Had just got to the rivers edge on saturday, when a couple of lads, 8 -10years oldish, came up and asked how I was getting on. They bragged that theyd caught a nice trout, which they were taking for their tea. I explained that trout were out of season, and they shouldnt have taken it, and they seemed genuinely unaware. It was on the Itchen navigation by twyford meads, so there was no baliff to tell, and I was unsure what I should do. Should I have tried to confiscate their trout? Report them? Or was a warning/explanation enough for a couple of young anglers?

At that age one would like to think that you comments will be enough to educate them.
Not much point in taking it further as that may well put paid to a couple of youngsters coming into the sport and making a positive contribution later in life.

On the other hand....... maybe not ...


You may never get to find out

As young lad my friends and I often fished on private water and out of season for coarse fish. We were never caught but knew we were doing wrong. It's something that young anglers do. They'll grow out of it hopefully.

Ahem............. no comment..

Those cheeky little scamps!! I think informing rather then chastising is the best way forward. They may have just been pushing their luck though.

IMO think the words should be enough... especially if they looked unaware.. did u see the size of the trout?

David

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Education is the key, you done the right thing.

Imagen you took the fish off them and you were then stopped by the bailif

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Hi', I was an honorary bailiff for 25 years, you did the right thing. Cheers.Jada

Roland - I often fish the Itchen Nav, and I think I would have done the same as you - if they were that young you can't really be too cross with them.

Much more annoying when someone walks past you with a spinning rod and a landing net stuffed with 3 (stocked) brownies that he has just hoiked out of the main river where it joins the Navigation briefly in Otterbourne. I mentioned to him that he'd probably been poaching but he just laughed and went on his way. Not for me to stop him but that was months ago and still makes me go Grrrrrr! Philip

You should have drowned them there & then.