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Viewing 1 to (6 Total) Retreat Farm Otters christmas dinner |
Total Posts: 15
Joined: November 6, 2020
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The otters have had a field day at Retreat over Christmas / new year. Went over today New Years Day, pond 1 was frozen over so I went for a walk around. Found 3 fresh carasses, 10lb - 20lb, the biggest ( With my boot for scale ) I estimate 17-20 lb. it could even have been the 17lb fish I posted back in October / November. To say I felt gutted just about covers it. a 20lb Carp could be 20 years old !
Gents ( and Ladies ) the BAA and / or the Land Owner need to act to protect our fisheries. The electronic deterrent on the island obviously doesn't work. Surely the cost of fencing the pond can't be prohibitive, particularly if some or all of the labour comes from volunteers. I for one would be happy to give up a day or two or a series of evening.
Sorry to bring bad news on NYD but it needs addressing.
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Posted on January 1, 2021 at 5:12 PM
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Total Posts: 37
Joined: September 23, 2016
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Re: Retreat Farm Otters christmas dinner
Sorry to hear about your bad experience at retreat farm.Ive never fished there but you have and had some nice fish out.The only way to protect these fish is to fence all the pools off.It seems madness to me to require these pools and stock the pools with fish only to see them eaten by otters.We can't do anything about the otters but we can do something about protecting the fish in these pools.
Posted on January 2, 2021 at 10:56 AM
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Total Posts: 191
Joined: May 3, 2016
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Re: Retreat Farm Otters christmas dinner
It's disappointing isn't it, easy option for otters when the rivers flooded 
I'd volunteer if it made a difference, something needs to be done that's for sure.
On the positive side there are literally thousands of tiny carp in the pool, they just need to grow on a bit!
Posted on January 2, 2021 at 3:08 PM
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Total Posts: 15
Joined: November 6, 2020
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Re: Retreat Farm Otters christmas dinner
Branchie, not a bad experience, just sad really that highly prized fish go relatively un-protected.
Posted on January 5, 2021 at 4:15 PM
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Total Posts: 15
Joined: November 6, 2020
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Re: Retreat Farm Otters christmas dinner
Popped over to retreat on sat 9th for an hour, didn't fish as the pond (1) was iced over, but found yet another fish I estimate to have been 8 - 10lbs half eaten. Otters ? Mink ? which ever, it will be interesting to see how many fish are left after the winter.
BAA HQ is aware because I have correspondence from HQ about my initial post.
Is the land owner aware ?
Is it cheaper to re-stock than fence the pool ?
It's a waist of good fish and fishing.
Posted on January 11, 2021 at 12:08 PM
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Total Posts: 130
Joined: February 26, 2016
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Re: Retreat Farm Otters christmas dinner
I would not mind a £5 to £10 raise of subs if I was sure that the money was used to improve the experience of going out fishing.
I am not talking about catching fish, more about having quality pegs, quality access be it tracks or gates etc.
It would turn the clock back to when there was a close season and loads of volunteers used to do a lot of venue maintenance.
These days a lot of our waters are in a sorry state and difficult to fish for us old gits.
It is no use boasting about over two hundred miles of water if two thirds of the potential pegs are unfishable.
Spending a lot of money on a fishery where we don't own the land is a tricky one.
Putting fences around the pools at Retreat would be really expensive.
Would the land owner allow it?
Would the land owner be prepared to purchase the fencing if we lost the fishing rights?
It would enhance the fishery and a higher rent could be obtained, so he/she would have benefits from keeping it fenced.
If not we would have the option of removing it, if we had to relinquish the venue.
Posted on January 13, 2021 at 6:29 AM
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