ENGLANDS ONLY WINDOW INTO A RIVER: Diglis Fish Pass

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

Just point out as a few of you are delighting in saying so in the comments I made a slip up at the beginning I know theres the fish window at Pitlochry also!

[@jamesbrownlie5075]

A don’t this it’s open anymore sadly

[@JimMcGourty-c7q]

@@jamesbrownlie5075 That is correct.

[@cedhome7945]

When they clean it up then you can get a really good view of the turds and plastic ( see your water company for management bonuses)

[@aheadachewithpictures]

I have lived in Worcestershire my entire life I had no idea any such thing existed, very glad this was recommended to me

[@TheTwoFingeredBullDog]

My local river and one of the most polluted in the country, crazy to think it used to be clear as well.

[@dieselgav]

I live in Worcester, and I had no idea this existed. I will go and check it out now.

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

@@dieselgav it’s a must

[@LoyalLuna]

Me too, I’ve got a leaflet for it and I keep meaning to book a slot but then I forget 🤣 I really want to go though!

[@DanSmithBK]

My local Sunday market sells a gadget that looks like two squeegees, with a big magnet on each one, so you can clean both sides of a window at once. An extra big one would clean that window whenever you liked, without having to drain the whole thing!

[@ivornappinion9406]

YES

[@dubsnbuds6668]

😂😂I was thinkingthe same as you drain it to clean the glass ,talk about spinning a job out 😂

[@JM4lN_PvP]

Thought the same thing Lo

[@barrybark3995]

could have easily cleaned it from above using a window scrubber on a pole

[@hempmaiden]

It seems counter productive to me to drain a fish pass in order to clean a viewing window for humans. It’s been put in place for fish. Once they become accustomed to using it and knowing it’s there for them, it seems unfair on them to drain it down every so often. I know it’s not for long but even so - it’s their fish pass.

[@NattyBulk24]

I caught a bullhead once that’s a fantastic sized one and I was super impressed with you wetting your hands first so the little fella didn’t feel the heat of your hands and start flipping about professional:) really enjoyed this video thank you

[@oliverwilkinson5773]

Jack loves his wildlife watch him catching all the british fish a good few days watching he aldo photographs birds as well as other animals when you are like that you learn to treat everything with love and care

[@jameslangston3903]

As a kid in the 70`s we played in the River Edw at Cregina, Wales with our cousins who lived there and used to catch "Bullyheads". I always thought they were "baby fish" and grew into something much bigger so thanks for enlightening this 60yr old!! Also watched my Uncle tickle a few trout, he placed a drainpipe in the river then lifted trout the length of his forearm out of the water. Sadly he is no longer with us but great memories. I teach people to ride motorbikes in Worcester so must pop down to Diglis and have a look. Cheers 🤠

[@softshell3454]

Marvellous,thanks. 60 years ago I was fishing Topcliffe mill weir on the Swale with my dad Tag Barnes. I remember thinking it would be great to have an observation chamber. Later I have thought of a long observation chamber next to a chalk stream. During lockdown I considered a 3 metre refrigerated aquarium with a really powerful pump. Sadly it didn’t happen but still fun to think about during bouts of insomnia !

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

@@softshell3454 yes I wish there was more of these about

[@jaydee6440]

I'm surprised there's anything living in the rivers nowadays with all the raw sewage and chemicals that get flushed in to them daily

[@GiftedGaz78]

Rivers are 10 times cleaner than they were in the past, they don’t just flush untreated sewage in to them like the used to.

[@StopTheRot]

@@GiftedGaz78no they are not. They are far more dirty than they were 10/20 years ago. Raw sewage IS now pumped in. I’m the early 2000s there were salmon in the Thames (salmon are a well known marker of water quality). Now there are barely any salmon in the finest salmon rivers.

[@StopTheRot]

@@GiftedGaz78(if you don’t believe me, just look at Plymouth university’s many reports and charts on e-coli levels in British rivers).

[@richardevans8908]

dont forget the signal crayfish, there are hundreds if not thousands in my local small river. used to see and catch decent sized chub and barbel from it but now theyre impossible to spot and much harder to catch.

[@DjbreedKronikaudio]

Stop falling for the eco propaganda rivers etc are far cleaner now than ever before we have spent millions making our environment cleaner since the 70s

[@LoyalLuna]

Thanks for this video! As a Worcester native, the fish pass is something I’ve always wanted to visit! They have a live camera on their website which I visit occasionally, but nothing could beat the real thing! Thanks for sharing!

[@scottbroadfoot3530]

40 years ago I used to go to the window at the fish ladder at the dam in Inverurie on the Tay River in Scotland . Massive salmon and below the dam you could watch the salmon jump to get their bearings. An amazing memory from my childhood.

[@Bo88y22]

Scott your memory fails you 1/ Inverurie isn’t on the River Tay and 2/ The fish ladder you refer to is on the river Tummel at Pitlochry…….but I know what you mean😂😂😂 Just for your information the window you refer to is now unavailable but you can still view from a web cam at the Pitlochry Dam visitor centre. 👍👍

[@scottbroadfoot3530]

@@Bo88y22 your right,,, been to close to too many loud bangs. The memory is good, the facts I got mixed up. Thanx.

[@andyml1]

Very interesting to see - thanks for posting. I saw one at the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, between Oregon and Washington states.

[@mikeh2613]

Excellent presentation and very informative, thank you.

[@Mark-nz9ek]

Great video, I love the Severn ,I'd spend hours watching that window just to glimpse a salmon

[@i_like_to_move_it_move_it]

Im originally from worcester but now live in Spain. This is incredible!

[@bennyd345]

Fantastic, thanks for taking us along with you. Excellent project, our wildlife is our national identify and we are truly blessed with out beautiful varieties, especially fish of the British isles. Great video. 🙏

[@markosullivan6444]

Really enjoyed this, thanks. I visited the Pitlochry salmon ladder over 40 years ago and still remember it. I'd like to visit Diglis.

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

@@markosullivan6444 I’d love to see the Pitlochry one can’t recommend this one enough

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

@@JM-jm4ei what are you talking about you loon it is the only one in England so it is correct

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

@@JM-jm4ei well that is wrong should of said England though I’m fairly sure the Pitlochry one is closed to the public now but happy to be told otherwise

[@protopigeon]

Nice one Jack, this was a really interesting vid

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

@@protopigeon cheers glad you liked it

[@mikepage7666]

Yes this was interesting, but notice how your man from the canal and river trust kept going back to stats from when it was opened 3 years ago, the decline in the quality of the severn in the last few years is nothing short of awful, and if your wondering I can cast a line basically from my garden into it, lived here for 40 years and have watched the fish stock decline every year, the polution south of Worcester is astonishing, look up Fergal Sharky's latest video on it, its a dying river sadly

[@Lunatix246]

Wow, I didn't know this existed. Awesome!

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

@@Lunatix246 it’s a epic spot to visit

[@dan3885]

We used to catch bullheads (millers thumb) that were twice that size, always under rocks, approach from down stream and when you lifted the stone they'd freeze for a second or two, enough time to pick them up

[@hudson7354]

It’s right next door to the sewage treatment plant in Worcester, on a bad day it absolutely stinks for a couple of miles. I can’t believe there was no sewage when you were there

[@tango6nf477]

Fantastic video and place we need more of these to allow fish to access their historic spawning waters which were cut off by weirs years ago. It was great to see the bullhead, I haven't seen one in the waters I fish for years. Along with gudgeon, minnows, loach and other small fish which were prolific in rivers and canals in the Midlands they are now comparatively rare. Its ironic, I used to get annoyed with them for taking my bait rather than the larger species I wanted, now I miss the little blighters!

[@baldieman64]

The biggest surprise was the scale of it. When I've seen these passes previously, I'd thought there was no way that a sturgeon could navigate it. The real monsters might struggle, but it looks like passage is at least possible for Britain's biggest native freshwater fish.

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

@@baldieman64 yeah smaller ones will make it

[@keefymckeefface8330]

@@Chasingscalesspecieshunt - re sturgeon and the fish pass and Worcester- did you see the mark carved in the stonework of cathedral river gate 300m upstream from the fishpass showing how long the biggest UK sturgeon was? (and is the stuffed body in the museum, sadly i think not visible in storage at mo owing to cuts) and side note- is some massive lumps of river carp hanging around the docks just above the weir in summer times.

[@johncolley7643]

I haven’t seen a Bull Head for over 55 years since I was a kid fishing near Moorhaigh bridge over the river Meden in Derbyshire, great to see.

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

@@johncolley7643 still a few about

[@johncolley7643]

@@Chasingscalesspecieshunt glad to hear it, as a kid the area near Moorhaigh bridge needed a row of stepping stones and nerves of steel to cross them, the river was also fed by fresh water springs that we used to drink from on our safari outings creating a smaller tributary, now you cannot see any springs and you can stride over the river. I have no idea if there’s still any life in the water, very sad.

[@GWAYGWAY1]

@@johncolley7643 We have bullheads in our chalk stream, the Dour, which runs through Dover. Only seen small ones, though.

[@charleswillcock3235]

The one at pitlochry Scotland has windows.

[@paulinemaclean1298]

That closed to the public in 2019. You can still view it remotely online, but the public aren't allowed in to the actual window any more. God knows why though. I loved going there as a kid

[@charleswillcock3235]

@@paulinemaclean1298 I was a teenager when my family had a holiday in Scotland and I can remember the fish ladder and the viewing windows. Probably health and safety, or it was breaching the fishes rights to privacy. Pitlochry had lovely hanging baskets and the fish ladder - I cannot remember anything else about the place. Yes after a quick search on Google it was closed after 60-years on "Health and Safety Grounds". The UK has gone totally mad. I was never once concerned for my safety when I visited the site.

[@stevesalvage1089]

Really enjoyed this, the bullhead we used to catch in Pickford brook with nets and jam jars not actually knowing what they were, stickle backs were normal , interesting enough that minnows are completely different preferring clear running water ,

[@markjackson5429]

Not the only window. There's one on the River Lune at Halton weir near Lancaster.

[@damianowens5066]

That's super cool Jack you do get to see some amazing stuff in your job mate, I'm only a lot jealous 😂 and if you are ever thinking about taking on an apprentice you've got my number! 😜😂😉🎣👍

[@alanthecat59]

😻😻😻😻😻 love it great project and window view

[@grahamwhittle1971]

Great video 📸 loved it .

[@junglie]

Looks like a window into a unrinal, knowing the state of our rivers probably is mostly sewage......

[@richmorris2870]

I live in Worcester (grew up in Diglis) and its probably no coincidence that the sewage plant is just a few yards downstream of this.

[@MegMerrilees]

Great video, I’m just sorry that i never knew this existed and it’s my home town. Thanks

[@leegarner6013]

Absolutely fantastic.

[@mattgoodchild8215]

Another fantastic video 👍🏼🎣🍺

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

@@mattgoodchild8215 thanks Matt!

[@humptydumpty9177]

There used to be a similar window at Lopwell Dam on the river Tavy near Plymouth, I am pretty sure it's still there.

[@jonfisher9214]

I haven't seen a Bullhead since I used to fish on the river Darent about 40 years ago. They're like little bulldogs in fish form!

[@philmccavity7738]

Excellent video. Very informational. Thanks.

[@swibwi]

my grandmother back in the 40's used to put ground bait down underneath a pier in Belfast and then she would blast Mullet with a 4"10 saw'n off shotgun , it was very effective and it's really good eating but most don't catch them much with conventional methods as their mouth is too mushy to stay on a hook

[@stevew6141]

Great video, would like to see more attractions open up based on the environment and it’s inhabitants. Makes it so much more interesting

[@huwgriffiths9910]

I thaught there was a fish pass and window at Aberdulais falls, a tributary of the Neath river in South Wales about 20 years ago. 👍

[@brianmonahan7990]

Very good to see and good it’s helping the eco & fish levels, what we really need is to stop polluting our water ways and the previous heads of the water companies jailed for negligence and knowingly polluting or environment and taking big wages .

[@BobSimpkin]

Very cool, thanks for showing us.

[@Judge_Dredd]

There's a fish window at Shrewsbury next to the English Bridge, when it floods...

[@7cColin]

Actually the fish pass at Pitlochry on the Tay has a window in it, if it is still operational; I haven't visited it for many years.

[@nickcotton726]

Nice vid mate

[@drgjenkins4361]

Pretty good, pretty good. Used to live in mid-Wales and visit family down in Worcs. So literally tracked from upper to lower course of Severn. Hadn't realised that Shad went so far up! That is unbelievable! I'll be keeping my eyes peeled in the upper reaches in the future. I hope the passes are sufficient to allow fish through, they always look so small. At least there should be some kind of 'genetic knowledge' passed onto spawned fish, knowing that they are able to make the way up entirely. Looks quite cosy for a Sturgeon, but hopefully the increase 'bait fish' will encourage them up head up. Fish pass is a tiny bit of a pain, in that you've got to book (I believe) well in advance - not just a drop in and take a look, so that is not great, but an excellent start - would love to see one on the Wye somewhere / more of them in general along water courses. Here is hoping for a 100lb sturgeon sneaking its way up hah! p.s would LOVE to see the elver / eel runs through the window, especially knowing how good the Severn is.

[@drgjenkins4361]

Will also keep eyes peeled to see if a Seal makes it up!! They usually get one just to the south of Worcs, on high tides / floods I believe

[@peteacher52]

Very good! If you come to NZ, you may if you wish, fish for salmon in an irrigation canal. For the usual fishing license fee you may take the daily bag of two fish. BUT! they are of a very decent size and may be salmon, rainbow trout or brown trout.

[@lefroy1]

Next time they drain and clean the glass they could try putting shaving foam on it and rubbing until its clear. Should help stop algae forming. It stops condensation forming on bathroom and wing mirrors.

[@bananagirl5118]

So any records in fish numbers declining due to water companys destroying our waterways🤔

[@wilderbeestmcc6539]

Fascinating…thank you😃👍🇬🇧

[@richardh8082]

Thank you

[@Tim_Bucktu]

Install strong magnet attached scrubber that could be moved around via magnetic force from inside then they could stop the build up of algae happening as much.

[@cgln8760]

Some kind of magnetic cleaner would save some time.

[@baldieman64]

Or a simple broom.

[@paulschofield985]

I used to go barbel fishing 🎣 on the Severn in Oswestry stopped fresh water fishing 24 years ago now with the Severn & barbel years being the the end of that era.. started fishing fresh water at age 8 finished at 24, started sea fishing at 16 still going to this day at 48 yrs old..

[@pvere3246]

Somebody should tell the canal and river trust about window screen wipers.

[@deividas_kimontas]

Such an awesome video mate! 👀🐟

[@robswan4786]

There's a window in the fish ladder at the pitlochry hydro powerstation.

[@theteadrinker-143]

Good idea, interesting !

[@j_toledo419]

Great video! However did want to hear a little as to why it's designed like that but still, very cool

[@Nigelsyoutube]

We have one in pitlochry Scotland

[@rikbanter694]

Great video....I wonder how they manage to count all the fish coming through?

[@gordonmcleod1177]

I was under the impression that Lopwell Dam on the river Tavy Devon/ Cornwall border had or did have a viewing window1

[@awilderireland]

Could they not get a (strong) algae magnet like people use in aquariums to clean the viewing pane more frequently. Might need to attach a removable handle if the magnet is too strong (depending on the glass thickness) for one person to move.

[@strawberryatheist2114]

The otter omg such a underrated predator in the british isles

[@Richard-h9c]

It is not the only fish pass with a viewing window, there are 2 near me at Pitlochry

[@pincermovement72]

Would be interesting to know what number this has increased fish numbers higher up the Severn to ?

[@GrahamWoodward-ww1zf]

Good content, have walked past many times.

[@CharlieDoesFishing1]

Brilliant vid

[@mctonyward]

get a magnetic window cleaning tool they are used on high raised buildings you could just leave it attached

[@chrissearle2055]

What about the fluvarium on the River Ware At Wareham, Dorset?

[@readmore7180]

They need one of those magnetic scrapers for the glass, will save having to drain it so often lol

[@1gpman]

They need to get one of those magnets you put on aquariums in there lol

[@iany8230]

Excellent video. Great project. Water quality a concern.

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

@@iany8230 i wouldn’t drink out of it that’s for sure

[@frazc8148]

Might be the only fish pass/ladder in England but the fish ladder in Pitlochry has been there for a long while with windows to see the fish

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

@@frazc8148 it’s not open half the time though went a few years ago was shot

[@frazc8148]

@@Chasingscalesspecieshunt But your comment re “the only fish pass in the UK that has a window” is incorrect and it’s open now 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@kevinreilly191]

Interesting video. BTW called Englands only fish pass on the title contradicted tho by saying in the UK? Few passes with windows in Scotland , very much still in the UK 👍

[@Skinhead-201]

Doesn't the Pitlochry fish ladder have windows in it? Certainly used to.

[@JohnDeereboi777]

I’ve been down there!!!

[@TheHellokitty450]

Very interesting awesome

[@bugzy8739]

What about Shrewsbury weir? That's not been "unlocked" as far as I'm aware

[@BadgerLaser]

30 years ago - Cannon hill park in B'ham had a window into a pond with large Bream etc - is that gone ?

[@MrCaliber35]

If they used a strong magnetic aquarium glass cleaner, they could keep the glass much cleaner without the need to drain down.

[@gdfggggg]

Very good point. I’ve seen those things. Just leave it there.

[@MouseSnack]

I'm really intrigued by the concept of a fish pass! How does it work, and what makes Diglis unique compared to other places? I can’t wait to learn more about how it helps the fish and the river ecosystem. What can we expect to see in this video

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

@@MouseSnack hadn’t occurred to me that people don’t know about maybe should do one in a upcoming vid

[@stewartmercer19]

Isn't it pretty obvious from what the chap 'Mark' The visitor manager who was saying from 2:10 and regarding the Twaite Shad? 5:23 A Drone view of the FISH pass and Mark stating the river is unlocked? A huge clue is when at 8:05 A EA guy explains that fish that are tagged that GO THROUGH THE FISH PASS. are then MONITORED OF HAVING GONE THROUGH IT. ( we even heard that 'Laura' checks the FISH Passes and is pretty thorough) Chasing Scales then walks through into another area via a 'FISH PASS' to which he is introduced to a Bull head fish. ...Need I go on?

[@Rhodri101283]

The answers to your questions are literally in this video?

[@rickb176]

Watch it again, turn the volume up and listen! No offence intended.

[@tonyarmstrong4843]

There’s a boat lock the one side of Diglis Island and a weir the other side, so consequently fish had difficulty moving up and down stream, the fish pass pass now enables them to get through more easily.

[@dubsnbuds6668]

Amazing considering the terrible state of our waterways that all these fish are still here

[@johannebaker9730]

Any facilities for disabled to view it? Can you set up a video? Fantastic idea. ❤

[@philoffhistree]

mate you should see the bullheads at Rudyard lake they are the full size of your hand, i dont know if thats bigger than the record or not but thats the size they are

[@philoffhistree]

actually i just measured my hand where i had one sat a few years ago and it would be 14cm long not the full length but not far off

[@bigbiemacaw]

That’s so cool

[@VijaySuryaAditya]

May I suggest a magnetic fish tank cleaner?!

[@chrismccartney8668]

Everyone was waiting for u to fall and see float past the window..!!.

[@jamesrickerby2756]

Can you visit? I live in Shropshire and i would like to take my grandkids on Sat or Sunday?

[@mototommy5525]

Any small zander passed through ?

[@paulgibbons2320]

In salt water, bullheads get 5x that size.

[@smitbar11]

Shame a window wasn't installed on the sister river the Trent at Colwick fish pass

[@Chasingscalesspecieshunt]

@@smitbar11 indeed!

[@8atheist476]

Never seen an open latrine with a window before.

[@pleasantville4529]

I had no idea that we had lamprey in our rivers.

[@quincym-e4680]

Pitlochry got a viewing window

[@stuartchristie64]

amazing, what a great idea, its about time we opened all our rivers back up for migratory fish, and what a great way to monitor what goes through, I never knew this existed, but they really ought to have an easier way to clean the algae off the windows - like a big aquarium glass cleaner, it seems shutting it off and draining it is a bit drastic, maybe a few underwater cams too would help monitor 24/7

[@csul8087]

You should have asked why there is so much algee build up on the glassit probably caused by excess sewage.

[@philjameson292]

Probably more due to nitrogen run off from fields