salmo
Advisory Board
Posts: 1,814
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Post by salmo on Nov 20, 2007 21:36:52 GMT
The mighty Tay is struggling with fish numbers. It is the earliest to open in the year. It kills the largest % of fish out of all the Scottish rivers.
It has very liberal rules on worm fishing. Fish often swallow baits and appear to be more distressed by being hooked than when hooked in the mouth. This can make catch and release seem cruel and impractical.
It allows spinning which can damage more fish particularly when treble hooks are used.
There are many external factors other than angling, such as smolt survival, survival at sea, and lack of food due to sand eel harvest, among other things.
However, it would be great to see that the angling community was doing everything it could to help save this once great river.
Please vote in our poll and we will forward the results to the Tay District Fisheries Board and the relevant authorities.
If you disagree with catch and release please let us know.
salmo
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Speyducer
Advisory Board
Release to spawn another day
Posts: 4,123
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Post by Speyducer on Nov 20, 2007 21:41:55 GMT
Never fished the Tay, but if 100% catch & release is not instituted, as has been shown to be dramatically successful on the Dee (a shining beacon of an example that ALL other river systems in Scotland need to bow to), then within 5 to 10 years, the riparian owners won't be able to give away their rod days.
Mike
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Speyducer
Advisory Board
Release to spawn another day
Posts: 4,123
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Post by Speyducer on Nov 20, 2007 21:44:37 GMT
Another point - all worming to be banned, period.
Spinning (ie non-fly fishing) only to be allowed when the water is more than 30 inches above summer level, NEVER at any other times.
Mike
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conwyrod
Advisory Board
Autumn on the Conwy
Posts: 4,659
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Post by conwyrod on Nov 20, 2007 21:48:19 GMT
I voted for 100% catch release, but after stocks recover I'd be happier with a bag limit of say 2 fish per season per angler. Difficult to enforce without a tag system, but I do worry that 100% C&R is playing into the hands of the antis. I can boast a 100% C&R record for the Tay system - my April fish off the Tummel was released.
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Post by salmonking on Nov 20, 2007 21:56:19 GMT
100% yes,,in a nutshell,,, Mike.
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djb
Active Member
Posts: 359
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Post by djb on Nov 20, 2007 21:56:51 GMT
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Post by G Ritchie on Nov 20, 2007 22:05:43 GMT
I would follow the Dee system, 100% C&R, with any bleeders which have to be killed, handed in to the estate, to minimize the temptation of some to claim the fish was a bleeder as an excuse to kill it. I personally don't like to see mandatory C&R brought in as a by-law, as on the Esks, where you are legally required to return all fish (up until the end of May on the North and South Esk I believe) because I think that it is morally the right thing to do, to cleanly kill any fish which will obviously not survive release.
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lamson
Active Member
Posts: 429
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Post by lamson on Nov 20, 2007 22:07:38 GMT
Yes, hopefully as part of an effective strategy.
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salmo
Advisory Board
Posts: 1,814
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Post by salmo on Nov 20, 2007 23:50:37 GMT
The other thing I forgot to mention with 100% CR is that it is likely to have the quickest impact as a conservation measure because it can be effected immediately. Some of the other challenges mentioned will take several years to put into effect because they involve governments, lobbying bodies, EU law, fund raising etc etc.
Once CR is instituted it will become a way of life and hopefully everyone will enjoy catching more salmon.
salmo
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Post by victorclem2 on Nov 21, 2007 9:36:36 GMT
Yes from me. Good poll guys.
VC
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djb
Active Member
Posts: 359
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Post by djb on Nov 21, 2007 16:28:01 GMT
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Speyducer
Advisory Board
Release to spawn another day
Posts: 4,123
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Post by Speyducer on Nov 21, 2007 18:01:50 GMT
Where can Joe Public view the past 10 to 15 years or so of catch returns for the major Scottish river systems?
Are there any online resources that can be accessed?
Mike
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djb
Active Member
Posts: 359
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Post by djb on Nov 21, 2007 18:14:48 GMT
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Post by guay on Nov 21, 2007 18:16:03 GMT
Speyducer, all the info you require is available to the public by logging onto the relevent river boards website then looking at the data charts!! makes interesting reading......ie for he Tay look at the TDSFB site.and all the info is there Regards Guay
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djb
Active Member
Posts: 359
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Post by djb on Nov 21, 2007 18:55:59 GMT
Interesting when looking at these as one of the factors not included is angling pressure/numbers of people fishing.
Maybe someone can enlighten us as to how widely available was fishing on the Tay to the "general" public in the 50's, 60's 70's etc compared to more recently and in particular with the advent of FishTay etc. I know some beats were only used by the owners or let to friends etc up until a few years ago??
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Post by speyghillie on Nov 21, 2007 19:53:36 GMT
I know Jock Monteith fairly well and appreciate the lengths he has gone to raise funding for the habitat improvement scheme. The Tay Fishery Board must be very embarrased with their management of the river or simply don't care. I firmly believe at this moment that they need a 100% C & R along with the scheme above if they are to improve fish stocks.
Well done Jock Monteith a man with 'reel' passion.
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Speyducer
Advisory Board
Release to spawn another day
Posts: 4,123
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Post by Speyducer on Nov 22, 2007 21:56:23 GMT
Some more votes needed, guys!
Mike
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Post by victorclem2 on Nov 24, 2007 20:44:10 GMT
Although not too many votes, 70% for 100% C & R is a good return, which if replicated on the river would double the current return rate of 35%.
The other forum is currently on 69 votes, 75% in favour, so fair bit of consistancy there.
Are we learning any thing from these polls, or are results roughly what people would expect??
VC
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Speyducer
Advisory Board
Release to spawn another day
Posts: 4,123
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Post by Speyducer on Nov 24, 2007 21:00:06 GMT
Although not too many votes, 70% for 100% C & R is a good return, which if replicated on the river would double the current return rate of 35%. The other forum is currently on 69 votes, 75% in favour, so fair bit of consistancy there. Are we learning any thing from these polls, or are results roughly what people would expect?? VC Victor, The figures suggest there may be a better than 70% release rate, and if this same proportion was folllowed as is currently shown.... Say 2600 fish were caught, ie 100 per person who voted; The 2 who felt that C&R is a 'waste of time' may be presumed to chap all 200 The 5 who felt that 50% C&R was about right would return 250 of their 500 fish for the period The one who felt that 80% C&R was better would return 80 of his/her 100 fish And the 18 majority who agreed 100% C&R was the best way forward would return all their 1800 fish This adds up to 2130 returns for 2600 fish; BUT we must subtract those unfortunate bleeders (fish which would have otherwise been returned) @ about 5% This would leave 2024 fish returned of the 2600 which is 77.8% release rate - Considerably better that the recent Tay figures. Promising is the word I would use for what has come out of this survey so far. Mike
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Post by guay on Nov 24, 2007 22:41:32 GMT
Very quiet on the forum just now!!! and would have to say, very poor turn out for the poll on both fora!!! wonder why this is? Could it be they are more interested in watching "I'm a Ghillie Git mee oot o' here!!! ;D Gooie
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