My first fish on the fly from a river.



I normally fish Rutland, but this year after 3 years on a waiting list, I was offered a place on a local river fly fishing club. This morning was my first serious session, and after missing 4 fish, managed to land this one. I was feeling quite pleased with myself, as it was the first time I have ever fished a river.

However my joy was short lived, it was lunch time and I was about to pack up. A transit pick-up pulled up by the gate on the other side of the river and three lads jumped out with telescopic spinnning rods. They stood there looking at me, so I told them that this was a club water, private fishing. 'We always fish here, no ones said any thing before', 'there was a bloke fishing here last week, he never said anything' , 'we only want some fun, we will put the fish back' etc etc etc. With that another Transit pulled up and another four blokes got out, all equiped with spinning gear, they all ignored me and walked of down river and started fishing.

What do you do? I couldnt physically eject them. Is it a police matter? I rang the EA gave them the story and the vehicle registrations, they said they would inform a bailiff.

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http://www.rutlandwaterflyfishers.co.uk/

With what

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It is in truth not glory,nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting,but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with his life.(Declaration of Arbroath, 1320)

You did the right thing - hope the brownie went back.

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How poor a thing, sometimes I find,
Will captivate a greedy mind - Isaac Walton.

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*****©(

wind in your line

catch another,

show the killing fly

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It is in truth not glory,nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting,but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with his life.(Declaration of Arbroath, 1320)

Steal the guys rod reel and line, use his killer fly and return the fish alive

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You guys are too quick!

Loaded the pic from my phone then nipped over to the lap top to add the story!

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http://www.rutlandwaterflyfishers.co.uk/

You did all you can. No fish is worth a kicking so you will just have to inform the correct authorities when ever you see this happening.
ATB
Graham

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It is in truth not glory,nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting,but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with his life.(Declaration of Arbroath, 1320)

It's not worth confronting them. No doubt people will chip in now and say they would beat seven shades of sh1t out of them but the chances are they could pull a knife on you.

By my reckoning you did the right thing. Inform the land owner (must be trespassing), the fishing club (they would send a bailiff?) and the EA (do the EA care? - I'm not sure)

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Nice fish, well done! As for the boof heads, they are poaching, Poaching is against the law, take down the rego numbers of the vans and phone the Police. They may take a few days to follow up on your report but a home visit from the Police may deter them from doing it again. If you have a camera with you take some pics of them fishing as well.
All the best.
Mike

The fish went back safe and sound.

Thought about slashing their tyres, but too worried about reprisals, was in my van which is sign written for my business.

The guy on the incident line at the EA, was not very clued up, took a while for the penny to drop. Then he realised that they were, fishing in the closed season, probably didnt have licences, fishing on a private water. Poachers have been caught on that stretch of water before and prosecuted by the EA.

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http://www.rutlandwaterflyfishers.co.uk/