Pike Anglers: Compulsory Courses?

[Anderoo]

Further info on the FAS teach-in: http://www.farnhamanglingsociety.com/conse...ke-teach-in.php

[poledark]

I voted NO. You would not believe me if I told you I have only ever seen 1 (ONE) other angler handle a pike properly when unhooking it. Even though I had been catching pike for years, I had never seen the correct way to do it. Gary from the Tackle Box showed me.

 

I have shown a few, some of them claiming to be experienced pikers who seemed to need someone else to help all the time.

 

No need to confuse the issue by including other fish, apart from Eels there is no real problem or danger to the fish, but due to the way in which most anglers fish for them, then adequate instruction in handling and unhooking should be a requirement before being allowed to fish for them. Shouldn't be to difficult to have a dummy fish to demonstrate with?

 

If you think that is over the top, just take note of the questions being asked on thei forum almost daily, there seems to be a serious lack of any initative in trying to gain even some basic knowledge. The answers are all out there, even videos showing how to do it. Do these morons even bother to try to find out some answers before going off for a piking trip?

Many don't, and that is where the danger lies.

Den

 

Den

[Phone]

poledark, BUDGIE,

 

Den,

I'm not voting - I don't have a clue what you are talking about.

Is there a "universally" accepted way or more than one "right way".

 

BUDGIIE,

Sounds like you're beating your hollow head on a hollow stump. Most seem to object to the word or idea of "compulsory" not the idea of proper handling.

 

Phone

[Dick Dastardly]

poledark, BUDGIE,

 

Den,

I'm not voting - I don't have a clue what you are talking about.

Is there a "universally" accepted way or more than one "right way".

 

BUDGIIE,

Sounds like you're beating your hollow head on a hollow stump. Most seem to object to the word or idea of "compulsory" not the idea of proper handling.

 

Phone

 

 

There are slight variations on a theme (such as using the whole hand in the same side of the gill cover to grasp the jaw or using two fingers one in each gill cover and some prefer to straddle the pike on a mat and others prefer to keep the fish entirely of the ground) but in general the technique is the same. As long as they can hold and therefore control the pike in a safe way,know about inverting hooks etc then it doesn't really matter. I have my preferences and reasons for them but really its just "refining".

 

The big battle is to get people to lose their "fear"/squeamishness and get to grips with the fish rather than just stabbing at it on the deck with a pair of forceps! Usually once shown the correct ways to do so they soon overcome the hesitancy and they are on their way!

[Tigger]

The big battle is to get people to lose their "fear"/squeamishness and get to grips with the fish rather than just stabbing at it on the deck with a pair of forceps! Usually once shown the correct ways to do so they soon overcome the hesitancy and they are on their way!

 

 

 

Why do pike experts always recommend forceps when long nosed pliers are much better for the job ? They even recommend them in Anderoo's link.

[Dick Dastardly]

Why do pike experts always recommend forceps when long nosed pliers are much better for the job ? They even recommend them in Anderoo's link.

 

Pliers are far better for lures but forceps are the tool for bait size hooks.

 

My one "complaint" though is that to many seem to insist on long forceps.Long forceps (10"-12") that you often see advised/compulsory are absolutely pants for dealing with a deep hooked fish. Far better to use shorter (8") ones and go through the gill covers. I do carry long forceps as well but rarely need them. You can get away with not having them but you cant get away with using long ones in delicate situations.

[Vagabond]

I voted No ......but.....

 

Yes, I agree that instructional courses on pike handling are a good idea for newcomers to pikefishing.

 

Compulsory ? Well........

 

Suppose the FAS idea were universally adopted, and you were a keen pike angler, fishing a wide variety of waters.

Wouldn't you get just a tad impatient at having to "prove" your pike handling skills at every venue you visited ?

OK for the first couple of teach-ins..........but the eleventh ?

 

Some sort of universal certificate? Issued by whom? Who certifies the certificate issuers ? Its a minefield............

[Dick Dastardly]

Some sort of universal certificate? Issued by whom? Who certifies the certificate issuers ? Its a minefield............

 

 

Certainly not easy Dave but the more fisheries/clubs that introduced it the sooner a "nationally" recognised scheme could be implemented.

 

A lot of work and a certain degree of inconvenience to start with for sure but wouldn't it be worth it to stop finding dead pike and ones with traces down them?

[gozzer]

This question is a case of 'you're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't'. Even the wording of the title I find biased, a simple yes or no would have done, without the being "insulted" bit. If you say no, then you are open to being called, smug, and superior in thinking that you know what to do. If you vote no, then by definition, you are admitting that you aren't "an experienced pike angler", and don't know what you're doing.

 

I won't vote because I don't consider myself "an experienced pike angler". I've caught a few hundred over the years, but that don't make me a 'pike angler'. I've been 'taught' how to unhook pike, but never having had a fish take a hook out of sight, then I know I would struggle with the 'inverting the stomach' bit. If I had the chance, then I would gladly take instruction from an experienced angler, but as it's been said, who decides who is experienced, and at what level would they be experienced enough to teach. I would volunteer, but would resist any mandatory teaching.

There is too much legislation covering all aspects of angling, but I hear anglers asking for more. It's often the case that the legislation that they want is self serving, in that it's something that they already do, or they regard as good for their particular branch of angling. But, often they are the ones who cry loudest when someone proposes something that would impact on/restrict their particular branch of angling, even if it's helpful to another.

If I were to vote, it would be no, (without feeling insulted at the suggestion), because mandatory rulings have a way of spawning others, and before we know it, we are buried under a mountain of the things. Just look at the catch and release fiasco.

 

John.

[Phone]

BUDGIE,

 

Canada, TODAY - on the Telly. Pike (muskie) 74 in. - by - 75 lbs. That would put a little fear in me also.

 

Phone