In reply to Post #213
agree lots of denial in Suffolk but what happens to the club lakes that genuinely cant afford to fence and do not own the lakes?
agree lots of denial in Suffolk but what happens to the club lakes that genuinely cant afford to fence and do not own the lakes?
In reply to Post #215
they could look into doing what I had too.....raise the fees, join other clubs or syndicates when purchasing material to get better prices, insist that members carry out the work to reduce labour costs....it can be done, I appreciate its not easy.
they could look into doing what I had too.....raise the fees, join other clubs or syndicates when purchasing material to get better prices, insist that members carry out the work to reduce labour costs....it can be done, I appreciate its not easy.
In reply to Post #216
Went To Leeds Castle yesterday,there was a Xmas Fair on,there was a Stall for the Wildlife Britain (??) and Countryside Alliance,there amongst their pamphlets etc was a book on the Reintroduction of otters, also to suck the kids in was a couple of cuddly toy Otters.
I pointed out to my kids the damage otters do to Fish stocks and used an example of the castles waters being decimated if otters were present,got a few funny looks.
Went To Leeds Castle yesterday,there was a Xmas Fair on,there was a Stall for the Wildlife Britain (??) and Countryside Alliance,there amongst their pamphlets etc was a book on the Reintroduction of otters, also to suck the kids in was a couple of cuddly toy Otters.
I pointed out to my kids the damage otters do to Fish stocks and used an example of the castles waters being decimated if otters were present,got a few funny looks.
In reply to Post #217
Leeds Castle in Kent mate?
people like CA and RSPB use images of otters as they know full well that the general public will either join when using cuddly images and 99% of public haven't got a clue what destruction these creatures cause
Leeds Castle in Kent mate?
people like CA and RSPB use images of otters as they know full well that the general public will either join when using cuddly images and 99% of public haven't got a clue what destruction these creatures cause
In reply to Post #218
I know every lake will have its own circumstances / how its run etc.
My option was simple. Asked if the members would pay up front for the following years costs so they basically paid double. It raised enough money to buy the majority of the material and although the following year was tough financially and no investment was pumped into the lake - it has protected the lake for the future.
The only other option was drain it, net it, and sell the stock and walk away. NOT an option in my eyes or the members eyes.
I know every lake will have its own circumstances / how its run etc.
My option was simple. Asked if the members would pay up front for the following years costs so they basically paid double. It raised enough money to buy the majority of the material and although the following year was tough financially and no investment was pumped into the lake - it has protected the lake for the future.
The only other option was drain it, net it, and sell the stock and walk away. NOT an option in my eyes or the members eyes.
In reply to Post #218
Yeah,Leeds Castle Kent,they have a christmas fair every year,normally theres RSPB/RSPCA type stalls amongst the usual local food and drink stall's,My daughter was drawn by the toy otter straight away...
Yeah,Leeds Castle Kent,they have a christmas fair every year,normally theres RSPB/RSPCA type stalls amongst the usual local food and drink stall's,My daughter was drawn by the toy otter straight away...
In reply to Post #216
all good in principal but the lakes round my way struggle to pay the rent for lakes let alone pay for materials
all good in principal but the lakes round my way struggle to pay the rent for lakes let alone pay for materials
In reply to Post #221
I know and appreciate its not an easy one, but and its a big but, if clubs and members of said clubs want to protect, then its hands in pockets in affraid
I know and appreciate its not an easy one, but and its a big but, if clubs and members of said clubs want to protect, then its hands in pockets in affraid
In reply to Post #222
Did you see a year on Loch Lomond last week? They showed a pair of Otters hunting Beaver kits in the river! Apparently they are quite sought after by Otters!!! So they just eat small fish then...................God help us, our country is in the hands of total halfwits!!
Did you see a year on Loch Lomond last week? They showed a pair of Otters hunting Beaver kits in the river! Apparently they are quite sought after by Otters!!! So they just eat small fish then...................God help us, our country is in the hands of total halfwits!!
In reply to Post #223
My wife and I had a week in the Maldives a few weeks back (been there lots) and among the guests were a couple of rather nice ladies traveling together, one a solicitor, the other an IT specialists. Now, each island invariably runs a weekly night fishing trip for any interested guests, and my wife and I went this time, as usual. The following day the trip came up while we were having a drink with these ladies, and they oohed and aaahed and tutted alarmingly....turns out they were rabid animal protection types, and it was wrong to fish, end of.
So, as you would, I asked them what they thought of otters, which was answered much as I expected (lovely, cuddly, sweet...all the usual stuff) . I replied with information about the damage they were doing to fish, fisheries, peoples livelihood etc., but they were having none of it. In the end we had to agree to disagree, or move to another Island
My point is, our main enemy in all of this (otters apart) is extremism....on both sides of this issue. We have seen on this thread, on the bank and elsewhere the absolute nutters screaming "Kill them all", "Shoot 'em on sight", "poison them", "beat them to death with clubs" etc, etc. If any otter lovers wanted to bury our cause, then encouraging our nutters to shout stuff like that around would do the job for them just fine!
On the other side, we have the rabid "Don't you dare tread on that ant" tree huggers, most of whom would cheerfully harm a person in support of their cause, but freak out if you accidentally DID tread on that ant. And of course, you have less then zero chance of getting through to them that there are two sides to this, they point blank refuse to even listen.
The problem we have is that even the best of our lot are tainted by the words and actions of our nutters, and judged as being one and the same thing. Their nutters however....are perceived as heroes.
That is an extremely difficult difference to come to terms with, let alone overcome
.I feel your pain Joss.
Cheers, Dave.
My wife and I had a week in the Maldives a few weeks back (been there lots) and among the guests were a couple of rather nice ladies traveling together, one a solicitor, the other an IT specialists. Now, each island invariably runs a weekly night fishing trip for any interested guests, and my wife and I went this time, as usual. The following day the trip came up while we were having a drink with these ladies, and they oohed and aaahed and tutted alarmingly....turns out they were rabid animal protection types, and it was wrong to fish, end of.
So, as you would, I asked them what they thought of otters, which was answered much as I expected (lovely, cuddly, sweet...all the usual stuff) . I replied with information about the damage they were doing to fish, fisheries, peoples livelihood etc., but they were having none of it. In the end we had to agree to disagree, or move to another Island
My point is, our main enemy in all of this (otters apart) is extremism....on both sides of this issue. We have seen on this thread, on the bank and elsewhere the absolute nutters screaming "Kill them all", "Shoot 'em on sight", "poison them", "beat them to death with clubs" etc, etc. If any otter lovers wanted to bury our cause, then encouraging our nutters to shout stuff like that around would do the job for them just fine!
On the other side, we have the rabid "Don't you dare tread on that ant" tree huggers, most of whom would cheerfully harm a person in support of their cause, but freak out if you accidentally DID tread on that ant. And of course, you have less then zero chance of getting through to them that there are two sides to this, they point blank refuse to even listen.
The problem we have is that even the best of our lot are tainted by the words and actions of our nutters, and judged as being one and the same thing. Their nutters however....are perceived as heroes.
That is an extremely difficult difference to come to terms with, let alone overcome
.I feel your pain Joss.Cheers, Dave.
In reply to Post #224
one of the members on my syndicate lake has just posted this on facebook and wants to know if its a possible otter attack
a closer look
personally I think not
one of the members on my syndicate lake has just posted this on facebook and wants to know if its a possible otter attack
a closer look
personally I think not
In reply to Post #225
It might be, but I suspect not. I'd be interested to see the fins. If they are not damaged and no other signs of marks then I would say probably not an otter.
It might be, but I suspect not. I'd be interested to see the fins. If they are not damaged and no other signs of marks then I would say probably not an otter.
In reply to Post #226
there was no other visual damage on the fish according to the report
there was no other visual damage on the fish according to the report
In reply to Post #227
Probably a spawning injury. The would will heal quicker than you might think and will simply be a 'bald patch' before too long.
Probably a spawning injury. The would will heal quicker than you might think and will simply be a 'bald patch' before too long.
In reply to Post #225
A wound like that would be a couple of weeks old, I would be surprised if its spawning damage. If it was a fish of a couple of pounds I would say it was heron damage. Its probably a bad infection, if its a healthy fish it should heal ok
A wound like that would be a couple of weeks old, I would be surprised if its spawning damage. If it was a fish of a couple of pounds I would say it was heron damage. Its probably a bad infection, if its a healthy fish it should heal ok