Astwood Bank Angling Club Forum

Hi Guys, I expect like me you are all hoping for a thaw so we can get back out there and get frostbite!
My question is about fish welfare - given the lakes have been frozen over now for around 3 weeks, will the fish be suffering from lack of oxygen and is there a chance that fish are noe dying under the ice?

New member here, and first ever post.

Read a paper awhile ago, while researching how long a carp can live out of water for after a discussion I had with a non-fisherman who insisted they were basicaly drowning while out of the water, that a carp can survive almost completely frozen in a bubble of ice for a long period of time.

Also apparantly in holland it used to be common practice to catch large carp, wrap them in damp/wet sacking, and put them in the cellar for days/weeks at a time and feed them bread and milk to make them taste better.

Carp are an extremely resilient fish.

As for other species, I'm not sure, but as most places are predominantley carp these days I guess its relevent.

Hope thats some food for thought

Hi
I am by no means an expert but most fish slow down their metabolism so they don't need as much oxygen or food as they do in the warmer months as they are almost in a state of semi-hibernation.
Also the plantlife under the water do still produce some oxygen so the fish are able to survive.
I am sure someone else can explain it better!
So, in short, the fish are not suffering anywhere as much as we anglers are!
Here's hoping I can get out this weekend at last.
Cheers
Pete

I hope you're right Pete, I spent 4 hours at Thornleigh yesterday without a bite to show for it!! Still, great to be back fishing though....

Hi all
same here Mcgrumpy. Had a couple of hours at Alvechurch 1 this afternoon with nothing to show for it.
Had one small knock on the feeder early on and then no more excitement for the rest of the session.
Good to be back out again though and the water was a beautiful brown colour!

Pete

Pete Hill wrote:Hi all
same here Mcgrumpy. Had a couple of hours at Alvechurch 1 this afternoon with nothing to show for it.
Had one small knock on the feeder early on and then no more excitement for the rest of the session.
Good to be back out again though and the water was a beautiful brown colour!

Pete

good job i didnt go then hey