As I haven't updated the blog for ages I thought I would today. I also thought that I would change the focus of the blog to be more about the upkeep of our rivers and their habitat rather than my fishing.
Anyway here's the first one - Rob Hartley and My arguement against stocking the club rivers. To be voted on, by referendum, this winter:
Background to stocking.
We currently stock the Dove from the stepping-stones to the section where a wooden board walk runs along the Derbyshire bank.
The stocking takes place at the start of the season (beginning of May). For the past two years we have stocked approximately 250 all female triploid fish. Triploid fish are sterile with very little breeding instinct. The EA will only allow trout of this sort to be stocked from 2015 we adopted it in 2009.
The fish have to come from a fish farm in Dorset, as this is the only one that is safe for the white crayfish present in our section of the Dove. Those of you who help on the stocking days over the last few years (and even though I oppose it, I was one of them!) will have seen the state of the trout by the time they got here.
The cost of the stocking is in the region of £900 - £1,400.
Last year Sheffield Trout anglers also stocked at Ludwell farm with 100 of the same fish.
Our view
We are very fortunate to fish in Cotton and Walton’s footprints. How much better to also become a wild trout and grayling river again? Better still to catch a fish that lives and breathes the Dove? I am sure you have all felt the disappointment when a hard won fish turns out to be a stocked one.
We (Rob Hartley & Alex Swann) are proposing LADFFA stop stocking for a trial period (3 years). If the trial is successful we would suggest the club becomes totally stock fish free (accept following pollution incidents or similar).
The wild residents
The wild fish in Dovedale are just that. Yes it been stocked for perhaps over 100 years. But they have survived pretty well – studies on their DNA show they are still wild.
On average there’s 1 takeable fish per foot of bank (confirmed by numerous electro-fishing results). This means Dovedale probably contains 4300 plus takeable fish.
Also if you realize LADFFA have never (or in the last 15 years) stocked Grayling in Dovedale and yet has superb Grayling fishing in the Dale, you can see we are not achieving anything.
Reasons why LADFFA should stop stocking farmed trout
1. The money would be better spent elsewhere, such as habitat improvements, acquiring new waters or tackling poaching.
2. Stocking is largely ineffective given how many stocked trout don’t survive the winter or simply don’t hold in the club’s water. An EA study on The Dove (by Tim Jacklin and Roy Sedgwick) found very poor over winter survival or retention, with consistently low (<3%) catches of fish stocked the previous year. This is consistent with most studies of this kind. Cresswell et al. (1982) found that less than 1% of stocked legal-size brown trout contributed to the catch in the season after stocking. One of the reasons the fish disappear is likely to be malnutrition. Winter is a crucial time for the survival of fish (including wild fish); food supplies are limited and mature fish have to recover from the rigours of spawning.
3. The fact that stocked fish don’t survive is still a problem for the wild ones. Brown trout compete for food and space in rivers. The stocked trout are large and coupled with the more aggressive behavior typical of domesticated fish, means stocked fish can competitively displace wild fish (reviewed by Weber and Fausch, 2003, Einum and Fleming, 1997). Poorer later survival of the stocked fish means they do not compensate for the displaced wild fish (McGinnity et al., 1997, 2003; Fleming et al., 2000; Ferguson et al., 2007). So displacing wild fish with stocked fish reduces the likelihood that wild fish will spawn successfully and limits self-sustaining wild populations.
4. What do the stocked fish live on when food is short? Barnard, Wyatt & Maidstone 2007 found that stocked trout in UK rivers are more likely to eat juvenile trout and grayling than native fish – anyone noticed how many more small fish there are about since we reduced the amount of stocked fish?
5. But we want to catch a decent sized fish not small ones. As stocked fish displace smaller wild fish out of their lies and present intrusive competition for the available food they reduce the growth rate for wild fish. Barnard, Wyatt & Maidstone 2007 proved that in UK rivers the stocking of large fish will directly lead to a reduction of native fish of similar size.
6. Look to the successes of The Haddon Estate’s policy of no-stocking on the Derbyshire Wye - “It is clear to us now that 100 years of stocking trout into our rivers has been folly. Wild trout fishing promotes healthy rivers with more fish and larger specimens“ (Haddon Estate Fisheries, 2007). Also look to EA backed Wild Fisheries Protection Zones (e.g. River Ebble and headwaters of The Itchen) and voluntary moves by other angling clubs to ‘go wild’, such as Manchester Anglers on the River Ribble.
7. Wild fish are stronger and fight better than stocked fish. EA research (National Trout and Grayling Fisheries Strategy Newsletter, 2009) has demonstrated “the low ‘fitness’ of farmed trout in the wild”. Wild fish provide a more challenging quarry and are more rewarding to catch.
8. High levels of easier-to-catch stock fish can serve to attract poaching. But not just human. Nickelson (2003) argued that due to the way in which they respond to predators and the way in which they ‘stay together’ (nursery pool anyone?) the introduction of farm-reared salmonids can increase predation on wild fish through the attraction of predators.
9. Stocking increases the risk of spreading invasive species such as non-native shrimp and signal crayfish. It also presents risk through the co-introduction of parasites or parasitic diseases, as seen in the case of Anguillicola crassus, a parasite that has heavily depleted eel populations.
10. Fish farms have a negative environmental impact, not least from driving a tank full of stocked fish up from Dorset. Another example is the manufacture of fish farm pellets which uses disproportionate levels of fish protein stripped from populations of declining marine species such as sandeels (although more so with salmon pellets than trout).
11. The EA (Stocking Fish - a guide for fishery owners and anglers) recognise that “The ecology of a natural water involves a balance between water chemistry, aquatic plants, algae, microscopic organisms, invertebrates, fish and other wildlife that lives on or around the water. The relationship between each organism can be complex and delicately balanced. Introducing fish may disrupt this balance, with irreversibly damaging consequences”. The EA recommend a precautionary approach of “if in doubt - don’t stock”.
12. Whilst Triploid stocked fish are not technically ‘genetically modified organisms’, they are unnatural and are invasive to a natural environment.
13. Stocking can promote a flawed thinking amongst anglers that better fishing comes through stocking more fish. ‘Going wild’ recognises that better fishing comes through improving river habitat which allows wild fish to thrive, along with fly life, bird life and other river species. It also promotes a positive image of an angling association that is environmentally responsible and takes serious the wider stewardship of the river’s eco-system.
14. The level of stocking in recent years has been much reduced, yet many members report extremely good fishing over the same period.
15. Wild trout fishing fits strategically with The National Trust and Natural England’s policies on conserving the natural environment. Natural England (draft position on fresh water fisheries, Feb 2010) believe “Our river and standing water habitats must be restored, so that they can support healthy native fish populations” . The National Trust (Management of Freshwater Fisheries, 2004) “encourage the development of self-sustaining fish stocks, without stocking.”
Some common arguments for continuing to stock just don’t stack up:
1. One argument against stopping stocking is that other angling clubs continue to stock The Dove upstream. That’s a somewhat self-defeating argument (two wrongs don’t make a right) and it will take a progressive angling association such as LADFFA to take the lead.
2. It is sometimes argued that the Hotel water will be stocked if we don’t. But the hotel has never stocked the river (or not in the last 10 years), only LADFFA. Why would this change?
3. It’s argued that the EA might not allow us to stock again if we stop stocking. I have spoken to them on 11th November 2010 and they have confirmed in writing that stocking is reviewed every year. If we decide not to stock for a period of time this will have no bearing on the decision if we want to again. However during the trial we would still apply to stock but not do it – a belt and braces approach.
4. It’s argued that there will be no fish of any size to catch and pressure during the ‘high season’. As already mentioned, there is likely to be over 4,300 fish of takeable size in the Dale. Will 250 stockies really affect this? In addition the science says that if we stop stocking the amount of takeable fish will increase.
5. Another argument is that to stop stocking would deter new members and less experienced anglers who welcome easier fishing for stocked fish. That view should be balanced against growing lobby of anglers who, through preference, would choose wild-trout waters and join clubs that do not stock. For evidence of that lobby, see the growth of wild trout passport schemes (www.wildtroutfishing.co.uk) and the Wild Trout Trust (www.wildtrout.org). Also see the example of Kirkby Stephen and District Anglers, who ceased stocking in 2005 with positive results. They saw little impact on membership and, whilst initially losing a few members, have since gained members of a different type and, as a result, the club is now in a much stronger financial position. As an alternative, less experienced anglers might consider a session with a vastly experienced river fisher like our member Philip White, helping them not only catch a few fish on their next visit but on EVERY subsequent visit.
6. Stopping stocking does not mean a complete ban on taking fish for the pot, just that members should show some restraint. LADFFA’s catch returns demonstrate the members already take very few fish for the pot.
7. It’s sometimes argued that poaching will continue and at least they will take the stockies. The stocked fish are a magnet for poachers (bird, mammal and primate) as they mill around slack water areas (as they did in their stock ponds) for a few weeks after stocking. Lets remove the temptation.
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Saturday, 2 January 2010
Bentley Brook 2nd Jan 2010
This fishing trip really started yesterday.
I got up early with Theia and kept her quiet till lunchtime. Only returning her to mum's boobs then taking her back so mum could have a little more rest.
A bit later I casually mentioned fishing today.
I set off before light and the temperature dropped to -7 on the way.
Sunrise was spectacular though:
But not quite as good as the bacon bap I stopped for.
On arrriving at the brook it was in good nick.
Although I had to spend twenty minutes defrosting by boots. I'd left them wet in the car and they were solid!
On the way down it started to snow:
And get heavier:
But what a starting place:
Fishing was the usual bentley brook farye. A black shadow here. A take there.
But as the snow got heavy it wet my hands and they got very cold.
One other interesting site on the way home though.
The roads covered with sheep eating the fresh grit.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I got up early with Theia and kept her quiet till lunchtime. Only returning her to mum's boobs then taking her back so mum could have a little more rest.
A bit later I casually mentioned fishing today.
I set off before light and the temperature dropped to -7 on the way.
Sunrise was spectacular though:
But not quite as good as the bacon bap I stopped for.
On arrriving at the brook it was in good nick.
Although I had to spend twenty minutes defrosting by boots. I'd left them wet in the car and they were solid!
On the way down it started to snow:
And get heavier:
But what a starting place:
Fishing was the usual bentley brook farye. A black shadow here. A take there.
But as the snow got heavy it wet my hands and they got very cold.
One other interesting site on the way home though.
The roads covered with sheep eating the fresh grit.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Saturday, 26 December 2009
Thursday 24th December
Having managed to shut down the office on Wednesday I nipped up to Dovedale.
On the way there the weather could be described as clement:
As I got there just before nine the carpark was still closed.
Anyhow. I just drove on and parked by the bridge. Not sure I should have done that buy hey?
I'll tell you hey - I spent all morning thinking the car would be stuck in the snow.
It's been ages since I've been up to Dovdale. And as the snow was fresh I found myself walking rather than fishing. By the time I'd got to the bridge I'd picked up three out of season trout.
I'd come up here to see if I could stalk one out.
I saw a fish. Ok size sitting mid swim so I waded out to within about 6ft and tied on a tribomb.
Cast once, twice, three times. The forth time it took and I had a fish:
Not to bad. And the best way to catch them. With the car playing on my mind I packed up and set off down the river.
The car came out first time.
Home early. Mrs happy a good day.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
On the way there the weather could be described as clement:
As I got there just before nine the carpark was still closed.
Anyhow. I just drove on and parked by the bridge. Not sure I should have done that buy hey?
I'll tell you hey - I spent all morning thinking the car would be stuck in the snow.
It's been ages since I've been up to Dovdale. And as the snow was fresh I found myself walking rather than fishing. By the time I'd got to the bridge I'd picked up three out of season trout.
I'd come up here to see if I could stalk one out.
I saw a fish. Ok size sitting mid swim so I waded out to within about 6ft and tied on a tribomb.
Cast once, twice, three times. The forth time it took and I had a fish:
Not to bad. And the best way to catch them. With the car playing on my mind I packed up and set off down the river.
The car came out first time.
Home early. Mrs happy a good day.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Norbury, Sunday 13th December 2009
Friday 11th - 9.00pm
Weather's looking good for Sunday. Time to tie some mighty pinks:
Saturday 12th 8.10 am
Weather still looking good. Although cold. Must find gloves.
Sunday 13th 8.23 am
On the way I stopped for oatcakes. There was pissed up people in there on the way home. A good effort.
Anyway weather looking great:
On arriving at ellastone. It all looked good; the river was clear and high.
I headed down to the Rocester end. The only one so fantastic.
On tackling up and heading to the river. Dissapointment. A dozen or so guys all fishing.
Bugger.
Caught one.
But bugger pretty much sums up the day. Very hard going with only four fish.
However another angler caught a 6 inch rainbow - a legendary dove wildie?
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Weather's looking good for Sunday. Time to tie some mighty pinks:
Saturday 12th 8.10 am
Weather still looking good. Although cold. Must find gloves.
Sunday 13th 8.23 am
On the way I stopped for oatcakes. There was pissed up people in there on the way home. A good effort.
Anyway weather looking great:
On arriving at ellastone. It all looked good; the river was clear and high.
I headed down to the Rocester end. The only one so fantastic.
On tackling up and heading to the river. Dissapointment. A dozen or so guys all fishing.
Bugger.
Caught one.
But bugger pretty much sums up the day. Very hard going with only four fish.
However another angler caught a 6 inch rainbow - a legendary dove wildie?
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Saturday, 5 December 2009
Saturday, 15 August 2009
BB Saturday 15th August
Bentley Brook.
I don't know what to say.
I started fishing at about midday and finished seven hours later.
During that time I experienced wonder, excitement, awe, beauty, a pounding chest, dissappointment and was humbled.
On arrival I tackled up and wondered up stream of the ford. A shoal of sticklebacks enterained me until the second cast when I was into my first fish. A perfectly formed 6" grayling.
As it started to rain I wandered back to the car for a jacket and decided to fish downstream of the ford.
A couple of casts later, a kingfisher flew between my rod and the line. Two seconds later my second fish, again a 6" grayling, then a 2lb, then another. It seemed like a good day ahead. It even stopped raining.
The walk down was great to. I'd bought a tape measure for the stiles (working party repairs next weekend) so had to do a little work on the way. Butterflies of allsorts seemed to be everywhere.
Large trees had fallen and once down a little way it was clear that nobody had been down here for months. This one had actually snapped another clean.
No path, so jungle warfare it was.
I dabbled in a couple of places and picked up 2 browns, one about 5" and the other well over a pound, covered in scars - a battler.
Once at the bottom I started to work my way up. Slowly.
Heart in mouth.
At all times there was a fish in front of me or a puff of sediment where they used to be. I took another two graying, and missed four more fish before getting to the canal stretch.
How do you approach this?
I dropped in.
I love it here. Working up slow like a cat. The first thing I noticed, a shoal of baby grayling round my feet no more than 2" long maybe half dozen of them.
Then perhaps a vole, perhaps not, then again, but to difficult to tell.
Shortly followed by two lightning blue flashes as the kingfishers come zipping past, banking in the last milliseconds to avoid me.
A fish, but not for long, it throws the hook.
There's mint (loads of different types) and cress everywhere on the brook.
As I turn a corner just at my feet a grayling shoal with two very large fish at the head. No more than 2ft from me. To close to even drop the nymph on.
I remember the tight casting trick and take the end section off my rod. A 2lb grayling takes the nymph.
Bloody hell. My rods in half I have a fish on it runs and takes line. Unusual for a grayling. It comes back. Straight past me.
I work it in, touch the leader, it's off,
But this being game fishing I'm counting it.
After that in every riffle I take, rise or lose a fish some to dry others to nymph.
I phone my mrs. I not bothering going home for tea.
Eventually I get back to the ford pool. Three trout sitting there. One at monster. I get into position. I cast, they scarper. I wait. They come back. I cast more carefully. They scarper. I repeat this. A few times actually. One looks at the dry. The nymph catches. It moves away. They all scarper. I wait. They come back. One takes the nymph. The hook doesn't set.
Bentley Brook. It always promises for next time.
Oh I then saw the vole. Definatly swimming in the pool above the bridge.
I had one of, if not my best fishing day today.
I don't know what to say.
I started fishing at about midday and finished seven hours later.
During that time I experienced wonder, excitement, awe, beauty, a pounding chest, dissappointment and was humbled.
On arrival I tackled up and wondered up stream of the ford. A shoal of sticklebacks enterained me until the second cast when I was into my first fish. A perfectly formed 6" grayling.
As it started to rain I wandered back to the car for a jacket and decided to fish downstream of the ford.
A couple of casts later, a kingfisher flew between my rod and the line. Two seconds later my second fish, again a 6" grayling, then a 2lb, then another. It seemed like a good day ahead. It even stopped raining.
The walk down was great to. I'd bought a tape measure for the stiles (working party repairs next weekend) so had to do a little work on the way. Butterflies of allsorts seemed to be everywhere.
Large trees had fallen and once down a little way it was clear that nobody had been down here for months. This one had actually snapped another clean.
No path, so jungle warfare it was.
I dabbled in a couple of places and picked up 2 browns, one about 5" and the other well over a pound, covered in scars - a battler.
Once at the bottom I started to work my way up. Slowly.
Heart in mouth.
At all times there was a fish in front of me or a puff of sediment where they used to be. I took another two graying, and missed four more fish before getting to the canal stretch.
How do you approach this?
I dropped in.
I love it here. Working up slow like a cat. The first thing I noticed, a shoal of baby grayling round my feet no more than 2" long maybe half dozen of them.
Then perhaps a vole, perhaps not, then again, but to difficult to tell.
Shortly followed by two lightning blue flashes as the kingfishers come zipping past, banking in the last milliseconds to avoid me.
A fish, but not for long, it throws the hook.
There's mint (loads of different types) and cress everywhere on the brook.
As I turn a corner just at my feet a grayling shoal with two very large fish at the head. No more than 2ft from me. To close to even drop the nymph on.
I remember the tight casting trick and take the end section off my rod. A 2lb grayling takes the nymph.
Bloody hell. My rods in half I have a fish on it runs and takes line. Unusual for a grayling. It comes back. Straight past me.
I work it in, touch the leader, it's off,
But this being game fishing I'm counting it.
After that in every riffle I take, rise or lose a fish some to dry others to nymph.
I phone my mrs. I not bothering going home for tea.
Eventually I get back to the ford pool. Three trout sitting there. One at monster. I get into position. I cast, they scarper. I wait. They come back. I cast more carefully. They scarper. I repeat this. A few times actually. One looks at the dry. The nymph catches. It moves away. They all scarper. I wait. They come back. One takes the nymph. The hook doesn't set.
Bentley Brook. It always promises for next time.
Oh I then saw the vole. Definatly swimming in the pool above the bridge.
I had one of, if not my best fishing day today.
Thursday, 6 August 2009
Tuesday 4th August, Dovedale
Having heard great reports about fishing at Dovedale from the previous evening myself and Rob Hartley ventured up to Dovedale.
Getting there at about 7pm we passed at least one angler who was into 4 fish 20 yrds up from the bridge.
It looked good. We went on past the bouncers that were keeping people away
They clearly saw the quality of Robert and myself and waved us through. Even Russell Crowe kept his distance.
Unfortunatly so did the fish.
If fact so much so I narrowly avoided a blank with only one trout.
What was good to see was the amount of pasioned new members out fishing.
Getting there at about 7pm we passed at least one angler who was into 4 fish 20 yrds up from the bridge.
It looked good. We went on past the bouncers that were keeping people away
They clearly saw the quality of Robert and myself and waved us through. Even Russell Crowe kept his distance.
Unfortunatly so did the fish.
If fact so much so I narrowly avoided a blank with only one trout.
What was good to see was the amount of pasioned new members out fishing.
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