Do stockies escape?

[springwell]

As reservoirs are usually formed by damming small rivers do stock fish ever venture up these

It would make interesting and cheap fishing

[JohnH]

Remember that most stocked fish here are rainbows, which rarely breed in UK waters and only have a limited life span, unlike browns. So don't bet your house on this happening.

Bristol Water has a long tradition of trapping fish that run the Blagdon feeder stream at Ubley, stripping the eggs and milt and, by doing so, breeding and rearing some of their own stock fish. There's an article and pictures in this years copy of their anglers publication called "The Buzzer".

[springwell]

Thanks John

I had read an environment agency report that stock fish were getting into the streams which feed south western reservoirs.

The thought came to me when I was catching stock and native brownies where the small river enters, the reservoir boundary at this location is indistinct, as I hold a full season permit anyway it makes no odds, just something to ponder on when waiting for the next take

[JohnH]

Those you encountered might of course have been resident stream fish entering the lake, rather than the other way round ?

[springwell]

I believe they were a mixture, the smaller where lean and yellow 1/2 pounders, the 2 pounder was brown and fat

[job67]

I think one or two of Avon Springs' fish have ended up in the Avon before now.

They would give the unsuspecting Avon flyfisher a nice surprise if hooked.

[JohnH]

Indeed, and a few are slipped in deliberately by Barry and Mike, but these biggies do tend to be quite visible in the clear river ;D

Anyone else seen the John Wilson "Live and fly fishing" video in which Chris Dawn of TF catches and releases an 8lb Brown from the Avon Springs river beat on a mayfly nymph ?

[springwell]

Have a look at this www.total-fishing.com in the news section a press release 12/5/06 River Wenning fine for farmer, not my area of the country but interesting.

[JohnH]

Good news.

Now let's hope the ACA recovers some money for the Lower Itchen Fishery too, following the pollution incident and fish kill last summer, caused by the Eastleigh Chickenhall Lane sewage works (says the Southampton based angler)

[seanooo]

yes!
i belong to knowle AA which has access to the river chew above chew reservoir. every year there is a run of fish. you can tell as they have spawning colours + are generally bigger than the stocked fish. some get quite big, i had 2 around the 4lb mark, my friend had one over 5lb and i witnessed a 6lb being caught. i believe the record is 11lb. all the escaped fish i have caught have been in really good condition with perfect fins, and are really large for their weight. i have never fished chew or any other large reservoir but the size, quality and fight from these fish has made me want to.

i have also caught a few baby (is parr the correct name?) rainbows.

[springwell]

This is starting to get quite interesting, is it worth carrying it over to the new forum ?

[Sewinbasher]

I think that it was fairly well known that rainbows and browns run the feeder streams to Llandegfedd.