The Complete Fisher Forum

Allrounder · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 5:48 pm Post subject:

Who is planning to attend the hatchery visit for BRFFA members on Saturday? Smile

I'm looking forward to it. Very Happy

Alan

_________________
Member of ...
The Angling Trust
BRFFA
B.A.S.S.
Pike Fly Fishing Association

If you see me on the bank, say hello! Smile

MarkS · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 11:59 pm Post subject:

Anyone who can, please get to this visit, I would if free. Very interesting and you will see some mint fish.
Went last year and it was freeeeeeeeeeeeeezing! Full credit to Alan milking fish in those conditions. Weather this year a lot better although may be wet.

Can not make this one Alan, big knock through on the extension. Got 101 acrows on hand and a load of pins, fingers crossed.

Oh, when I was a landscaper..., as you go in the hatchery and up the drive, look at the hornbeam hedge on the right in the garden of the private house, planted by me, all be it some time ago.

Cheers,
Mark

andrew w · Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 8:53 am Post subject:

BRFFA FLY TYING MONDAYS

December 12, December 19, January 9
7.30pm onwards at the Stoke Inn, Chew Stoke, BS40 8XE

Whether you are a complete novice, an improver or a regular there will be something for everyone - pleasure or competition, traditional or contemporary.

Bring your own kit and join in or just watch and chat. Hints on tying the best flies for local waters plus tips and tactics on how to fish them.

It's free and non-members are welcome.

See you there!

swampydick · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 8:43 am Post subject:

Intereresting to read that chew is only 1% lower than this time last year! on the bw site. Give them fish a extra feed from me Alan maybe youre here what there planning on tank 3.

cheers mike

swampydick · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 8:43 am Post subject:

Intereresting to read that chew is only 1% lower than this time last year! on the bw site. Give them fish a extra feed from me Alan maybe youre here what there planning on tank 3.

cheers mike

tenet · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 10:12 am Post subject:

Lifted from the BW site – The pictures compliment those taken by Dave last week. It certainly appears to be much lower than last year but there again 1% of many millions of gallons is a lot of water.

http://www.bristol-water.co.uk/uploads/news/chew4_1.jpg

http://www.bristol-water.co.uk/uploads/news/chew3_3.jpg

Tying up some cone heads using some excellent tubing from Toby at Funky Fly tying - really good value compared to the competition. Would be very good for pike flies (can't believe I said that Smile

)

Cheers

Allrounder · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 2:41 pm Post subject:

Well I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the hatchery visit today. There was a good turnout of around 25 (including a large contingent from Knowle AA) and the fishery staff took us through the fish rearing process and patiently answered any questions we had. It seems there hasn't been much of a run yet due to the mild autumn but some fish had made it to the holding pond and we were given a demonstration of how they stripped fish for their eggs and milt....

This big rainbow wasn't ready to shed her eggs yet .....

According to Alan Dymock this is an increasingly rare sight.....

This large cock Rainbow was spilling milt everywhere but it will not be used to fertilise eggs as that would produce cock and hen fish and nowadays fishery managers only want hens. Alan felt that cock fish are not popular with anglers as they go out of condition later in the season and they cause problems for him because they fight each other in the ponds. He explained how some female fish are turned into males to produce milt as brood fish for the next generation. Something to do with treating them with hormones when they are young. Eggs fertilised by such fish result in females only.

Alan also thought that the very large Brownies that have been caught recently came from triploid stock that was planted a few years ago. He said they were growing on more triplod brownies so hopefully there will be more trophy fish in future! Very Happy

I came away from the visit with a much better knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes and a lot of respect for the hatchery staff who by common consent produce the best quality fish in the country. Cool

Many thanks to those in the BRFFA who organised the visit and for the BW staff who made it all so worthwhile. Cool

Alan

_________________
Member of ...
The Angling Trust
BRFFA
B.A.S.S.
Pike Fly Fishing Association

If you see me on the bank, say hello! Smile

drunkdiver · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 2:50 pm Post subject:

Those two rainbows are a nice size. I don't know about other anglers not wanting to catch cock fish, but that big cock fish in the picture is absolutely stunning. I would love to catch that !

Allrounder · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 3:25 pm Post subject:

It is the eating quality that suffers. The flesh of a cock fish in season has a pale cotton wool like texture and in my opinion the taste bears no resemblance to what you expect a trout to taste like. They also have a tendency to spray their milt around like the fish in the picture above. Female fish also lose condition in the autumn when their eggs begin to grow but perhaps not to the same extent.

Personally I am happy to accept catching cock rainbows as they are part of the natural order of things but it was interesting to hear the business and fish rearing argument against them. Smile

Alan

_________________
Member of ...
The Angling Trust
BRFFA
B.A.S.S.
Pike Fly Fishing Association

If you see me on the bank, say hello! Smile

Appleman · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 4:18 pm Post subject:

Agree with everything that has been said regarding the hatchery visit today......A Good experience with the BW team demonstrating their knowledge and passion for producing, and bringing on top class fish......I also cant help but be impressed with how quickly Tony has immersed himself into his relatively knew role and how quickly he has got up to speed with all things BW.....It is like he has been in the job years rather than the short time that he has.

Looking forward to catching some of the new editions seen today in the coming months / years! Laughing

BristolFlyer · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 5:01 pm Post subject:

Thanks for posting Alan. Did those fish run up from the lake? Or are they from hatchery stock?

Did they say anything about using the wild browns from the Yeo as brood stock?

Very interesting. At work today otherwise I would have gone too.

Allrounder · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 6:05 pm Post subject:

I'm pretty sure the fish had run up from the lake, Dave. In fact although the water was rather coloured, you could see a few fish in the stream as they navigated their way to the holding pond. Very Happy

I agree with the comments made about Tony, who I assume will eventually take over from Bob. If first impressions are anything to go by then I think the fishing will be in safe hands. Smile

Alan

_________________
Member of ...
The Angling Trust
BRFFA
B.A.S.S.
Pike Fly Fishing Association

If you see me on the bank, say hello! Smile

swampydick · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 7:49 pm Post subject:

Nice one alan very interesting.

MarkS · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 10:55 pm Post subject:

tenet · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 9:16 am Post subject:

Mark - are you calling me a PIKEY Smile

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