The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Wagtail wrote: ↑Wed May 09, 2018 10:21 pm I know it's been hot, but I'm a bit surprised the carp had started to spawn so quickly Maybe after all their nuptuals they will have a rest and let the crucians feed unmolested

I have copied this in from a different thread as I was aware I had taken it slightly off subject...

We actually had to close one of the syndicates I fish on 21 st April as they were in full spawning mode and looked like most of the population at it too.
It's the earliest I have known and only a week or so from the last frost. i'd not known them that early before or indeed with the temperature only just reaching what could be considered the lower end for spawning with no stability in it at all.

It is a water that has been heavily predated by otters with us losing several of our big fish, one a gorgeous 30 lb plus linear that had lived in there for over 50 years only to have it's face ripped up and a tiny part of its chest gone. 50 years plus finished eaten alive for a couple of mouthful's. It did cross my mind that it was possibly an inbuilt instinct coming in, seeing many of their various age family being hunted and killed (they successfully reproduce each year) knowing they needed to reproduce as early and as fast as possible.

Real old strain carp fighting for survival and spawning real early.

The old warriors have been eager to get at it.

Pleasing fish on pleasing methods.

Great carp in the photos Shaun.

I think it may be the earliest spawning as I cannot recall another period in April where we have had four successive days of very high temperatures.

We do have some that look very wild like too with long flat backs and they certainly fight like the last wildies I caught. They go absolutely mental and even leap whilst being played. So soul destroying each time we find another killed for just a couple of mouth fulls of flesh. Fortunately the otters have found the delights of goose too so the murders are being diluted.

They were getting jiggy on our club waters last week... thrashing the margins to a foam

It's all over Shaun. As soon as the water warmed they have been at it. These late springs throw all sorts of unusual behaviour into the wildlife's world. On the plus side, I've seen more orange tips this year than for as long as I can recall.

Last time we had a hot spell in April it prompted the barbel to spawn two months early.

Haven't has a swift in the village yet but heard them in the town 12 miles away along with a single cuckoo whilst walking the dog.

Heard cuckoo's in Lincolnshire and Staffordshire but not on my home turf yet.

Wonderful photos of magnificent fish Shaun. Quite a few private lakes are putting up "otter proof" fencing round here, and the Angling Trust are chipping in with some funding - 40% in one case. However I think that fencing destroys the look and feel of venues. I don't know what the answer is but I do know some fishery owners that have their own answer......