Well done Pete, good to hear you are off the mark. Whilst i dont want to get into politics on the new EA 'consultation' (i.e. done deal already decided) you would have had to put your dead fish back to float away belly up. Like you iv not killed a fish out of want for 13 plus years yet iv seen three die from deep hooking in the years since. One was the last fresh run sealiced October grilse a guest of mine caught on fly at Low Moor, deep hooked on a size 12 fly it simply died as netted, went pale and expired. I took it as my clubs one fish limit. The onother two were fresh Springers on fly at Clitheroe who engulfed my size 10 double and bled to death. Having to watch them float off belly up really affected me. The Ribble has hit 100% or a percentage below for years so why impose mandatory rules? I know some rivers and areas to take a higher percentage of fish but address it catchment
by catchment. The EA will no doubt state its un-enforcable given reasource reductions but how do they intend to manage the worm ban for salmon when you can fish worm for other species on mixed fisheries. Whilst i rarely fish the worm the ban will fold many small clubs on small spate rivers not suited to fly. Also it will prevent some immobile anglers who cant wade/stand for hours not to mention spate streams that encounter 3 or 4 rises in their running season. Luckily the Ribble is not one of those but i have friends on Commitees on clubs on the Cumbrian Esk, Irt, Annas etc where majority of fishing is worm in low water, they return all their catch and strike immediatly to avoid deep hooking. Those clubs will go under. Assuming the worm ban is because of deep hooking iv never had to kill a worm caught fish due to deep hook bleeding but i have many on spinner and a number on fly, mainly springers. I am all for releasing fish but restrictions ring the doom bells for the sport on many rivers. I also question the EAs classification system, it recently publically stated the Tyne was failing quoting counter data when counters had been out of operation for months of the last few seasons. The Border Esk has fished its head off this year, good runs, great catches kept quiet yes, but EA says its Salmon are on the verge of extintion. How can an organosation of not fit for purpose, under resourced Quangos, many not fisher people or having an understand of our iconic species life cycle or cyclic run timings be allowed to make permanent changes to law affecting the future (death) of the sport we love. We anglers are custodians of the rivers, we care and nurture the species, we report pollution, rod poaching but our opinions wont be listened to. I will provide my response to the consultation but i know i wont be listened to. The only acceptable ban is to ban banning, let us anglers, river trusts and regional consultatives manage the catchments. Not some acne suffering post graduate intern decide the future based on floored data. Apologies Pedro for hijacking your sucess post! Rant over.
