DON’T just sit moaning about fish stock decimation by cormorants and other apex predators – start counting!
That’s the call from Northampton Specimen Group chairman Tony Gibson, who has begun ramping up the fight against over-predation.
He’s urging anglers across the Nene and Upper Ouse catchment areas to record, photograph if possible, and report every cormorant or otter attack they see to the national Predation Action Group.
That group is focused on getting cormorants removed from the protected species list, and exposing the downside of increasing otter numbers to public gaze...the latter an area where, to many on the banks, the Angling Trust can appear afraid to be seen to go.
He said: “We need hard factual evidence, not rant, of the damage over-predation is causing.”
Ready to help? Report incidents at www.thepredationactiongroup.co.uk or email tonygibson1@sky.com.
Cormorants don’t just eat smaller fish.
Town’s Mike Green and buddy Ken Heath recently saw a ‘team’ of three harry a 30lb carp and drive it to the lake’s edge where they tore it apart before being driven off.
He said: “They worked as a team. It was a sad and depressing thing to witness, especially as we’d seen this fish grow from about 3lb to 30-4 the last time it was caught.
“Why is our lily-livered government procrastinating over returning these ghastly killers to the vermin list where they rightly belong?”
CASTLE Ashby boss Mick Hewlett proved he is a boss-rod, too, by setting a new Scotland pond non-carp record, midweek, with 60 slabs, tench and roach for 94-12. Phil Wintle had 64-8 and Pat McGragh 45-10.
SOME 300 people attended Gilders Tackle co-director Julian Davies’ send off at Milton crem last week, with perhaps a hundred outside following the service via the PA system. A popular man and a sad loss to many.
WHITE Hart Flore, Barby Mill: John Berry 32lb, Dale Gibson 30lb, Dave Walker 28lb.
TOWCESTER vets, Stockton: Graham Martin 19-1 (roach to 1-8), Gerald Green 16-12, Grenville Read 9-12.
CASTLE, Canons: Paul Lafflin 17-12, Dave Cantrel 13-12, Bob Moore 13-4.
OLNEY Ouse open: Steve Bull 11-11 (bits), Bob Gale 11-10, Mick Stanley 6-15.
MOBBS Miller, Heyford canal: Darren Childs 10-10 (5 big perch) Mick Dudley 5-13, Stan Atter 4-2.
NENE, Stony Stratford Ouse: John Balhatchett 8-11 (perch to 2-8), Bob Eales 3-5, Gerald Green 3-1.
FLORE & Brockhall, Muscott Mill cut: Rob Rawlins 2-9 (no-mates after winning £60 golden peg), Jim Tanser 2-2, Steve Smith 1-3.
FIXTURES, opens: Sunday, Nene Grafton canal 01604 587382. Nov 10, Olney Ouse 01234 240061.
CATCHES or matches to report? Tell Trevor Johnson at angling@intermediauk.com or on 01908 270000.
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