Bluemoon Angling Thread

I had our annual trip to fish against an English Bank a couple of weeks ago. We got absolutely hammered. First time we have lost in 7 years. We got to experience three Anglian Water waters, Ravensthorpe was desperately poor, Pitsford not a lot better, Rutland ok for some but not for me. Anglian water telling fibs about their stocking policy. Ravensthorpe hadn't been stocked in months and months - result 3 fish for 6 anglers (3 of whom are Internationalists) in perfect conditions. The place will be predator and course fish only within a year or two.
Many fisheries closing and many struggling financially. I really wonder if this typ of fishing is sustainable and wether we will all be back on rivers within a couple of years.
 
Saddleworth2 said:
I had our annual trip to fish against an English Bank a couple of weeks ago. We got absolutely hammered. First time we have lost in 7 years. We got to experience three Anglian Water waters, Ravensthorpe was desperately poor, Pitsford not a lot better, Rutland ok for some but not for me. Anglian water telling fibs about their stocking policy. Ravensthorpe hadn't been stocked in months and months - result 3 fish for 6 anglers (3 of whom are Internationalists) in perfect conditions. The place will be predator and course fish only within a year or two.
Many fisheries closing and many struggling financially. I really wonder if this typ of fishing is sustainable and wether we will all be back on rivers within a couple of years.
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Good question and it figures that just as I am doing more fly-fishing, they'd start closing waters down. On the plus side, there seem to be more salmon in the rivers. My mate had one on the Hodder today. @snorky how's the Wye doing ?
 
Newman Noggs said:
Good question and it figures that just as I am doing more fly-fishing, they'd start closing waters down. On the plus side, there seem to be more salmon in the rivers. My mate had one on the Hodder today. @snorky how's the Wye doing ?
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That’s great to hear. I’m seriously thinking of Grayling fishing this winter. Some absolute beasts in Scottish rivers.

On the sustainability question. The average fly fisherman on stocked waters expects a big catch and to pay less for catch and release tickets. The average stocked trout is currently costing £5 + which obviously has a consequence for prices. You should expect to pay the same for catch and release as for killing fish. It’s really the only way forward in conjunction with expecting lower rod averages and higher prices.
It currently costs between £28 and £40 per session on the waters we fish.
 
Saddleworth2 said:
That’s great to hear. I’m seriously thinking of Grayling fishing this winter. Some absolute beasts in Scottish rivers.

On the sustainability question. The average fly fisherman on stocked waters expects a big catch and to pay less for catch and release tickets. The average stocked trout is currently costing £5 + which obviously has a consequence for prices. You should expect to pay the same for catch and release as for killing fish. It’s really the only way forward in conjunction with expecting lower rod averages and higher prices.
It currently costs between £28 and £40 per session on the waters we fish.
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Yes, fished Ladybower the other week and it was very hard going in good conditions. My mate used every variation he could think of and only caught one. I flogged away with the same (dry) fly all day and caught 6 much to my delight. The impression was that it hadn't been stocked for a good while.
 
Newman Noggs said:
Good question and it figures that just as I am doing more fly-fishing, they'd start closing waters down. On the plus side, there seem to be more salmon in the rivers. My mate had one on the Hodder today. @snorky how's the Wye doing ?
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Worst season on record I believe.
 
Just applied to join Prince Albert Anglers Club as I want to get back into fishing and there's one of his waters right near to where I've moved to.
Three year waiting list!
 
doots said:
Just applied to join Prince Albert Anglers Club as I want to get back into fishing and there's one of his waters right near to where I've moved to.
Three year waiting list!
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It used to be 2 years, surprises me it's gone up to 3. That said, you seldom had to wait 2 years so maybe that's a worst case scenario. I hope so. The problem is that do many clubs are folding and PAA are hoovering up their waters.
 
Last outing of the season on Friday at Coldingham on a relatively calm and mild day. The fish weren't playing ball particularly and I had to resort to the dark side with a rolly polly's snake finally doing the business landing one and dropping a couple more. I managed the beginners trick of winding a di-5 around my prop which fucked the line and just for fun drained my battery so it was a nice row up the loch by which time I'd had enough.

Not the best season on a personal basis. My rod average is down, few 'red letter' days and our trips to the midland reservoirs were verging on poor from a fishing perspective.

I'm increasingly concerned how viable this type of fishing is (stocked trout on largish waters) as costs spiral for fisheries and anglers are reluctant to pay increased prices particularly for catch and release. With Ifor Jones (RIP) fisheries now in the hands of Anglian Water, the English scene is dictated by one large supplier. Just this week they have announced that Ravensthorpe will cease to be a game fishery and will henceforth be primarily carp with some predator fishing thrown in. Eyebrook, one of the jewels of trout fisheries since the 50's will be predator fishing and no longer hold trout. That one in particular hurts as I have many happy memories of long drifts down the length of that beautiful water and great sport. Anglian Water have already cut back their stocking policy in recent years and the time when a visit to Rutland or Pitsford guaranteed sport are long gone. Hit it right and they are still magnificent but later in the season its increasingly hard. The one bright spot is that Menteith has fished so well this year and its calibre of grown on trout is stunning. Silver bullets that are like grilse. Maybe I ahould hyave a shot at the Grayling this winter.

How was your season?
 
Saddleworth2 said:
Last outing of the season on Friday at Coldingham on a relatively calm and mild day. The fish weren't playing ball particularly and I had to resort to the dark side with a rolly polly's snake finally doing the business landing one and dropping a couple more. I managed the beginners trick of winding a di-5 around my prop which fucked the line and just for fun drained my battery so it was a nice row up the loch by which time I'd had enough.

Not the best season on a personal basis. My rod average is down, few 'red letter' days and our trips to the midland reservoirs were verging on poor from a fishing perspective.

I'm increasingly concerned how viable this type of fishing is (stocked trout on largish waters) as costs spiral for fisheries and anglers are reluctant to pay increased prices particularly for catch and release. With Ifor Jones (RIP) fisheries now in the hands of Anglian Water, the English scene is dictated by one large supplier. Just this week they have announced that Ravensthorpe will cease to be a game fishery and will henceforth be primarily carp with some predator fishing thrown in. Eyebrook, one of the jewels of trout fisheries since the 50's will be predator fishing and no longer hold trout. That one in particular hurts as I have many happy memories of long drifts down the length of that beautiful water and great sport. Anglian Water have already cut back their stocking policy in recent years and the time when a visit to Rutland or Pitsford guaranteed sport are long gone. Hit it right and they are still magnificent but later in the season its increasingly hard. The one bright spot is that Menteith has fished so well this year and its calibre of grown on trout is stunning. Silver bullets that are like grilse. Maybe I ahould hyave a shot at the Grayling this winter.

How was your season?
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Mine has been pretty average mainly because time has been limited with trying to sort out my mum's estate (two years on !). Decent trip to Ireland cut short because my mate had health issues, Wye was decent but not spectacular, Portugal, my mate and I were both poorly, probably Covid, but managed a 18lbs fish. Ladybower was slow but I managed 6 fish.

Currently roach fishing at Cound, a PAA water where both of us have had 2lbs+ fish in the past but not a nibble today. Supposed to have been cormoranted but who knows ?

Off to Providence in February so practicing my casting !
 
Newman Noggs said:
Mine has been pretty average mainly because time has been limited with trying to sort out my mum's estate (two years on !). Decent trip to Ireland cut short because my mate had health issues, Wye was decent but not spectacular, Portugal, my mate and I were both poorly, probably Covid, but managed a 18lbs fish. Ladybower was slow but I managed 6 fish.

Currently roach fishing at Cound, a PAA water where both of us have had 2lbs+ fish in the past but not a nibble today. Supposed to have been cormoranted but who knows ?

Off to Providence in February so practicing my casting !
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Watch your parking.

 
Dead baited a reservoir yesterday, had a pick up in 5 minutes which I missed and then nothing. A short session on the lites today a black. I think I’m on about a 5 session blank run.

My season has been ok, I’ve explored some new waters and caught nice fish of many species but no real specimens. 7/10.
 
A perch, a perch, my Kingdom for a perch ! Thought I'd get out to my local water for the last time this year and before the bad weather. After all, as I've said many times, it's so full of fish, you can't fail even in Winter. And here I am, fighting to save the blank. Can't buy a bite !
 
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