ChrisBishop

I never believed this was happening at the time of the alleged Potter Heigham incident and I don't now. In March, there were reports of it happening, which were basically a rehash of the same three-year-old story. Curiously, when the story surfaced again a couple of weeks back, the EA were quoted as receiving no reports of alleged thefts for two years. Hold on a minute. Does that mean it didn't happen again in March..? Surely if the EA now says it has no record of fish theft in the area for two years, it must mean reports of it happening were wrong. If the EA has no record because this wasn't reported to the EA, isn't this a bit of an ommission if people are that sure of their facts..? Surely they've got a responsibility to help the EA track down those concerned by reporting such incidents. So was there an inident in March or not..? Or was it just the same old urban myth being recycled again. I know which one I believe. If you're going to net fish, who in their right mind's going to do it from a boatyard. They not only have security protecting the millions of quid worth of fibreglass and plywood floating about, they'd also physically be a difficult water to net, requiring a boat. Surely anyone looking to steal fish wholesale is going to do so at the start of the pike season, when people are stocking up with baits so there's a ready market. You're not going to wait until February or March, when the season's almost over. Notwithstanding the time of year they'd choose an easier water like - for the sake of argument - one of the remoter land drains in the Fens which are shallow, snag-free and have easy road access. Two of the companies who've signed up for the Pikemark account for around 70pc of the market in coarse deads. Both state they account for a fraction of their sales, as most pike anglers rate sea deads more highly. The coarse deads they sell are taken from a water which isn't coarse fished, where coarse fish are cropped each year. Between them, they get through a few tonnes a year, which sounds a lot but isn't when you look at the amount of seabaits pike anglers use. This is all easily checkable fact. Yet those who continue to make allegations never come to the PAC - which would happily put them in touch with people in the bait industry who'd explain to them how it works, or even check with bait dealers and tackle shops for the sake of balance in the first place. Fortunately, this whole story's now become so daft, in particular those concerned can't even agree when this theft is meant to have occurred, that no-one with an ounce of common sense is going to take a blind bit of notice of it. I guess one other question would be what do the people at the boatyards think. In all the stories I've seen about this, I've never seen any corroboration from them, which just shows how well-researched, balanced and accurate they've been. If you're going to write about something being stolen from someone's property, you'd probably go to them for a comment to help stand the story up, wouldn't you..? What all this put together shows is very simple. It never happened, did it.

I'll see you there Vidar. Under any other circumstances I'd say be great to see you and a few other guys again, but - you what I mean. Chris B

Elton, Just got your e-mail. Sums up what a lot of people are thinking tonight.

Came home to an e-mail from Trevor and Josie, can't believe it. Russ sums Gerry up, he'd go out of his way for anyone but the last thing he'd want to do is burden you with his problems or make you worry about him. I doubt his closest friends knew how ill he was - whenever I spoke to him he was on the mend and looking forward to getting out fishing with his mates again. I'm stunned he's gone.

You can get a finger or two safely through the gills of just about any pike, try chinning them instead of netting them, nothing that small should have swallowed the hooks down. Much easier than poncing about with them on a mat, not sure what a rock underneath mat's going to do if fish kicks off either.

Note venue change if you're thinking of going: linky thing

Hi Budgie, My understanding is kids are taught all about different aspects of fishing on the scheme. As far as pike are concerned, they're taught a bit about their biology and their importance to waters, and why they're fragile and need careful handling, coupled with some practical stuff. CB

Think it's a series of four. The book's an engaging read as well, best fishing book I've read in ages. The search for the trout in London is (I think) next week's programme.

Have a look on the PAC website, there are branches in the North-east.

Hi Barry et al, Rang the number a few times at different times of day/night but there never seems to be anyone on the other end. Just like to let Gerry know I haven't forgotten him. Chris Bishop

Surely the key lies in engaging with the people who take part in these things and those who organise them. The code is a step forward because it covers tackle (minimum line strength, wire trace etc...), bite indication, prompt striking and making sure those entering have the basic tools needed to unhook fish. It also covers stewarding and states pike should not be retained in keepnets. Isn't this a step forward, if we can get match organisers to adopt it..?

What would you rather we did Peter..? The only way we're ever going to change anything is by getting our message across to people. The code's a good way to start. If we can get people who take part in pike matches to use sensible tackle, good bite indication, prompt striking and have the right tools to hand to unhook fish safely, we'll surely have moved things on regardless of whether you agree with pike matches or not.

Unfortunately the Pike Anglers Club now endorses pike matches No it doesn't. The PAC has published a code of conduct in the hope that we can start addressing issues like people taking part in these things using inferior tackle, poor bite indication and without the correct tools to unhook and handle fish. We're campaigning for those organising pike matches and those taking part to fish responsibly and try and minimise the damage they do. The code also covers things like ensuring enough stewards are on hand and not retaining pike in keepnets. What we do endorse is education and trying to minimise damage to pike stocks.

Hi Bob, I spent quite a lot of time researching the deadbait trade after the allegations that fish were being illegally-netted from Broads boatyards resurfaced this spring. The upshot of this was a PAC kitemark which bait suppliers could use to assure customers their baits come from legal and sustainable sources. You'll probably have noted that despite claims "an estimated six million silver fish species are being plundered annually", river anglers appear to be enjoying record sport this autumn. I fail to see how one squares with the other - particularly when the country's three biggest bait firms, which have all signed up to scheme get through a fraction of this amount of frozen coarse fish a season, because they are nowhere near as popular as sea deads. I don't dispute fish are being illegally netted. What I do dispute is that they are being taken illegally for the bait trade, having researched the subject in some detail. I'm more than happy to meet up with you to discuss this as I'm only up the road from you. Kind Regards, Chris Bishop PAC press officer