I must say I,m starting to dislike the very standard advice I read every day now regarding Pike. This goes for all forums by the way.
Mostly it consists of "Join PAC!" or "Go with someone experienced in handling Pike".
I'm by no means saying this is a bad advice. On the whole it's fairly sound but I have to say, it isn't always the answer.
If I had been left to go with someone more experienced, I would still be waiting most likely. Pikers don't go about advertising thier services and PAC can look like a big gang at times. I don't drive and I find it hard enough getting around for Piking meets, fish-ins and club meetings, so this makes me wonder what use this advice is, to a novice or a youngster.
Piking by nature, is a hit and miss affair. Pikers blank regularly and I'm sure plenty have blanked on thier "Introductions to Piking".
Youngsters may want instant results. If you don't turn fish up, you're hardly likely to impress or show them how to unhook anything.
You can show them how to use baits, rigs and all the gear but if you never/rarely deep-hook a fish, how are you supposed to show them the correct way of going about unhooking them?
PAC is not the answer if you don't have the means and these forums do little to make the novice feel alright about asking probing questions when they maybe "kill a wee jack by accident".
I know I killed Pike (plural) when I started out. If I had a computer then, I dread to think what would have been said if I had asked where I had went wrong.
Luckily, I,m quite an outgoing chap and I don't have much of a problem inviting myself into forums. It didn't take too long for me to find PAAS, Pike forums and a number of fishing buddies who have helped a great deal in the last few years. Not everyone is quite so outgoing though.
I have an online pal who just joined PAAS. He wouldn't have joined at all without my constant "fear" calming. He's quite a nervous chap actually. It is quite apparent, he would not have joned PAAS or even tried to, without coaxing.
I'm sure he isn't the only one who feels a little intimidated by the general Pikers attitude online.
We clearly have work to do regarding newbies of any age and variety. Maybe if we simply take them onboard and realise these things, we wouldn't answer thier questions with "Go join pac or find an experienced Piker".
That is, after all, why they came in here in the first place.

Thanks, Andy! I guess I'm one of those you're trying to defend, and I appreciate your concern. I'm an angler of many years experience, returning to pike-fishing after a twenty year absence. I've posted a series of questions in relation to the one or two problems I've had, hooking the fish (not striking too early) and getting the hooks out (not striking too late). I've also questioned the use of the twin-treble snap-tackle, which just seems to have survived from the days when anglers considered that pike should be killed, rather than returned. Some of the answers to my questions have been critical of my methods: OK, if offered with helpful hints, but I do feel that I'm being made to look like the only angler on here who has ever harmed a pike (even unintentionally). I'm pretty thick-skinned, so I'll keep on raising the issues. We should share our problems on here, don't you think?

When I started pike fishing a few years ago my brother bought me a series of pike fishing instructional videos presented by Mat Hayes. The first time I caught a pike (a 10lb fish) I was with a mate who had caught pike before but I did not need him. The videos (which I had watched over and again) and the fact that I was an experienced general coarse angler meant the fish was hooked in the mouth, was unhooked photographed and weighed, and back in the water all with the minimum of fuss. My advice would be, get good experience with other fish and get proper instruction. If you can’t get it from a good pike angler you can do a lot worse than try Matt’s video.

Andy,

Perhaps the advice should be join the PAC or the PAAS? Or go with someone experienced?

It seems you managed to find out about PAAS OK and I am sure you have learned loads from being a member. I suppose I can say the same about the PAC. If anyone starting Pike fishing genuinely wants to find out about Pike handling, unhooking etc. they will find plenty of info on clubs in their area either via the internet or local library. Most local newspapers have an Angling column and most clubs advertise their meetings etc.
I like you had a problem in getting about when I was much younger, but I just got on my bike and went fishing. I never had a PAC or PAAS when I was a beginner and no one had devised the unhooking methods we have today, gags and pliers plus hold them down with your foot [a method still encountered today], but I did my best at the time.
Since those days I have become a member of PAC and gone fishing with more experienced anglers. I was even the local RO here in Cambridge for many years, when I took the opportunity to run "teach ins" for beginners, sadly very few took the chance of attending and I believe the same response would happen today.
There is no easy answer apart from those already stated. So join the PAAS or PAC even if they are like big gangs[??], go fishing with someone experienced and above all have respect for your quarry.
Finally if anyone wants to see a really good website with plenty of tips about Pike Fishing have a look at http://www.hooklinks.co.uk/pike/navigation.../pikeframe.html

Regards,

Colin

I agree entirely.
Its not good on here, but its a lot worse on the Specialist Forums.

I don,t belong to any of the aforementioned Societys and have never felt the need to.
I learnt the basics of catching and handling fish, from good books and then my own experience.
No fish suffered unduly, during this learning process.

The recommendation should be to get a good book, or two.
Or, to keep uptodate, get a good video, or DVD, or two.

Andy/Pangolin
I fully understand what you are saying and they are very valid points, the difficulty comes when one tries to put into words, that which is so much more easily shown.
I am, I suppose basically self taught over the years with a good background in general coarse fishing, but having said that, I have never caused the demise of a Pike,[that I know of] maybe by pure luck.
It maybe that you don't get a full 'on the nose' answer to some of the questions that have been asked because of the above reason, and also, if what is given in answer is misunderstood, can leave the answerer open to criticism or ridicule, this often happens on the forum as you know. There could also be some that intend to keep to themselves what they know.
As I said your points are valid, and I think it right and proper in the spirit furthering good angling practice that, where possible you should get a more concise answer to your questions.

The point was made that people were reluctant to attend teach ins.Yes I would agree that 15 years or so ago that was the case.These days I would have to disagree.These days lots of people are after information on Piking,these forums being a prime example of this.I really believe that this is due to the fact that the awarness that there is a need to learn has been raised by pikers and the PAC.A lot of us had to learn the hard way,yes I will admit to killing pike through ignorance,but there is no merit in learning the hard way.Not these days when there is so much more info and help available.Yes you cant beat one to one instruction but the vast amount of vidios,books and indeed telivision coverage of the subject does come a close second.

i would agree with a lot of what budgie has to say but i would add that the PAC is not soley there for helping youngsters, but to promote pke fishing and the conservation of Pike.

Cranfield i find your i didnt feel the need to join any of these societies clubs very naieve in the extreme. i am old enough to remembe the bad old days in the fens when Pike and Zander were knocked on the head or thrown up the bank. the PAC and ZAC were instrumental in preventing this and groups lie the SAA got the ridiculous rod limits etc revoked ad do tirelesswork in aid of angling, particulrly specialist angling. the i am all right jack attitude is just the one that allows angling to be legislated against throgh the back door. a club or society with big numbers of members is a powerfull voice and as anglers we should all offer our support even if it is through a measely £20 to join the SAA et al

Mark - it does sound like the groups you mention have done good things for angling over the years.

Encouraging folks to join one or more groups to help in the 'strength in numers' sounds reasonable.

Castigating an angler who isn't a joiner or who, for whatever reasons, isn't fond of specific groups strikes me as counter productive at best.

Cranfield stated the approach that worked for him in the midst of a discussion of how new pike anglers can best learn about safe handling. You segued into a mini-rant about apolitical anglers. I'd have to say that in addition to getting him somewhat irate, the comment isn't likely to give new pike anglers a warm fuzzy feeling about airing opinions or questions or about joining a group or two or ten.

Why is the fact that I don,t feel any need to join these Societys naive ?

The "ridiculous rod limits" that these Society,s got revoked.
Were they the ones that limited the amount of rods you could use ?
Thereby protecting the pikes welfare ?

Some of the people that post on here know me, my maturity and my experience.
Don,t assume just because we don,t jump on every thread, expounding words of wisdom with our "mates", we don,t know anything, ain,t been nowhere, or done anything.

It is the presumptious nature of some of the self appointed "experts", that turn the newcomers and the not so newcomers, off.