[Stuart Smith]

Anyone been out for grayling yet?

[Hamish Young]

None this far North

H

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

Not managed to get out yet, have been meaning to try the Dean.

[Allan Liddle]

None this far North

H

Not yet but if anyone fancies shoving a few in there would certainly reap the reward of fantastic sport on the NE river in years to come (if they become established).
Oops contrversial i know, but don't worry i'd get the blame anyway   In fact it has been known for me to have recieved pelters from the migratory fraternity on the slagging site for promoting brown trout 'vermin' as a serious and legitimate target species as they should all be eradicated and are not worthy of attention from serious game anglers.    If this is how certain anglers feel about the undoubted fantastic resource we have in our waters up here (because they eat young salmon parr, eggs etc and compete with the same base food sources as these immature fish) imagine the outburst should they connect with a 'Lady of the Stream'?)

Not that i'm saying we should do this thin ice and dodgy ground and all that, plus hyprocisy from me if i did given my feeling re pike movements, just wanted to highlight an outdated and poor general attitude that sadly still existists to some degree in the North.  Sorry for hyjacking the thread a wee bit.

Getting back in track, heard the Clyde is worth a punt as the moment.

[Ben Dixon]

Not yet but if anyone fancies shoving a few in there would certainly reap the reward of fantastic sport on the NE river in years to come (if they become established).
Oops contrversial i know, but don't worry i'd get the blame anyway   In fact it has been known for me to have recieved pelters from the migratory fraternity on the slagging site for promoting brown trout 'vermin' as a serious and legitimate target species as they should all be eradicated and are not worthy of attention from serious game anglers.    If this is how certain anglers feel about the undoubted fantastic resource we have in our waters up here (because they eat young salmon parr, eggs etc and compete with the same base food sources as these immature fish) imagine the outburst should they connect with a 'Lady of the Stream'?)

Not that i'm saying we should do this thin ice and dodgy ground and all that, plus hyprocisy from me if i did given my feeling re pike movements, just wanted to highlight an outdated and poor general attitude that sadly still existists to some degree in the North.  Sorry for hyjacking the thread a wee bit.

Getting back in track, heard the Clyde is worth a punt as the moment.

I do quite like the fact that there are no grayling in the Don as you know when searching and have a serious trout head on that anything you hook (should) be what you are targeting but, I do miss the winter grayling fishing. 
Correct re the brown trout thing, seems to get worse the further north you go.  We've no right meddling and removing one natural species for what is essentially a selfish financial reason.  You'd think that with all the evidence out there that shows we manage F*&£ up most things we touch that we'd have learned to leave natures natural balance alone.  Species that have coexisted for millions of years should not be "controlled" for our gain IMO.  That said, I'm not sure how relevant it really is anymore after we dammed, polluted, diverted and otherwise trashed so many watercourses that they bear little resemblance to what they once were.

Ben

[Rob Brownfield]

That said, I'm not sure how relevant it really is anymore after we dammed, polluted, diverted and otherwise trashed so many watercourses that they bear little resemblance to what they once were.

Which brings up the question, should we be trying to maintain specific fish/stock levels if a river, through uncontrollable events, is slowly becoming a totally unsuitable environment for game fish? This could be through eutrification, reduced flow due to changing weather pattens or even increased average temperatures due to global warming.

Does there come a time, like just recently on the Thames, where one has to swallow pride and stop stocking with fish that the environment cannot support as a self sustaining population and stock with more suitable fish?