As it's nearly that time and there's a lot of discussion around on the subject (coarse fishing press etc.), what are the forum's "classic coarse fishing" members views on the abolition of the closed season for coarse fish in rivers?

To start of a discussion, I'm a little concerned to say the least....

Most of my local rivers are already overrun with big fish "chasers", abolishing the closed season will be the final nail in the coffin. I can see it now, leads and feeders being cast into the spawning shoals.....

TF

imo there are plenty of privately owned lakes around for those who wish to fish all year around, As i do for carp and rainbow trout lakes open all year around
Closed season is obviously here for a reason. Why change it??????

Keep it closed give the fish time to spawn , the same people who throw a feeder into a shoal of spawning fish are in all likely hood the same ones who I see on the Ribble when I'm out with the fly in the close season in the last few years . You will unfortunately always have idiots getting rid of a close season will only make it easier for them

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I wind about, and in and out,
With here a blossom sailing,
And here and there a lusty trout,
And here and there a grayling,

And here and there a foamy flake
Upon me, as I travel
With many a silvery waterbreak
Above the golden gravel,

And draw them all along, and flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on for ever.

-- Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Tony http://timebytheriver.blogspot.com/

I would like to see it retained.Perhaps dates could be juggled around a bit.No fish spawn on time and to order,but a break i think is still needed.
Although i still fish on lakes ,i do miss the excitment of all the preperation and expectation of the old close season re opening on 16th.

I'm for keeping it - never really wanted it relaxing for stillwaters in the first place. Mainly for fish welfare, but also just cos I grew up with the closed season and June 16th was "the" date in my diary, build up to it for months, reccying new waters, planning tactics, first chuck in at midnight on 16th etc...ahh. When they abolished it, it didn't feel like I was been given more fishing, it felt like someone was taking away June 16th. Anyway, hope to get my last few hours on the river this weekend after a chub or two, fingers crossed.

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I think we should go back to the old close seasons for all coarse fish on all waters. It was abolished to please the tackle and bait industry. Let the places, the nesting birds and the fish have some respite. It would make opening days special again.

richard

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Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."

Well, we seem to be getting a pattern here. Most folk want to keep the season and I am firmly in this camp too. This also seems to be borne out by a recent article I read stating some figures that most coarse fishers wish to keep the closed season. If this is the case why the push to abolish it that I find in certain press publications? The cynic in me could almost believe that base commercial interests are more powerful than the need to protect, conserve and maintain a special natural environment...

There may possibly be a case for 'tweaking' the dates to better reflect spawning periods but I would always support a period of rest for the environment.

If it ain't broke, don't try and fix it !

I agree...the close season should be Kept, on stillwaters also... though I think the owners of commercial fisheries would have a say about that....And money, as we all know, talks.

Sf