Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
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- Stickleback
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Mon Dec 27 2021 23:24
- Location: Dorset
Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
Hi all,
All of my piking has been on a river I have access to use, however there is a long abandoned and forgotten lake which I first visited well over 12 years ago in the school holidays. I know for a fact it has trout and silver fish in, and I'm sure I've seen carp cruising around the numerous Lilly pads. It looks made for pike....red beds, Lilly patches, over handing trees and cover. There is no signage around to say who owns it or no fishing etc, public access is next to non-existent apart from a path through forestry commission public woodland to a very small area where people let there dogs cool off, and the lake itself is huge, there are no signs its ever fished and has been left to go wild for god knows how many years...95% of the edge is covered by rhododendron jungle!
My question....how do you find out who owns it (I've researched and come up blank), or are some places allowed to be fished by anyone? Genuinely clueless as I've pondered this for many years now
All of my piking has been on a river I have access to use, however there is a long abandoned and forgotten lake which I first visited well over 12 years ago in the school holidays. I know for a fact it has trout and silver fish in, and I'm sure I've seen carp cruising around the numerous Lilly pads. It looks made for pike....red beds, Lilly patches, over handing trees and cover. There is no signage around to say who owns it or no fishing etc, public access is next to non-existent apart from a path through forestry commission public woodland to a very small area where people let there dogs cool off, and the lake itself is huge, there are no signs its ever fished and has been left to go wild for god knows how many years...95% of the edge is covered by rhododendron jungle!
My question....how do you find out who owns it (I've researched and come up blank), or are some places allowed to be fished by anyone? Genuinely clueless as I've pondered this for many years now
- Andrew
- Bailiff
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Re: Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
Just approved this post, sorry I missed it yesterday
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- Perch
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- Happy Hayes
- Barbel
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Re: Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
If there’s no signs and no one else fishing it I’d go for it
As has already been mentioned , be discreet and if you are approached be polite.
Regards
Tom
As has already been mentioned , be discreet and if you are approached be polite.
Regards
Tom
- Mike J
- Ferox Trout
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- Location: Wessex
Re: Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
To discover who owns the water.
The Land Registry is the first place to begin.
The Forestry Office will also have the information, if the surrounding land is all commercial forestry they probably own the water, however they might not own the right to fish IN the water.
When you discover who holds the right to fish make a polite approach, if possible face to face, if not do so by formal letter.
Do not fish without the correct consents, it can lead to arrest, prosecution and a criminal record for Theft of Fishing.
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The Land Registry is the first place to begin.
The Forestry Office will also have the information, if the surrounding land is all commercial forestry they probably own the water, however they might not own the right to fish IN the water.
When you discover who holds the right to fish make a polite approach, if possible face to face, if not do so by formal letter.
Do not fish without the correct consents, it can lead to arrest, prosecution and a criminal record for Theft of Fishing.
.
'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
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- Zander
- Posts: 5727
- Joined: Thu Feb 04 2021 19:59
Re: Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
there almost never abandoned, and you wont be the only angler......
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- Jack Pike
- Posts: 403
- Joined: Sat Mar 28 2015 14:44
Re: Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
Obviously someone owns it and or the fishing rights . However once you confirm that it’s so much harder to plead you didn’t know you shouldn’t fish it ! If you very rarely see anyone there and never anyone fishing I’d be inclined to take a chance . Whilst Mike is technically correct if caught and you plead ignorance politely you probably will just be kicked off ………but no guarantee that will be their approach.
- Mike J
- Ferox Trout
- Posts: 11094
- Joined: Wed Nov 09 2016 09:26
- Location: Wessex
Re: Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
Taylorgilder wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30 2021 20:24 -Obviously someone owns it and or the fishing rights . However once you confirm that it’s so much harder to plead you didn’t know you shouldn’t fish it ! If you very rarely see anyone there and never anyone fishing I’d be inclined to take a chance . Whilst Mike is technically correct if caught and you plead ignorance politely you probably will just be kicked off ………but no guarantee that will be their approach.
Pleading ignorance doesn't happen these days.
The risks for a landowner to deal with it personally are to great, untraceable immigrants, EE's, fish thieves, drunks, druggies, anyone could be carrying a weapon.
Just look how the EA Bailiffs have changed, double teamed, body cams, stab vests, night vision, etc etc.
Standard operating procedure is to let the Wildlife Crime Police handle all illegal anglers and they dont turn up to hand out a warning. They will even deploy a drone to catch the runners.
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'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
- Crackoff
- Zander
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Re: Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
Mike J wrote: ↑Fri Dec 31 2021 11:47 -Taylorgilder wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30 2021 20:24 -Obviously someone owns it and or the fishing rights . However once you confirm that it’s so much harder to plead you didn’t know you shouldn’t fish it ! If you very rarely see anyone there and never anyone fishing I’d be inclined to take a chance . Whilst Mike is technically correct if caught and you plead ignorance politely you probably will just be kicked off ………but no guarantee that will be their approach.
Pleading ignorance doesn't happen these days.
The risks for a landowner to deal with it personally are to great, untraceable immigrants, EE's, fish thieves, drunks, druggies, anyone could be carrying a weapon.
Just look how the EA Bailiffs have changed, double teamed, body cams, stab vests, night vision, etc etc.
Standard operating procedure is to let the Wildlife Crime Police handle all illegal anglers and they dont turn up to hand out a warning. They will even deploy a drone to catch the runners.
.
"untraceable immigrants, EE's, fish thieves, drunks, druggies"
Thats not fare you forgot Doggers
Grant
Grant Everson
To that one soul reading this
I know your tired fed up and close to braking
But theres strength within you even when you feel week
You've come too far to give up now
Stay strong and keep fighting
To that one soul reading this
I know your tired fed up and close to braking
But theres strength within you even when you feel week
You've come too far to give up now
Stay strong and keep fighting
- Mike J
- Ferox Trout
- Posts: 11094
- Joined: Wed Nov 09 2016 09:26
- Location: Wessex
Re: Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
Crackoff wrote: ↑Sun Jan 02 2022 22:21 -Mike J wrote: ↑Fri Dec 31 2021 11:47 -Taylorgilder wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30 2021 20:24 -Obviously someone owns it and or the fishing rights . However once you confirm that it’s so much harder to plead you didn’t know you shouldn’t fish it ! If you very rarely see anyone there and never anyone fishing I’d be inclined to take a chance . Whilst Mike is technically correct if caught and you plead ignorance politely you probably will just be kicked off ………but no guarantee that will be their approach.
Pleading ignorance doesn't happen these days.
The risks for a landowner to deal with it personally are to great, untraceable immigrants, EE's, fish thieves, drunks, druggies, anyone could be carrying a weapon.
Just look how the EA Bailiffs have changed, double teamed, body cams, stab vests, night vision, etc etc.
Standard operating procedure is to let the Wildlife Crime Police handle all illegal anglers and they dont turn up to hand out a warning. They will even deploy a drone to catch the runners.
.
"untraceable immigrants, EE's, fish thieves, drunks, druggies"
Thats not fare you forgot Doggers
Grant
No doggers but Ive had the look at me's park right alongside when Ive been on surveillance, one was a lovely bird who only wore a fur coat, she'd be ontop of her guy before he hardly had the engine switched off! Bl00dy embarrassing!
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'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
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- Stickleback
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Sun Feb 13 2022 12:12
Re: Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
There is an ‘abandoned’ lake within 2mins of my house that I found about two years ago by accident.
I researched it through the Land Registry and my local community support officer (significant historic and recent recorded issues over drug use and antisocial behaviour bankside) and it took almost 6 months to track down the holding company that owned it & its directors.
I contacted them, eventually received a positive response and now fish it safe in the knowledge I am ‘legal’ whilst I know the others I meet who fish it aren’t.
Have recently been challenged, a little aggressively, as the local council is in the process of acquiring the lake and its surrounding land for some yet to be disclosed venture but was able to show via emails on my phone my express permission to fish so any potential dramas were averted.
I would highly recommend going down the land registry route / local tackle shops or clubs and at least trying to establish permission to fish as the police tend to have very little tolerance in my experience to date.
I researched it through the Land Registry and my local community support officer (significant historic and recent recorded issues over drug use and antisocial behaviour bankside) and it took almost 6 months to track down the holding company that owned it & its directors.
I contacted them, eventually received a positive response and now fish it safe in the knowledge I am ‘legal’ whilst I know the others I meet who fish it aren’t.
Have recently been challenged, a little aggressively, as the local council is in the process of acquiring the lake and its surrounding land for some yet to be disclosed venture but was able to show via emails on my phone my express permission to fish so any potential dramas were averted.
I would highly recommend going down the land registry route / local tackle shops or clubs and at least trying to establish permission to fish as the police tend to have very little tolerance in my experience to date.
- Mark Phillips
- Barbel
- Posts: 4964
- Joined: Tue Aug 30 2011 05:00
- Location: East Anglia
Re: Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
Mike J wrote: ↑Fri Dec 31 2021 11:47 -Most matters deemed as trespass never see a courtroom and sadly 'illegal' fishing goes largely unchecked these days - the EA hasn't got the resource to police every water and it's impossible for fishery owners to be there 24/7 to protect their fishing. Wildlife Crime Police? No such thing. However, the National Wildlife Crime Unit is an agency who undertake primarily investigative duties and they are very (very) small, focussing on the more serious crimes against wildlife, such as egg collecting and trading endangered species - any complaint to them about some rascal lobbing a spinner across a lake will go straight in the bin. Nice bit of bullshit though Mike, I'll give you that mate.Taylorgilder wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30 2021 20:24 -Obviously someone owns it and or the fishing rights . However once you confirm that it’s so much harder to plead you didn’t know you shouldn’t fish it ! If you very rarely see anyone there and never anyone fishing I’d be inclined to take a chance . Whilst Mike is technically correct if caught and you plead ignorance politely you probably will just be kicked off ………but no guarantee that will be their approach.
Pleading ignorance doesn't happen these days.
The risks for a landowner to deal with it personally are to great, untraceable immigrants, EE's, fish thieves, drunks, druggies, anyone could be carrying a weapon.
Just look how the EA Bailiffs have changed, double teamed, body cams, stab vests, night vision, etc etc.
Standard operating procedure is to let the Wildlife Crime Police handle all illegal anglers and they dont turn up to hand out a warning. They will even deploy a drone to catch the runners.
.
Reference the OP's question - in my experience, you should make every effort to establish who owns the water, then seek to gain permission. Often, if the right approach is taken, you get the nod. If you choose to fish somewhere without permission, perhaps where there's no controlling club, syndicate, obvious owner... just make sure you're good at making excuses for yourself. Been there myself and I never got in any bother - just be polite, be nice, leave when asked to and... be nice! Worked every time for me and has even led to the odd, oh go on then...
Piking Plonker
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- Barbel
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Re: Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
I think there is a distinction on geographic locations, areas heavily invested in fly fishing premium waters with pedigree would get the attention from legal redress, knowing Mike's general area, he sits on such waters.
- Mike J
- Ferox Trout
- Posts: 11094
- Joined: Wed Nov 09 2016 09:26
- Location: Wessex
Re: Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
Stewlaws wrote: ↑Sun Feb 13 2022 20:20 -I think there is a distinction on geographic locations, areas heavily invested in fly fishing premium waters with pedigree would get the attention from legal redress, knowing Mike's general area, he sits on such waters.
Its okay Stew, Mark has his own problems he just hasn't realised he isn't one of mine.
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'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
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- Chub
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Re: Abandoned lakes - can you fish?
That was hilarious Mike J. Yep reminds me of what used to go on in the car park at Mercers Park.
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- Zander
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