greekskii

Cheers for the heads up. Hopefully won't Be too much of a problem. Don't mind a longer walk if needs be.

Yeah we have it all booked exclusive. Just after snippets like weed, crayfish, stock (it's on the website but I never believe it unless it comes from anglers, how many times do people claim stocking levels and it just isn't true). Whatever the stock, there is some real nice looking fish. Should be okay in a van? Mines not huge but I know one of the lads has a transit.

Anyone got any info on this place? Heading there in April for a social and can't seem to find much about it.

The EA do more than the average joe knows about. Could you imagine the state things would be in if they didn't do anything. Imagine how many fisheries would be empty without the EA providing emergency response on a Sunday afternoon for free. Any consultant would be charging no less than £2-300 an hour + any equipment you require.

Every fishery is permitted by the EA to be a fishery. Therefore anyone fishing needs to be a license holder. I believe it's in the permit they have. Same as if you register your land as agricultural you are then subject to all sorts of rural obligations and also inspections and fines if required.

Rushed that end bit as I had a few bleeps... we all pay for all sorts of things through tax but may never need it. NHS, welfare, etc. It's exactly the same situation. You pay for it but may never need to use that service. Thing is, we pay the rod licenses and the fisheries get the benefit if they need it. Free of charge. As I said. Many people don't understand the actual costs it takes to inject hydrogen peroxide in to a lake to save the fish. Or true costs of hot footing a number of aerators across the country. The license money also pays for the fish health team in Brampton. You can send a mortality to them and they'll carry out a post mortem free of charge and if it's a disease that's needs treating they'll help you save your stock. Im done. Back to fishing. Really grinds my gears when people don't have a clue. The EA fisheries are the only ones not charging for licenses and permits. They don't charge for advice. Don't charge for saving fish in emergencies. They do however refuse to help commercials free of charge. They will advise them and help organise the necessary equipment. They will help free of charge smaller clubs with low incomes.

To run a fishery as a business you have to be registered with the EA. therefore they have everything to do with it. They publish how they spend the money on an annual basis. So you know exactly where it goes. I see these views from many people however they have no idea how the EA works internally whereas in my job I work with them and see exactly how money gets spent. They have a fund you can bid in to for fishery improvements. Including otter fencing. They money gets spent restocking the rivers. Doing habitat inmprovement schemes and paying for the enforcement officers to go and check licenses amongst a whole host of other things. Id to see it run as an invoiced help. Imagine them saving the stock of a small club and then hitting them with the £50,000 bill. You might never need them to help you personally. Same as the NHS.

The agency can still check you on syndi waters though @yonny

Put it in warm water.

too right. Everyone has the authority. It should be on the fishery owner to check and not sell tickets to those with no license. If they all ran this way, everyone will be forced to buy a license and those that dont will be fishing where they know they wont get checked. It should be part of possessing your fishery license. I know the AT is working on this all the time. I sit on my local consultative and enforcement is a permanent item on the agenda. EA as a government body are not for profit. Any license monies are put back in to the Fisheries team. I know they are starting to increase the amount of warranted bailiffs. How it works is that any member of staff or anyone can ask for your license however only warranted bailiffs can take details and put you up for prosecution. Historically this has just been the enforcement officers, however now members of the FBG (fisheries, biodiversity and morphology) team are being warranted so they can carry out checks whilst out on site and also be on call to respond to call-ins. One thing that I see as counter productive, and it's too late to change now is not charging to get fish movement licenses. This would have increased fisheries revenue massively but wasnt done. Now the system has been changed to an ongoing license, not per movement, the chance to charge is limited. Most fish farms will already have their licenses in place. Unless a new reform on that comes around (unlikely) then you cant introduce charges really as the bulk of the income will have been missed.

Personal view... YES! before a ticket is issued a valid rod license should be produced. Clubs and syndicates should do it too. A very complex system would be required for the online purchases though, some form of verification with the EA database. Problem is it creates more hassle than its worth. You'd lose money, have to chuck someone off the fishery which could result in aggro. An EA officer was assaulted recently http://www.anglersmail.co.uk/news/rod-licence-dodger-guilty-of-assault-74962 A responsible fishery owner would check, one that cares about the industry/environment/etc. unfortunately many are only in it for the money and dont actually care beyond growing the bank balance.

It's double figures still. Nice and mild tonight. One pair of socks and open front with the sides clipped back on the bivvy.

Well I'm out tonight in the mild weather. 4 others were here when I turned up and meant I couldn't fish my normal area. Luckily last week I spread bait all over the lake before I left. I'm giving the other open water area a shot after seeing nothing for 2 hours worth of looking apart from silvers. Three rods cast out with pub chucks looking for a decent drop. Had a single bleep on one but still yet to see/hear a carp! Fingers crossed they get active during the dark and I can locate them.

true. I just feel like I've been missing something and I should have been catching. They are still using the area I have been baiting and catching from. The bailiff saw a fish bosh over it the Wednesday and I fished the Friday night. In the cold water temps i'd not expect them to move far. Oh well, another session is another chance to catch!

Hope to come out of the rut. 3 blanks in a row and not even seeing any signs of the carp. I may be missing something though as my rods arent out until gone 1pm on arrival and I'm packed up and off by 11am. Potentially bite time is sometime inbetween that! luckily getting to stay on longer on Friday so we shall see.

I'm off out Thursday night, the winter solstice. Shortest day of the year coupled with an almost new moon and 10c during the day and down to 9c at night, early morning 7c. Xmas eve looks even better but thats not happening! Anyone have any views on the solstices (summer & winter) fishing wise?

Shocked at that. But again highlights the microclimates that are about. The valley is always fairy extreme in conditions I think. When it rains, it pours. When it's cold, it's arctic. When it's hot, it's very hot. Differs from further up the hill to where I am now. Little 5 acre lake not fully iced over. Your lot are much bigger and deeper and have got majority of it with a lid on.

Depends where that pit is! As I sit here now. About 30% of the lake is iced over. The deepest bay, the shallowest bay and the boathouse bay. Plus a bit of open water. The deep bay has been iced over for a few days now. It started icing last Friday night. The first part of the lake to go. I think everywhere has it's own microclimate. Here it seems to stay hotter for longer in the summer but also stay colder longer in winter. Best winter lakes are the shallowest. Just wish there was a shallow old washing pit close by.

I'm watching the lake ice over. I can actually see the sheet of ice growing.

Springs are hardly running. Overflow out the lake is raging though. Still a mystery as to where they are held up. I've not seen any signs for a while now but I'm not here enough. At least the pair of kingfishers are a joy to watch this frosty morning!

Well I'm currently on my third blank in a row. Both bays were iced over so I went back in the area I've been fishing since September. I had nothing to go on but on Wednesday I got a text from the bailiff telling me a fish boshed out over it. Maybe it'll pay off this morning who knows. Plenty of silvers showing in front of me.

I've found after a lot of use the spod 'button' gets loose and opens on casts, I just turn it around as the original feature is there to allow for spombing in high winds to stop it opening on a real hard chuck. But as it's a bit looser anyway it works a treat. prolongs it's life by a few months anyway. Also with spombs, if they open when being stored for any length of time they are MUCH harder to keep closed

Yep. I hope it does thaw. Was meant to be on a site visit today. Cancelled that though. Didn't need to be sliding around the countryside in the van!

Well the estate lake is frozen solid. A few places free of ice in the margins have got a dribble of bait. Hope it thaws for the weekend but doubt it.

You're my hero. That's brilliant. Hope you have supplies to last you a week! Hope you catch too. Must be boiling insulated by the snow though!