It is not easy for those who manage the river. Plaudits when things are going well. Brickbats when they are not. We all want one thing for the Tweed, the river to prosper.
The puzzle is, however, this: why do they (the RTC/Foundation) constantly talk up the river, "record" years, amongst the best salmon rivers in the world etc when the reality is that like many natural resources the salmon is under real pressure and the Tweed is suffering.
Consider:
- the Tweed has the longest season of any river in the country.
- In the last ten years rod numbers have doubled or maybe trebled. For example, our neighbours have increased their rod numbers from six to nine in the most prolific part of the season and instead of stopping fishing (in the main) at 5.00 pm fish on 'till dark. Their boatmen fish in the evenings and at lunchtimes – why?
- Factor in the number of extra rods and fishing effort throughout the river, the length of the season, the number of fish that are caught more than once by dint of catch and release.
- Take out the number of very small fish and then worry about what would have happened if the nets in the river and at sea had not been bought off.
The returns then look pretty sad. This year the rod caught salmon and grilse catch was only 10,465.
- Go back ten years before the advent of FishTweed and let us say conservatively that fishing pressure has doubled in that time. Adjusting the 2010 figure by half it becomes 5,233 fish.
- Let us say that of those 60% were returned (on our beat I think that would be a low estimate) of which one in five was caught a second time. Knock off another 627 for the caught twice fish to come to an adjusted figure of 4,596.
- Nowadays a big proportion of our "salmon" are in fact grilse or rather very small fish of 5 - 6 lbs and under, let us say generously, 30%. for which because they are grilse (or small fish) we subtract another 1379 fish.
Net result (no pun intended) you are left with an adjusted figure of 3,217 salmon despite the fact that the netting in the river is now almost non existent and the drift nets have all but gone.
How RTC does that compare with past glories? Why then, boys of the RTC, do you carry on talking up the river?
This is what our Chairman said in February 2008:
"It is relevant to emphasise that fishing effort now as compared to the immediate post-war decades may be a factor of two, three or four, not only as regards rod numbers but also hours spent on the river. It is for this reason, more than the vagaries of weather and water, that I would not want to draw too many conclusions about the 2007 rod catch when comparing it to other prolific years of the past”He overlooked the massive advances in fishing tackle and techniques which came on top of the rod numbers.
But this is what he said in 2010:
"Andrew Douglas-Home, Chairman of the Commission, said "2009 was not that bad a fishing year; indeed, I would be surprised if any other UK river exceeded our rod catch of Salmon last year. It is also well in the top half of Tweed rod catches of the last 30 years. Almost all UK Salmon rivers suffered reduced catches in 2009. Our reduction of 25% (from our previous 5 year average of 14,000) being pretty typical.""So, we have now forgotten the three or fourfold increase in fishing effort.
And you measure trout and grayling caught with a different yardstick to salmon. Why?
Oracle in May 2007:
"24th May 2007 The survey also involves counting the numbers of anglers within the given sections (as it is not always possible to interview every angler) which will provide vital information on angling pressure. Some indication of angling pressure is vital for advising Angling Associations on bag limits for wild trout."
RTC, why do you avoid measuring your "record" salmon years against angling pressure?
And you claim that salmon are rarely caught twice despite the Carron evidence (up to four times) and the grayling evidence recorded by your very own and appropriately named spokesman, Oracle (defined by the Oxford as a priest or priestess acting as a medium for divine advice or prophecy …….. or an infallible authority)
"February 2007 "Of the five Grayling tagged at Drygrange on The Leader Water on 16th December 2006, three (60%) have now been recaptured. All were caught in the same place where they were tagged, and one has been caught twice (on the same day)!"Are we being led to believe that salmon are brighter than grayling?
.
Stop passing the buck to the conditions at sea.
Every day in early 2010 you can see the biggest fish recorded on FishTweed. Most days there is a fish of 15lbs plus.
This is what you were saying in 2007:
"April 07 The usual sort of Tweed Spring Salmon ranges from 6 to 12lbs, small compared to those in some other rivers. However, this year there have been a number of larger fish caught, some even over 20lbs. This is of great interest as fish of 12 to 16lbs are almost certainly repeat spawners that have survived to run the River a second time. Fish of 18lbs and over are, on the other hand, three Sea Winter fish that have spent a whole year extra at sea. These have been very rare fish on the Tweed for a long time – you have to go back to the 1920’s to find such fish as a normal and visible component of the population. Being so rare, the more of these large fish that are returned, the better."
and
"Other points of interest are that 3 Sea Winter fish generally return earlier in the season than the standard 2 Sea Winter fish and greater numbers of such older fish and of repeat spawners suggests that survival at sea might have been better than usual for this season’s fish."
So please now square for me the 2010 excuse against what your scientists were saying in 2007.
Not one of your fish tagged in the river in 2009 was caught again.
"Friday 2nd October 2009 : Still none of this year's tagged fish been caught, not even the ones tagged in August. Usually we get the first recaptures while the tagging is still going or just after it finishes. The bailiffs say there is beginning to be an accumulation of fish below Coldstream, so perhaps the tagged fish are still right down river."
I don't think you really know what is going on. Until you start facing the realities of Tweed life and stop talking up a deteriorating river you aren't going to start doing what the Foundation is supposed to do - finding answers.
Answers please. As soon as possible if you don't mind.
63 comments:
You say that not one of the fish that the Tweed foundation tagged in 2009 was caught well I caught one of them near Coldstream about 6 weeks after it had been tagged thought you would of heard about it.
You are saying that one in 5 fish are caught twice how do you work that one out and how do you know its been caught before unless it has a tag in it, and when the springers were being tagged I heard that of the 1000 fish tagged and returned one spring only 46 were reported caught again, and just think at least two people had the pleasure of catching a Salmon and the fish still goes on to spawn
Dear Grant,
Someone is having a touch of memory loss.
This is exactly what Dr Campbell said:
"Friday 2nd October 2009 : Still none of this year's tagged fish been caught, not even the ones tagged in August. Usually we get the first recaptures while the tagging is still going or just after it finishes. The bailiffs say there is beginning to be an accumulation of fish below Coldstream, so perhaps the tagged fish are still right down river."
Dear Grant,
I apologise for the delay in dealing with your point about the number of fish that are caught more than once. Someone has hidden my copies of Trout and Salmon.
These are extracts from Mt Kindness' article on T and S in January 2010. Copied without permission.
All anglers follow a protocol for fishing the river which includes the use of a specially designed keep-net. This keep-net must be carried at all times so that every salmon when caught is retained to be examined before being released. The nets are easily set up in the river in a gentle flow once a salmon has been inserted ( photo 1). The salmon can be left long enough in the net to ensure complete recovery before being released. The net also gives ‘bleeders', which have been hooked in the gills, a chance to recover. Normally these fish would automatically be killed on the assumption that they would not survive if released. However, during the last two seasons several ‘bleeders' on the Carron have recovered fully having been left for several hours in keep-nets. Indeed one of these fish went on to be caught twice more before being retained as a brood fish.
To ascertain the frequency of multi-captures of salmon on the Carron, a marking programme was established in 2005 and has continued each year since.
the method chosen was to mark fish by applying the biological stain alcian blue as specific spots on the ventral surface.
Between 2005 and 2009 a total of 362 rod caught salmon were marked before being released.
2009
· 54 salmon were marked between 08/05/09 and 25/09/09.
· 15 salmon were caught a second time.
· 2 salmon were caught 3 times.
Because this type of marking allows individual salmon to be recognised, interesting information on the movements of fish between captures and the time gap can be gathered. The patterns were similar for each of the years of the trial. There was a fairly even mix between fish being caught in exactly the same place (3 months between captures in the case of one fish), fish moving up the river and those moving down the river. In the latter case, one salmon was caught in Loch Dughaill on 20/08/09 and was then caught again on 02/09/09 having moved about 6 miles back down the river. The time gap between captures also varied considerably with the shortest being 2 days and the longest in the same season being 113 days. This fish was of particular interest. It was the first salmon of the season, caught as a ‘sea licer' on 08/05/09 in the lower part of the river. It was caught a second time on 29/08/09
having moved up 7 pools and was then caught a third time on 19/10/09 having gone back down 3 pools. It was obviously an early running fish that had no intention of leaving the lower part of the river. Ironically, it was the same angler who caught it on the first and third occasions.
However, the most significant result from the marking trials is the number of times that marked salmon were re-captured and not only twice but three and even four times. Despite the fact that the Carron is a very lightly fished river (on average less than 4 rods per day for the entire river during the peak of the season) and that only the lower third of the river is fished effectively, a surprising number of salmon were caught more than once. This was especially the case for the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Evidence of such a high re-capture rate is not only significant for the Carron but provides valuable information for all rivers where catch and release is practised.
Do you really like the thought that fish are hauled out, sometimes by the tail and returned to (if they survive) to be hauled out again and again for your pleasure?
The comment "just think, at least two people had the pleasure of catching a Salmon..." is, to say the least, unfortunate not to mention unsporting. This is precisely the sort of thing that will bring criticism from our friends in the LACS and PETA. Wathc out for antis on Coldstream bridge!
You cant choose the ones that take a fly/spinner, if it takes again it survived its first encounter and must of been handled with care as it was returned which I would expect all anglers to do, none of us want to stop fishing and with total catch and release here we have to look after what fish we have. Or do you advocate kill every fish you catch or stop fishing after you have caught one? Someone travels 350 miles to fish gets a fish first cast then has to pack up for the day, that will result in nobody fishing. I think beachcaster is on the right track.
Dear Grant,
There you go - you are doing it again.
The unscientific Foundation say that fish are rarely caught twice.
The rather more thoughtful Carron shows that is baloney.
You confidently challenge my guesstimate of 20% on the Tweed. You say:
"You are saying that one in 5 fish are caught twice how do you work that one out and how do you know its been caught before unless it has a tag in it, and when the springers were being tagged I heard that of the 1000 fish tagged and returned one spring only 46 were reported caught again"
and as soon as you are caught out you change the subject.
Do we accept or not that, for example in the case of the Carron, 33% were caught twice in 2009?
That Might be the case on the Carron and I'm sure their findings are correct on the Carron, so if you accept them as fact from their biologists, then you have to accept the Tweed recapture rate as fact, it wasn't as if they were trying to build up the numbers was it ? It was just stating what was reported to them by the Ghillies and Boatmen on the river who were taking note of tagged fish recaught on their beats, I cant remember the exact number but it wasn't many.
Dear Grant,
Sorry, I am not buying that line either.
I cannot prove this statement but I am told, and it seems logical, that the fewer the fish the higher the recapture rates.
Moreover there was an earlier T and S article (kept somewhere safe but cannot be found at this very moment) by/about a Spey Ghillie who conducted his own recapture experiments the results of which were at odds with Tweed Head Office.
I think the Foundation reported 46 caught again out of 1000. I doubt –but am guessing – that to tag 1000 they cannot have been early season spring fish. It could be that the 1000 were tagged over several seasons.
Whatever, two rivers (Spey and Carron) would refute what is said by the Foundation and there are questions to be asked about Tweed methodology and timing.
You then seem to have a mindset about springers.
Our whole season is changing. We used to have a few leftover "winter" salmon followed by a spring run followed by a summer grilse run and finally an autumn run.
Our beat did not see fish in numbers in 2009 'till the late summer (certainly mid August - I would have to check) and the point I am therefore making is that from February to August we are attempting to repeatedly catch what few fish are in the river.
Those fish happen to include the diminishing spring stock.
The pictures on the Fish Tweed page of this blog are revealing of a previous attitude (kill everything you catch) that must in part be responsible for our current predicament. However, total catch and release presents its own difficulties. Why fish for wild salmon if you are not going to eat your quarry. Thus the answer must be restraint. Here are some proposals:
1. A shorter season. Why do we need the river to be open for 10 months of the year?
2. Bag limits.
3. Yes, stop fishing when you kill a fish. It works on the Ridge Pool and I don't see the queues there diminishing as a result.
4. No bait fishing.
5. Single barbless hooks only for fly and spinners. Some may even say no spinning.
I am sure that there are other and better ideas out there. So let's hear them rather than arguing about how many smolts we can fit on the head of a pin.
Dear Beachcaster,
I have had a bit of a go in a new page.
One point I would like to make is that there was massive exploitation of salmon in the Tweed between the 17th and 20th centuries. What has happened in the last twenty or thirty years pales into insignificance in comparison.
This is an interesting BBC link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/science_and_environment/10096649.stm
Nope, it was a 1000 in one season from Feb up to the middle of June, I do agree the fewer the fish the higher the recapture and the longer the season the more chance they have of being caught, but anyone killing a springer in July/Aug/Sept or later should be banned off the river.
You mean people like the netsmen?
Ah ha we agree at last! Had a look over Coldstream bridge on Sunday past and counted a dozen fish, two on the gravel and the rest about 5 yards back a couple were smaller and could of been Seatrout but nice to see them all the same.
Dear Grant,
Nets: we do not agree.
I think your position might be this: the nets come off. More fish in the river. The more fishermen the more money for the owners.
Sorry, I am not having that.
So you want the nets back on!!!!!!!! More fish in the river everybody is happier. What about your hatchery I thought the whole idea of a hatchery is to get more fish in the river, don't tell me you are going to breed all these fish for the netsmen? Mind you that's only if a Hatchery works in the first place. Not more money for the owners rods will only stand so much and there would have to be some increase of fish to put rents up. But then again take a week on some of the Russian rivers 1000s of Grilse £14000 a week and no shortage of rods there. Also if there are more fish in the Tweed you will/should catch more on your beat putting up the value of your syndicate rod should you ever want to sell it and I shouldn't think you would let it go at half price. By the way how much do you charge for a day on your beat? Whats the average price of a Spring rod and an Autumn rod have you dropped your prices this year?
Dear Grant,
Letting. When you say "you" do you mean me or Lennel?
I have given away all my Autumn spare autumn fishing. I think we (Lennel) are cheaper by a mile than our neighbours.
Have a word with Coldstream and District before you sneer at my attitude to the fishing and its value.
Hatchery. Who said I wanted a hatchery? Not me. I want to see planning for hatcheries and, contemporaneously, genetic research followed by management decisions in the light of developments. The Tweed may not be right for a hatchery. However, there is nothing wrong with planning for the worst. Planning takes time. By the time we have an emergency it might be too late.
Genetic research may show it would be sensible to selectively help certain strains – who knows?
I do not accept the RTC's ten reasons pinned on our hut wall for not having a hatchery. Someone has added the critique "all balls". I don't like the one sided announcement either. No debate. Just a decision.
The nets. You are putting words into my mouth again.
Removing the nets at sea has made no difference to the general decline. Removal of the in river nets made a difference for a year or two but it was not all positive. We now get a lot of red fish. Goodness knows what they are like when they get to Peebles.
I had a very interesting talk to Mr Home Robertson last year and whilst I think his stance may have been just twenty years ago I think he is wrong today.
A fish is just as dead on the bank whether it is caught by a rod or in a net but I can't bear the thought that the sea trout are being hoovered up and sold for peanuts.
I would like everyone to get together and work out a radical conservation/improvement plan and to include the netsmen. We cannot say you stop but we are carrying on as normal can we?
To say we will return everything for the next eight weeks but after that it is business as usual and in the meantime the nets carry on killing was just crass.
I also think if you demand the end of netting (and let us be blunt, you mean Paxton) you are going to get a bloody nose.
Russia. No chance, you go to Russia. I want to fish the Tweed 'till I drop dead, thank you.
How do the nets being on or off cause the fish to become red? They are either there or not if the nets get them they are dead I've never seen a netsman return a Salmon or even heard of such a thing.Anyway I would rather have red fish in the river that will spawn than dead fish. Your new comment 12th May Salmon is saying to me that you advocate killing your catch, so once you have killed enough you stop fishing or is it catch one then stop fishing, and anyone who is lifting Springers/fish out by the tail should be named and shamed and in my view publicly flogged.
Dear Grant,
The nets and red fish. Well Grant it's like this: if the river was low for a longish period in the summer there would be a build up of fish which (before they were bought off) were thinned out by the nets.
When the nets went fish would stay maturing in the lower river (untouched by the netsmen) until the first fresh water and up they would come. Twenty to thirty years ago the majority were clean fish. It was obvious that that changed in the first and second years after the netting buy off. Now, in the Autumn when having banter about who has caught what the first question is how many and the second were they coloured.
I have caught a coloured fish complete with tide lice.
Have a look at Falkus on Freshwater Fishing at page 194. Illustration 191. Twelve fish in the picture (fish not two pound grilse) taken on November 5th at Kelso. I repeat KELSO. The caption reads "the photograph shows a catch made on 5 November that does not include one coloured or even partially coloured fish." I would be amazed if I ever saw that again. That is what the Tweed was famous for, not the over-pumped fishery that costs £1,000.00 a day in 2010.
When the rod and net fishing on the Thurso was in one ownership the netting was turned on and off according to the conditions. Too many fish with the risk of disease, the netting started.
Of course we cannot make management decisions like that because of money. We cannot say the run this year is poor we will stop fishing – the sort of thing the Canadians might do. What would all those poor owners do? All that money lost if the fishing stopped. Out of the question.
My fishing habits. I have already told you I have only killed three fish in the last two and a half seasons and you are jumping to false conclusions (and if I may say so a rather aggressive and provocative way) about the way I behave on the river.
I did not know you were a hanger and flogger, a member of the self righteous emerging Tweed Taliban. Have you thought through what you are saying? And if, as you claim, you are unable to tell the difference between a fish and a grilse you are really going to struggle with a springer, a grilse a summer fish or an early autumn runner or, horror, an autumn running early springer.
I have premonition that a lot of innocent people are going to be hung this summer as a result of mistakes and misunderstandings. Anglers and ghillies hanging by their necks from Coldstream Bridge. A leper colony for those who have made a mistake. And in the square at Kelso Mrs Grant in a burka dutifully watching whilst her husband does a bit of stoning.
May 2010 12:05
grant said...
No I'm not finished yet even though your blog site seems not to want to accept any more comments. Why did your Ghillie at Lennel not report the fish?
Does it matter who caught the fish at Tillmouth if there were no rods then the Ghillies fish at least it shows they can be caught if you try.
Are the Lennel Ghillies not allowed to fish?
And on the subject of ducking questions what do you want to see catch and release or kill every one you catch or stop fishing I've asked you 3 or 4 times now but no answer it must be difficult for you.
25 May 2010 19:02
grant said...
You must favour catch and release Tweed lover as you tell me you have only killed 3 fish in the last two and a half seasons, and don't tell me that's all the fish you have caught, so you must of released the rest, poor fish being released so they can go and spawn just what the anti's want to see!!!!!!!!!!!
25 May 2010 22:25
And what about the catch and release issue still not answered that one, give it an answer and I'll leave you alone for a while. Catch and release, kill what you catch or stop fishing what one?
26 May 2010 20:55
grant said...
Dear Sore Bill I see that you have to pay extra for a Boatman on Tweed lovers beat so that makes it £105 per day just a smidge cheaper than Tillmouth. Where you going to fish I think looking at the catches I would choose Tillmouth mind you fishtweed might be wrong with there reports you never know. Anyway what's the answer to the question need it before the end of the week as going on holiday and cant wait for the answer!
26 May 2010 22:44
Dear Grant,
Before you go on holiday nip down to the Lennel hut, ask to see the records and then be man enough to apologise.
Dear Grant,
I have edited out your sleight about the Lennel record keeping.
If you ever had any genuine intention of putting the other side of the story this is your chance to prove it.
Go to Lennel. Ask to see the records and then be a man, apologise.
If you have not got the spine to do that (given what you have said on this public site) use your contacts at the RTC, ask to see our 2009 return and then compare it with what was shown on FishTweed.
To put it simply, we declare more fish to the RTC than appear on FishTweed.
A fulsome apology is due. And when you make that apology remember this: your libel was also aimed at our boatmen.
I forgot your question. I do not want total catch and return nor do I want to kill everything.
Stop being so tetchy! You are quite happy to slag other people off along with other users on this site. If the fish were not put on the web as someone forgot to or the boatman found out about them late then there we are. No apology required, anyway Dugger's a grand lad. So you are happy with selective catch and release? Say coloured fish? I would agree with that. What about the Spring fish as there are so few of them Catch and release for them or keep every other one? And I don't think that Fishtweed has anything to do with the running of the Tweed Its a business run by J Leeming as far as I know, a site where you can let your fishing report you catches and advertise your beat.
What would you regard as a good spring total off an average Tweed beat Feb- Mid June?
Having fished Tweed for more than half a century , i like many others have great concern as to the future of my beloved river. This is my first visit to this site,having read all comments i am encouraged in most by what i have read. (Apart from Blogger Grant),who's antagonistic, you say sugar i'll say s--t attitude is very sad. I think he has been hired to stir things up. I cannot believe anyone could spout such nonsense with such regularity unless being put up to do so. They are views without substance and if you are a Tweed Fisher you should be ashamed of yourself. In all my years on Tweed i have never known such despodency, doom and gloom from both anglers and boatmen. My question is-what are the next moves of those elected to protect the fish stocks of Tweed? No matter how they dress it up- this once great river is a river in freefall decline. More research-research-research.No plan B. No Hatchery. No plan B. Nothing more can be raped from the fishers of Tweed. Over the years-Prawn banned-Shrimp banned-Worm banned.Partial catch and release-Total catch and release-Bleeding fish handed over to authority. Those who spin were branded "The Toby Weilding Brigade"by Chairman Douglas Home who wanted to ban Spinning. what next- Rubber Hooks? Rods made out of Liquorish? I ask the question- where are you going with our River Mr. Douglas Home, or is it time that you should go!
So if The tweed has had it what does that say about the rest of the rivers in the country, the tweed catches are going up( apart from last year) we catch more than any other river. Why did nobody complain 10 years ago when the average catch was 9000/10,000? 2007 16,100 fish caught
If you think so highly about the Lennel head Boatman, why have you said things which are untrue about the numbers of fish he catches?
The cost of a day at Lennel – you can fish Lennel sharing or without a boatman so your snipe about the price was wrong as well and worse you have made allegations by innuendo about dishonest recording.
What connection do you have with the RTC/Foundation? You obviously take part in their activities because you have said so.
I have given permission for you to inspect our historical records (ask Miss Hiart) so I ask again is there going to be an apology?
A point of order: the RTC is an elected body. It consists of 43 local authority appointees and 38 representatives of the proprietors. The latter are supposed to be elected by all the proprietors on Tweed on a one proprietor- one vote basis. The election should take place annually. I did not hear of any such election this year (or indeed in recent years)and I understand that the proprietary commissioners are effectively self-appointed - a bit like the worst sort of golf club committee. Perhaps this is part of the problem? Perhaps we should be told?
Once again Grant, you have showed a complete lack of knowledge with regard to this river Tweed. Your statements are those of someone brainwashed by the "Tricksters and Con merchants" that are the R.T.C./Tweed Foundation. Get your head out of the sand and wake up to reality. So you think Tweed is a healthy vibrant river with plentiful stocks of Salmon? Iwill not bombard you with stats that would blow you out of the water, yet i will ask you two questions. (No.1) During the last four Autumn seasons how many tiny emaciated Grilse have been classed as Salmon in the "final tally" by the afore mentioned ? (No.2) How many Rods fish Tweed compared to say fifeteen/twenty years ago? Let me give you a little help on this one. Estuary netting stations bought out-now Rod Fisheries. From Melrose to the sea, every Beat is let throughout the summer. Early morning fishing/late evening fishing, encouraged by Beat owners in the pursuit of numbers! I am sorry to report that you are without doubt in need of a holiday. By chance it wouldent be Spittal? I noticed an advert in the Berwick paper - the local council are appealing for someone to sweep out the tide twice a day. This combined with your quilt making and your other desire for knitting socks will i am sure keep you occupied for some time to come. Keep away from the Blog, you are a fish out of water!!
No wonder you have trouble with the rtc and foundation you are firing a cannon at them but when you get a little bit of flak back you blow a fuse, its seems you only want to hear what you want to hear. Maybe an independent unbiased review of the Tweed would clear things up as was mooted in Trout and Salmon but who would pay for such a thing and where would you find such people?
Now this is an honest question. How many fish would the readers on this site regard as an acceptable yearly total rod catch on Tweed it would be interesting to know what the opinion is. As I said Dugga is a grand lad, I said someone forgot could of been fishpal that errored. I am not a member of either organisation but anyone who has an interest in the river can go along to watch the electro fishing just give them a phone, also read the Tweed news page it does tell you what they are doing. All the work done on habitat improvement has to be right there has to be good spawning/nursery habitat for young fish to thrive you must agree with that. And no thank you I don't need to see Lennels catch returns I know its a beat that can have its moments when the conditions are right. I'll leave that with you going to leave you for a while to think about it, see you in a month or so, thank the lord for that I hear you say! Then again I might just log off for good as will its interesting its all a bit one sided.
Dear Grant,
Our leader wears four hats. RTC (law enforcement etc), Foundation (supposed to be research/improvement but now includes charitable good works for children and the disabled), FishTweed (marketing the river) and his own lucrative beat.
I am glad you agree we need some independence because no-one should be allowed to fill all three of the Tweed jobs.
You can't be a marketing man and the defender of the fish stocks at the same time , can you?
Have a good holiday, the Blog might have gone when you come back - other ways of skinning cats to think about.
I would be very careful about knocking the disabled and their opportunity's to fish they have a stronger voice and lobby than all of us put together, I am sure that if you were ever wheelchair bound you would still love to have a cast on your favourite beat. Couldn't help a reply!
Agree completely. But I feel ashamed that they are crowing about this week long wheelyboat fest for servicemen in July.
I would give up my October days for an injured serviceman. If the object of the exercise is to say thank you to someone seriously injured whilst serving the country why not say thank you with some proper fishing?
What are the motives?
If it is true that injured servicemen cannot be provided with some prime-time fishing, that is indeed a disgrace. Those responsible should hang their heads in shame. i cannot believe that proprietors and tenants alike would not give up sufficient days in October to provide great entertainment.
On a further point, although exploitation in centuries past was on a more industrial scale, it is we who must cope with the consequences. Thus, catch and release MAY be justified. Do not be fooled into thinking that just because catch figures are up on last spring, that indicates an improvement in the river's health. One swallow does not a summer make etc etc
This is what the Foundation say on their website:
"…for the first time this summer The Tweed Foundation and The Wheelyboat Trust are hosting Salmon fishing on the River for around 30 Scottish soldiers who have been injured in recent campaigns in Afghanistan.
A prime Tweed beat has generously donated a week’s Salmon fishing this summer for injured servicemen and women from the Army, Navy and Airforce, and all other associated costs have been covered, this year, by sponsors."
I had already had wind of this event but, but after it was officially announced I telephoned head office and asked the lady who answered the phone if she would confirm that the "prime Tweed beat" was Carham in July.
According to FishTweed July is the second worst month at Carham with an average of 5.8 for three rods for the month. Ie 72 rod/days produce 5.8 fish.
Anyway when I made the call I received my usual warm welcome and as usual I was told nothing - zip - except this: they were not going to tell me whether I was right in thinking it was Carham because 'it is a private event'. I persisted and asked and asked why the fact it was a private event prevented the receptionist from telling where it was being held but I was told again 'it is a private event' in, I might say, a less than warm tone.
Now I would not mind betting that the press will be at this 'private event' – so it appears it will be private for some but not to others and I would also not mind betting there will be an orgy of self congratulation afterwards.
It makes me feel ashamed. What is their motivation? If they are going to do this why have it at the worst time of the year?
Catch and release. I was making a different point. This what they said:
“The RTC may request full catch and release mid spring if it becomes apparent that the 2010 spring catch is becoming similar to the low spring catch experienced in 2009.”
On what basis did they conclude on the 22nd of April that catch and release had to be imposed given that much of the early spring was lost?
It is a straightforward question to which there might be a straightforward answer.
If I telephone the RTC I am greeted with a wall of silence. They will not meet me nor will they reply to letters. Why do I (and a queue of others) think there is an ulterior motive?
I have been following this from afar for some time. Highly amusing but also somewhat disturbing. Apart from a river full of fighting fit springers what is it that you want? And if you want a "plan", what do you have in mind?Is this a constructive blog or merely a rant against the establishment?
Dear Gordon,
Not amusing at all. This is a very serious business.
I do not want a river full of springers. I have fished bits of the Tweed for salmon for around forty years. In my thirty years at Lennel, spring and summer have never been great. My first fish at Lennel did not come until the fourth visit and sixth or seventh day of fishing.
They may be right, UDN goosed the spring and the moon is now in the autumn quarter. Who knows?
My aspiration is to continue to enjoy myself in a nice place not to enter a fishing hell in which you have a fish every other cast. But that is what they money boys are after, it keeps the big rents rolling.
Me? A fish - a nice sea trout would do nicely - every three or four days would make me very happy grumpy old man.
I want to keep our boatmen in work, to keep the B and B going and not to have their lives screwed by FishTweed.
A rant? Two of the pages on this blog are not mine. Replies to comments are. Some of the comments are pretty close to the bone. I have edited out more con RTC/Foundation comments than I have edited pros. I plead guilty to not liking the system but I do not think we have reached the elevated status of a rant.
'Rising and Falling' appears to get 200 + hits a week and there are very few adverse comments, very few. The overwhelming majority appear to be with me.
Lampooning the establishment (you might be a member, I wish you were) is a time honoured tradition. So is the tactic of saying nothing and pretending this blog does not exist. I wish you were a member because if they would start talking the sun might come out.
I notice that on the agenda for the next RTC meeting will be the question of fishing in the headwaters and fishing methods. It would be pretentious to think that this blog has prompted that debate but you never know.
Plan: about what? The Tweed Establishment? The science? The management of the river?
Now I understand. You want to turn back the clock. Well, don't we all? However, in true Faustian tradition the Tweed propietors (including Lennel) threww in their lot with the devil and saw that there was money to be made from salmon fishing. And now we are all suffering the consequences, including me - I can no longer afford to fish the Tweed. But if you do away with the current form of management what do you replace it with. If the current RTC is removed (and I agree that they should be) then who is to replace them? I suspect more of the same. Depressing isn't it? P.S. the amusement is with Malcolm and Piscator. I am sure that ADH will find it very funny!!
No, I don't want to turn back the clock.
Lennel is a syndicate and different individuals do different things with regard to the use and sale of their fishing.
Our total overhead bill for the season is around £55,00.00 The two biggest overheads are the Tweed Assessment and wages. We have one full time and three part time boatmen (four working the Autumn) because it is a big river at Coldstream and you often need a boat.
Some members have the dosh to cover their share without letting, some let a rod (s) to cover the overhead. The problem now is that we are letting less in the spring and summer and if you want to cover the overhead you have - as a matter of pure economics - to charge a reasonable rent for the autumn days. I think you will find that Lennel is pretty reasonable price wise, in comparative terms at least.
What would I do management wise? I would urgently review the latest genetic and scale research and work out with the scientists at the cutting edge of that work what we can do "in river" as it were. I would commission an urgent independent review. I have spoken to a leading geneticist who knows the Tweed and who says we could be doing more at fairly minimal cost.
I think the two - RTC and Foundation - ought to be separately (and independently) chaired.
I would, at the least, plan for hatcheries in case in the next five to ten years the research does show that discreet groups of fish need help.
I would take steps to improve the habitat further. What work was done in the lower part of the river?
I would stop this stupid conservation scheme which was just a fop to a group of owners and which encourages fishing. Fishing for gravid fish in the headwaters is not really on is it?
I would publish the FULL minutes of all the committee meetings and invite comments from all and sundry - anyone.
I would stop this pretence that the problems within the river are just a blip. If ever there was something calculated to wind Tweed people up that is it.
I would consider shortening the season.
I would encourage everyone to take care of (and really respect) the fish. I have been give some horrendous stories about Tweed high ups and their treatment of fish which I cannot repeat because it would reveal the identity of the informants. Barbless, single hooks, recovery nets etc.
I would make sure the whole river got together to try and sort these birds.
The sea trout are a massive but neglected asset. At the moment I understand they are being caught by trout fishermen by the ton.
Am I boring you? I could go on.
This blog came about because the RTC would not provide information and/or meet.
The RTC has to understand that to have an in crowd committee which issues dictats is not the way to generate goodwill. If they were to open up (it is hardy unreasonable - even your Parish Council publishes full minutes) and try to show that they are making a real effort this blog would disappear. I have never done anything remotely like this in my life. Do they not wonder what drove me to it? About some of the very abrasive comments that have appeared?
Two final points. Turn up this Saturday morning at 8.30 with a light rod and we will see if we can fit you in. Warn Doug by phone. FOC
Finally, you have lost me as to Piscator, we have a Pistacor. Who is ADH?
My error: posted same comment twice.I agree almost entirely with everything that you say about what should be done. However, I am sorry to say that without more benevolent owners like yourself the conservation measures that you want (and the river needs) will result in less fishing. Less fishing will hit the local economy. People will suffer, but this is the result of mismanagement and poor planning.
Thanks for the invitation. Maybe another day: Mrs G has plans this weekend.
And there I was hoping I could find someone to have a row with.
In fairness, the Lees have a summer arrangement with Coldstream and District which I understand works well. There may be others.
The one thing I would take issue with is as to the local economy. It has already been hit - again in fairness the national economy has been better and that must be a factor.
Some decisions are difficult but if the RTC were completely independent and had a statutory duty to preserve the fish what would the answer be? The fish come first.
I will knock off your duplicated comment and edit out a bit of mine which was naff.
Take care.
Hello again! I imagine you will have a room booked at the Cross Keys for the 16th August you will have your chance to ask your questions, or do I detect that you might be on holiday, if so I recommend that you write them down and send them in and they might get read out on the night.
I believe you were at the proprietors meeting but never said a word, was that last December?
I presume you have read the report on Dr Campbell's website on the recapture rate of released fish and can I also presume that you think it is total poppycock as its from rtc/foundation. I hope if you do attend the meeting you ask your questions in an appropriate manner and don't make a fool of yourself like you did at the Boatman's meeting I hear. Also will you accept the answers that you get, or are you going to dismiss them if they are not what you want to hear? I will be sending in a letter to ask about the irrigation pumps on the river although I will also be sending one to SEPA who I understand have the say on water quality and abstraction.
Hello Mr Anonymous,
It means an overnight stay and a 450 mile round trip but I am hoping to be at the meeting on the 16th of August.
I am really pleased there is to be a meeting. There will be plenty of interested people who cannot travel who are on holiday so I also hope unvarnished – detailed – minutes are published the day after by the Foundation.
To have a public meeting about the spring/summer fishing is a big step forward for the RTC although I still think (sorry this is a naff expression) we ought to look at the bigger picture rather than the spring in particular.
I understand the meeting has been called not, as you suggest, to permit questions, rather that we could express our views. We are all entitled to an opinion, even me.
No, I don't think I agree with Ronald Campbell's recapture rates/figures for the simple reason that they seem to be out of line with everyone else including the scientists at Pitlochry. Did you look at the link that I posted to the Pitlochry recommendations? Am I not entitled to ask why Ronald Campbell's theories are out of line with everyone else? Why he chooses not to reply?
In a sense the figures are irrelevant. It is the fact that the Foundation makes these pronouncements as though they are written on tablets of stone when at best they amount to informed guesswork.
I am pleased we agree about the agricultural abstraction. Did you read last week's Sunday Times? The warning from the EA about the Tweed? Have you seen the counter figures? They are frightening.
I am probably missing the barb – I think you were saying instead of carping to the RTC I should complain to SEPA. Am I not also entitled to ask what the RTC are doing about abstraction? Agricultural pollution? Why the RTC are I the same buildings as the Tweed Forum (principal interest Tweed water quality) but the two organisations enjoy what seems to be a distant relationship? How many Commissioners take water for irrigation?
I would be interested to see your SEPA letter. Why not post it on here?
I really enjoyed the boatman's meeting. I didn't, like you, hide behind "Anonymous". I went and stuck out my chin for what I felt was right. Fool of myself? That wasn't the feedback I got and if the shock it caused has contributed in a small way to the decision to have a public meeting I shall carry on making a fool of myself at every opportunity. The Angling Fair, next the Border Show?
I hope this August public meeting is the first of many. I unreservedly thank the RTC for the decision. I hope it is well attended. I hope something positive comes from it.
Perhaps I can ask you this: if a public meeting had been called last year and there had been a proper discussion, a reasoned decision as to catch and release and a code of conduct do you think it would have cut the ground from under irritants like me?
Maybe we should go the way of the Tay and reintroduce fishing the Shrimp, and you reckon the Tay is getting it together. This is Grant back for a wee chat by the way but I cant seem to log on with my old password. your not been blocking me have you?
Not guilty of password blocking. Can't explain - sorry
Grant, you can still use the name if you go down to name/URL.
16000 seatrout at Paxton this summer, in your dreams!!!!!!!!! You will have the tax man after all the netsmen. Or George will be giving you a thick lug!
Not dreams - nightmare! How many have they had? Source was reliable, if I have got it wrong please say.
I think you might find that 1600 would be a very good year, and there's no been 1600 yet (seatrout)
Will remove comment with apologies - and re-check.
Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh dear. Well there we were waiting to hear your voice and not a peep from you. You could of had centre stage, eveyones ear but silence that's all we got from you after all the threats and bluster on this blog when you at last get your chance not a word do you utter. It cant be that you have finally seen the light and now agree or is it that all your questions were answered? I doubt it! Anyway I think we have now heard your swansong so its time for bed Tweed lover with a nice cup of coco then up in the morning and go fishing! I was sitting just to your right tonight at the meeting, I was going to introduce myself to you but you left early and I thought you might cause a scene so I think we will leave it at that. So that's it from me and I should think after tonight that's it from you. You had your chance! Bye Bye. GRANT
Dear Grant,
I am sorry you didn't say 'hello' because I would have liked to have met you.
A bloke to my left said he had only come to the meeting because he said he was looking forward to the row so I expect he was disappointed too.
The meeting was to take views about catch and release on the Tweed and the way it was to be managed. Instead we had the usual promotion of the Dee and the dubious statistics from the boffin interspersed with bouts of sycophancy from Mr Wallace who seems to be rolled out for the occasion.
I was not the only one who felt they had heard enough. I would be an awful lot tougher all round than your boss. I think you might be very surprised.
And I rather like cocoa. It's an aphrodisiac you know, cocoa coursing though their veins and all that.
I have to say that I found the meeting to be very informative and interesting and some rather good answers were given to the questions. I must say that some of the questions asked were bit vague almost as if the chap asking them didn't know what he was on about. But overall it was a good night, I thought the netsman chap spoke very well
I am not sure I agree and on balance feel disappointed, but with hindsight, not surprised.
This was the billing: "The Commission will add detail to this in terms of timing of the "Spring" season, methods of fishing and release protocols such as the disposal of mercy killings, at its meeting in September so that these decisions are made in advance of 2011 Spring lets"
Unless I missed it I would like to have heard proposals as to hooks (numbers, singles, doubles, barbless), spinning, protocols about fish handling and so on.
More particularly I would have heard what the RTC intended to do about the decision making process - the gathering of data, recording rod days, days lost, why the Whiteadder is producing smolts (they said the water was richer) but why the Ettrick is showing signs of failing.
Because there are so many unanswered questions about the river in general the meeting should, in my opinion, have started from a narrower point of view: what the RTC were going to propose at the full meeting in September, what the RTC were going to do to make their decision making better what could be done to help the Teviot, the Till and so on and so on rather than a stage managed justification of catch and release.
I hoped there would have been a bigger turnout. On the way home we wondered why attendance was indifferent. I was pleased when I heard that there was going to be a meeting, the idea that there would be wider consultation, but am now wondering if there would be better ways of going about it.
On the way out I was bawled at by George Purves for suggesting he had taken 16,000 sea trout and listened to a very interesting lady who, like me is miffed that 120 agricultural pumps were operating in the dry spell. To say she was unhappy about the activities at Paxton is a tad understated. I cannot get an answer from the RTC as to the number of Proprietors/Commissioners who are abstracting water.
I heard how George Purves was holding up the local bed and breakfast industry and how Paxton House would be on its financial knees if it was not for the netting but entertained to hear he would he would be happy to stop if his cheque was big enough.
He has the right to net fish for salmon. If there are more salmon in the river it would be good for the river as a whole rather than Paxton in particular. Not easy.
A bit too early to think about it but we left early because we were disappointed and had a long journey. We were not alone.
I must say I do agree about those pump things its shocking, on hooks and things and tactics I believe they said the Boatmen are having a meeting soon, maybe they will come up with some sensible ideas as they are at the coal face so to speak.
I thought more people would of attended, maybe they are happy with the way things are or perhaps they don't care enough to bother. sorry to be anonymous but don't want to get involved in the politics. It was heartening to hear about the huge smolt run this year from so many different sources.
I have written to the RTC to ask about the irrigation pumps but am (as usual) ignored.
On Monday morning at the Leet mouth there were sanitary towels and condoms under the sewage overflow pipe and (it might still be there) there is a dustbin lid sized piece of treated sewage lying on the gravel at the slap. Nothing is done about the fact we have raw sewage to cope with from time to time. Nothing to do with the RTC apparently.
The smolt question was very interesting. It is very easy for the RTC/Foundation to crow about how well they are doing (and for them to wheel out Andrew Wallace to pat them on the back) but you must not forget that the Tweed has more miles of rich nursery water than any other river in the country so our lot have a head start on anyone else.
One of the people I was with at the meeting says he has not been catching smolts this year or last. The head boatman opposite says I am talking nonsense, lots of smolts.
George Purves says it has been the best run for years. Dr Campbell then weighed in with (the run has been late) you have been seeing them in lower water - which I took to mean not sure of the size of the run but what smolts are there are easier to see and that might give the impression of a bigger run.
Imagining, however, that this year there has been a good run why is the upper Ettrick an exception? And more to the point, if these fish were spawned in a supposedly bad season (2008), and if there is a limit to the number of parr the river can support and if they can't tell which parr/smolts are going to become spring fish, summer fish, grilse etc what is the point of having catch and release for five years?
Our record is not reliable because of the small numbers the beat has taken over the past ten plus years. It does seem to show that there are peaks and troughs in a five year cycle and I would not be surprised to see that this spring we have started to pick up again naturally- that last year was a trough.
The statistics for the size of the spring run are based on guesswork - rod caught numbers. Spring rod numbers fellthis year and last, in 2010 many days were lost because the water was too high.
Without reliable information about angling effort the RTC stats are worthless.
My fear is that Home's goal is season long catch and return. Why was I not surprised to see the Dee's scientist sitting next to him?
Another interesting point was the admission that the Whiteadder was a richer river in food terms than the Ettrick. So was the Leet which, today, seems goosed. Why is it Ettrick, Ettrick Ettrick all the time when there are what were rich little rivers like the Leet that need attention?
You've made some interesting points regarding this years smolt run, from the answer given by Dr Campbell at the meeting on monday it would seem that there really is no way of calculating an accurate number of smolts leaving the river each year.
You say that you where disappointed by the lack of answers to the questions which you feel are most important, yet you sat through the meeting without saying a word. Why did you not take the opportunity to pose these questions in a setting where they had to answered?
Why didn't I speak up?
With hindsight I wish I had.
I wanted to hear what everyone else has to say.
One of the people I was with said he thought Home handled it fairly – I don't agree but that is what my friend said. I had the impression that the meeting was intended to nail the critics rather than discuss the detail of spring salmon conservation.
The decision whether to speak up was taken away from me by time. The two friends I was travelling with wanted to go.
This afternoon I spoke to someone else who had been at the meeting. He wished he had got in a question he had been burning to ask: if this doesn't work what next? What is plan B? He was regretting it too.
I don't know is the honest answer, I wish I had and now think I did the wrong thing.
You're happy to have a go at everything done on the river by the RTC and TF, but when it comes to standing up and doing it face to face you couldn't do it. Any credibility in your criticisms before this meeting (which, frankly, was little) has swiftly disappeared. You had your chance to show that conserving the fish on this river is your main concern, and you failed miserably.
Dear Mr Anonymous,
Thank you. I think some of your criticism is right. It hurts me to have to take it on the chin from a spineless individual who chooses to hide behind "anonymous" but I do.
As to credibility, read the comments on this blog. Read the angling press. Contact the Roxburgh assistant Factor and see how much autumn fishing is available on Upper and Lower Floors – unheard of. Ask the RTC / Foundation to publish – they could do it on here – all the critical letters they have had.
So we carry on Mr Anonymous.
I have fished on Tweed for many years and I can tell you that more fish are killed with flies down their throats than spinners especially in cold water on a sunk line so that argument is nonsense. And as we are getting at spinners or people who spin how many were caught on your beat in the last few years on spinner? I fish on a beat which has a lot of very slow water, so often spinning is the only way to get a fish,so come down off your high horse and stop picking on the folk who like to spin or have to spin. And get your facts right you have caused enough trouble with wrong facts concerning the netsmen for instance
Dear Anonymous,
I could not get answers to questions from the RTC, they therefore got this blog. High horse? Hope not. Just want to get a point of view across.
I don't have a monopoly on the right answer, and I am quite prepared to admit it even if on occasions it now means eating a bit of humble pie in public. You have had a pop at me about spinning and the question gets discussed even if we agree to disagree.
They say that the spring fish are endangered. I would be surprised if the changes they have announced will make a difference but let us assume that they are right on both counts – the springers are in real trouble and catch and release will make a difference.
Their statutory duty is to look after the fish so taking it to an extreme that would mean stopping fishing, killing all the predators and looking after the nurseries but without the fishing income.
In the real world – if fishing is going to continue and the picture is as bleak as they say – we have to look after every single springer we catch.
There are individuals who have paid a lot of money for a beat, they arrive, the water is high and they want to spin. Fair enough. There are the elderly who maybe find a fly rod difficult. Fair enough. After that opinion starts to divide. I would stop spinning in low water, you wouldn't, we disagree. You could back up your slow pools with a fly. You want to spin it.
I would be interested to know why you think we go fly only in the autumn – I don't know the historical reason but I wonder if it is something to do with conserving autumn (spawning) fish.
Fly or spinner hook sizes should be limited, barbless or at a push, small (semi) barbs and we should stop the use of trebles altogether, barbed or barbless.
As for your point about the fly being swallowed you are wrong about that too. If the fish are endangered the risk of killing one ought to be minimised even if you can overcome the philosophical arguments about fishing for them in the first place.
Spinning, upstream using, for example, a Rapala is an efficient way of catching fish. With a fly, especially a tube, you can cut the line at the hook and let the fish go. Not so easy with a Rapala down its neck. It's the taking out that seems to do the most damage but perhaps that is controversial as well!
Getting amongst them with a carrot Rap is not what sporting fishing is all about or do you feel it is? It somehow takes all the dignity out of the fish and the sport.
Catch and release of an animal in danger purely for pleasure is manna from heaven for the antis. Add in comments about getting amongst them. Wonderful.
Since I wrote the last comment I have been told that you can buy a tool that will cut hooks (and presumably a ring on a spinner) but which will fit into the mouth of a fish. Will they be used?
The person who told me said he would, personally, go with single hooks on a spinner or fly.
Since then I have spoken to someone else who said that in his opinion more (not less) fish are deep hooked by a fly than a spinner, as you say. Not sure I entirely buy that.
So they are supposed to be endangered, we are going catch and release, it doesn't matter if they are deep hooked - I am beginning to wonder why - as my friend Grant suggests - we don't go back to the shrimp the prawn, or even the worm.
Business as usual then? Hook sizes, numbers, barbs, methods - no change?
I am sorry to be cynical but I am not part of the Tweed leisure industry in which the four running it the Tweed are grossing what, £10, £20, £30,000.00 a week apiece out of the fishing. To me springers are not, today, a commodity to be sold on the fish market.
I am just an ordinary bloke who enjoys fishing but thinking about a beautiful thing struggling to survive. It makes you understand the antis point of view.
These remarks are not aimed in any way whatsoever at the Berwick Salmon Company.
I am not in a position to say exactly how many sea trout have been taken at Paxton this year.
I was given a figure which I am told is wrong. Everyone does say, however, it has been a good year.
I asked the RTC a while ago what the figures were for 2009 but they declined to tell me. Commercially sensitive you know.
So to resolve it, if the netsman at Paxton would like to publicly tell us what their returns are for the 2010 season (so that they can be published on this blog) I will put up our returns.
No misunderstandings then about who does what. Within reason, anyone who would like to see the returns for our beat is welcome to ask. Sizes, whether returned and so on. Number of rods. All there.
The netting at Paxton is run as a commercial food business. The four proprietors who monopolise the Tweed Committee are part of the leisure industry.
At the August 16th meeting I heard a choir of angels in song whilst Paxton told us how they supported Paxton House financially, how people stayed in local bed and breakfast accommodation (because they wanted to see the nets), how they put back the coloured fish.
Despite all this worthiness we went on to be told, sit down before this revelation, that if the cheque was big enough the netting would stop. Whether it would be shared with Paxton, or the local accommodation businesses was not disclosed.
Then our leader told us that if we (the rods) did not show restraint we were in no moral position to ask the nets to do likewise. I agree that he is no moral position to ask the nets to stop. The big proprietors making large sums in rents are as bad as Paxton.
The reason is, of course, that we have just had catch and release imposed until June because we are talking "survival of the species" and they are all talking about money.
But there is another point of view. The majority on our beat, the overwhelming majority, enjoy the fishing and do not sell salmon nor make a rental profit.
I have to pay £40 odd to put a salmon back in the river - the same as the proprietor big boys who are running their beats as a business.
Paxton pay £1.44 to kill a salmon and 47p to kill a sea trout. I buy accommodation, pay wages, buy food, petrol and pay £40.00 to put a fish back. Paxton £1.44 to kill it.
Of course our beat favours lowish water which also favours Paxton. Ever wondered why the returns are better on Mondays after the nets have been off? I pay through the nose they don't and they interfere with my fishing on top.
I have a proposition for you, Paxton. It is this: You net from the beginning of the season, pay £40.00 a fish caught but put them all back. In that way Paxton will still get the visitors, the bed and breakfasts their custom and you could have the moral high ground if someone gets your catch figures wrong.
And one for you at Drygrange. We have netting rights. I wonder …..
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