Did anyone else see the picture, in this week's AM, of the 38lb 8oz pike, killed after deliberate capture from an unnamed trout fishery?
What a terrible shame! This was no flagging geriatric, but a really fine specimen: the weight was big because it was clearly stuffed with roe. Such a pity, I think, that this fish couldn't have been released, unharmed, elsewhere.

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its shocking, but unfortunately, not unusual at trout fisheries

did not read this story myself but totally agree that if it was deliberatly stalked it should have just been transfered to another water . they should be ashamed of themselfs and why is this practice legal???

In fairness it is the rules that all pike are killed from the fishery in question. The angler had two choices, either don't support the fishery by not fishing there, or by breaking the rule and returning the fish. It was weighed some time after death so might have made 40 pounds. The local PAC has tried for some time to educate the people in question. Personally I believe the people concerned have shown their ignorance to a staggering extent by this wilful vandalism. The sheer stupity is that the fishery will, I hope, see a large increase the number of jacks. There are many pikers who would have paid big money to have chased a known 40 so the club's finances have lost out big time. Unfortunately Pangolin, the likelyhood of a succesful relocation of a big pike is remote in the extreme. Next time I catch a 20 pound nuisance brown trout its going on the compost heap :mad: The whole saga is one to disgust any sensible angler.

I can agree with jacks taken out of the lake for the table to some degree. But a fish of this calibre shouldnt be harmed in anyway!
After a fish of that size has probably given you the fight of its life, and yours. It deserves to be put back out of respect.

The trout fishery will now experience a rush of jack pike vying to be 'top dog'. Virtually any animal does this by becoming the largest, in the shortest time.

By removing one large fish that may take the odd trout here and there, they have ensured that umpteen trout will now be eaten in this 'great race'.

Well done, fishery owner, your knowledge of fish is astounding

Dear Chaps,

A point if I may, albeit muted by ongoing stupidity concerning predators in "some" game angling circles.

Unwanted fish, in this case pike, can be very easily trapped in cage traps. Their removal once trapped onto new homes where their presence is welcomed has though a history of failure. Pike it seems, are not very good travellers.

Then again, I know of remarkable success stories where translocated game fishery pike have gone on to do exceptionally well once removed from trout lakes. The secret seems to be moving them into course fisheries that get stocked with trout also!! These trout stockings are relitively cheap as they are deformed trout (not perfect specimens for the supermarket trade)and are quite cheap to purchase.

Obstacles are of course having the section 30's to move the pike legally. The right location for the translocation involving obtaining trout stocks that are certified healthy and crayfish plague free.

Pike in excess of thirty pounds are extremely rare creatures. Their existence in my opinion demands some sort of preservation safety net be implimented that ensure's game fishery pike don't end up with their heads bashed in. A sort of "Pike Rescue Society" for example?

In this day and age which is greatly enhansed by the "per second" electronic comunication system, setting such a thing up is hardly rocket science. Working closely with the EA, NFA and game fishing organisations, a national network could soon be set up so unwanted predators could be translocated as and when neccessary. Its all a case of setting things up properly thats all.

Imagine say a huge carp or barbel having its head bashed in because it was regarded as a nuisance fish by those that caught them? Wouldn't be tollerated for a second.

There you go then pike anglers. Any volunteers??

Regards,

Lee.

I had to read the article twice just to get my head around the sheer pig headedness of the people involved in this attrocity. Most fluff chuckers have the same mentality as match fishermen when it comes to the facts around balancing fish stocks, a part pike can either help in doing or totally decimate the balance through the removal of the dominant females. A water l fish had a good head of double figure fish for a few years until they started to turn up dead for various reasons. The next two seasons lure fishing the water every hit l had was from 4-5lb fish that were smashing into them so hard l thought l was hitting a big twenty. This balance still hasn't been addressed but l still fish there hoping for the next stock of females to come through something this trout fishery will hopefully endure.

I have recently raised the issue of stocking of pike with my club and to their knowledge this had never taken place, and l bet this is the case with most out there? They stated it was hard to find health checked pike on stockists lists even though they would be happy to receive a quantity if these did come up. So for my first port of call l have e-mailed Sparshot to see if they ever remove pike from waters on netting exercises and if anyone out there has any ideas on how to attain some please contact me.

removed to new thread - please ignore this entry . .

[ 13. March 2004, 05:14 PM: Message edited by: Bradford Angler ]

Sad loss of a beautiful fish ,deserves respect no wonder the antis have a field day if we kill wantanly like this..........