I'm getting reports daily now of 'snatchers' foul-hooking many salmon from the 'free' stretch of the river Wear in Durham City. When approached these poachers are extremely abusive and could easily turn violent.

The "snatchers" use double handed fly rods, extremely fast sinking lines and big treble hooks.

This is a cancer that has plagued Durham for decades.

Please report them to the EA poaching hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

Problem is, unless you catch them red handed, they just claim to be fishing. even if you DO catch them with a fish on, they'll just apologise that its foul hooked.. it's almost impossible to the EA to do anything.

Yes - they have failed to stop it, because of how the law stands, even after 30 years of trying! Sadly, this is a problem with free stretches - it were in club hands it probably wouldnt happen. What a pity the city council can't offer a free gesture to the residents of Durham without criminals taking over.

Surely a video of the alleged crime being carried out, along any fish that have flesh wound from the oversized trebles that they use as "flies"" would suffice?

Thats the problem, not enough gets done to stop poaching (in the main) and decent fishers move elsewhere.

It would take a brave chap to stand there with a video I can tell you. But clever surveillance may help.

The EA do place cameras in problem areas and there are many prosecutions relating to stroke hauling in the North East area. Keep reporting incidents as soon as you witness them.

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The problem is, some of these hooks are sparsely dressed to look likke a fly to the casual observer. theyre cast in, and swept round just like legit. salmon fishing. how can the EA do anything?>? Don't get me wrong, it's dispicable but almost impossible to police.

If its impossible to police, then make the weir/pools that are their favourite haunts off limits to fishing. At least it will stop the day light snatchers.

But it'd also keep the proper fishers from the best parts of the river. The best thing is to make the river C&R. that way, anyone caught with a fish, is a poacher, simple as. The 'true' fishermen won't mind in the large part to returning their fish, and the poacher can get his come-uppance.

Could a fishing rule/bylaw in certain locations be implemented where the use of trebles is not allowed ? Yes, it is unfair to those legitimate anglers but then those responsible for snatching can be more easily policed. A little give and take by the legal anglers ? If the result of getting these persons to stop this is only fishing single hooks then it could be a good compromise. At the end of the day it will be the fish that benefit the most.