussion. I was slightly surprised it had got his far before succumbing to the usual rancour that happens when 'fishing' and 'boats' occur in the same sentence. Still #17 decent posts before it happened isn't bad.

 

[oldgit]

Re: Improving ...Could do better ?

They are also widely implicated in taking swans and other river fowl.

Foul.

Or possibly fowl ?

Thought fishing was supposed to be a "sport", a recreational hobby to relax and enjoy the countryside,when did it morph into a vastly one sided technological industrial war using some very advanced technology ( and expensive ) to extract the most fish in the least time.
Not uncommon to cruise past a swim with perhaps four five identical rods all in use at the same time in fan display to cover wide area of the river bed and all of course with an bite alarm.
The river bank behind will resemble the encampment of small army prepared to endure semi artic conditions.

Surely not a prime example of money poorly substituting for a lack of skill or devotion.


"They are also widely implicated in taking swans and other river fowl." ................ By whom ?

A single first hand report or prosecution would be useful
The only thing that comes up during a Google search is the indigenous UK population killing swans in some very nasty examples indeed !

Believe half of what you see and nothing of what you hear

Suspect that lead shot has finished off more swans than any other cause, still remember the anger of the fishing community when a ban on lead shot was first proposed, first denial and then finally grudging acceptance, the shooting fraternity is not without blame as well.