A Pike Fishing Question

[Rusty]

The question that I’ve been dying to ask as a result of reading recent Pike related threads is why do we fish for them at all?

 

The reason for the question is that I don’t currently fish for Pike, I’d like to and have been invited out by an experienced angler to learn but I’m now questioning whether I should. I don’t have a burning desire to learn, I’ll still like to go but I’ll fish for another species and watch Pike being caught.

 

EW as far as I’m concerned you’re welcome to contribute to this thread but please don’t turn it into a crusade (I cut you some slack remember).

 

From what I gather through talking to experienced pikers the following are reasonably accurate assumptions;

 

• Pike are not a particularly robust species and are much more vulnerable than others if re-captured regularly even if handled properly (true of small ones too?)

 

• Large Pike (20lb plus) take a long time to grow to that size and are not particularly common.

 

• Pike clubs or societies protect the species by not disclosing the locations of known big fish. Benefit of the doubt here, they’re not just being selfish.

 

• The same clubs will welcome new members and offer advice to anyone wishing to learn fish for Pike properly, again this is in the interests of the species.

 

• Clubs do not actively control hotspots, perhaps by some sort of rota or restriction on the number of occasions particular swims can be fished.

 

• The only ‘control’ as such is the recognition that Pike are a winter species and are even more vulnerable in the warmer months.

 

This is where it all falls apart for me. Undoubtedly an incompetent piker will drastically reduce the chances of caught fish surviving. Equally if the numbers of competent pikers increases this could have the same impact, more knowledgeable anglers join clubs, find hotspots, exchange information and the pressure on the species increases.

 

If there is a current equilibrium between anglers and fish it must exist purely by chance, if so how can we be sure that it continues? The informal ‘keep it quiet approach’ may be ok in the short term but it doesn’t seem particularly robust in the long term particularly if the number of competent pikers increases.

 

Do you think there should be active management of pike angling or are the fish doing ok as it is (in which case I’m talking b****cks.)?

[Anderoo]

A pretty good summary Rusty. Pike have evolved so that, in simple terms, they can dish it out but can't take it! They may look tough but they're very delicate, as you say especially so in the warmer months.

 

I believe that if you know what you're doing, there's no danger to pike when fishing for them. (I can't speak for the trout water giants - that may be a different matter.) However, if an individual pike (large or small, but I think especially large) is repeatedly caught it probably won't do it much good, and of course the more it's caught the more chance there is of it being caught by someone who doesn't really know what they're doing.

 

The old adage is that pike thrive on neglect. They do much better when left alone, unlike species like carp which are as tough as old boots and can easily cope with repeated captures. (The reason Steve Burke doesn't allow any piking at Wingham, even by competent pikers.)

 

I don't do much piking these days because of where I live, but if I was back in Norfolk I'd spend an awful lot of time fishing for pike and zander. I wouldn't target known big fish and I wouldn't fish for them in the summer - a lot of the attraction of piking for me is exploring and treading my own path - easy to do in the fens - and there are plenty of other species to fish for in the warm months, I really don't see the need to fish for pike then.

 

I would still go and learn how to fish for them if I were you. Even if you don't ever do any piking on your own, you'll probably hook and land a few accidentally, so it's very useful to know what to do when that happens.

 

From my point of view, it's far better to have lots of competent, sensible pikers than fewer incompetent, stupid ones!

[Dick Dastardly]

Perfectly valid question and one that is often disscused, sadly pike anglers (no matter what their level of experience) are the pikes worst enemy.Pike simply dont put up with angling pressure and are easily damaged.All we can do if we wish to carry on catching them is minimise this as much as possible within the constraints of still fishing for them

 

Pretty much the same with any species welfare really just that the Pikes more delicte make up and the way we fish for them makes them even more vunerable.You have to accept the situation and do your best if you want to fish for them but if you "love them so much" that you cant then your only option is to stop/not fish for them! Once again same with any fishing really when you think about it isnt it?

 

Does that make sense?

 

Ive not gone in to to much detail as Anderoo had really summed it up.

Edited February 19, 2009 by BUDGIE

[Rich_]

The question that I’ve been dying to ask as a result of reading recent Pike related threads is why do we fish for them at all?

 

 

• The only ‘control’ as such is the recognition that Pike are a winter species and are even more vulnerable in the warmer months.

 

I think this idea originated more in the South of the British Isles, maybe due to the fact that pike were seen as more reliable feeders in the cold weather and people had other things to target in the Summer.

 

In the North West & Scotland where there's been traditionally little else to fish for in the way of coarse fish , other than pike & perch in the big Lochs & lakes this was not really the case. Most of the rivers are exclusively game fish here.

In Winter the pike can be hard to catch and locate especially from the bank in these venues. & the perch extremely elusive until the weather warms up. I think most people realise these days that the variety of situations up and down the land would mean too many restrictions on piking could make life very difficult for people in some areas like the Lake District where you are already restricted to sea dead bait & lures & a host of other restrictive rules & regs.

 

your other points seem quite valid & I personally think a lot of the pressure is because there is an obsession with big 20lb+ fish which you rightly say are not as common as the photos in the press would suggest , many of these will be repeat captures most likely. The places producing these fish will get a lot of attention while ther are stretches of river ,canal, or lakes which hold plenty of smaller fish go unmolested. I have fished a lot of these types of place & they are quiet and you catch a few fish with maybe the odd double if you're lucky.

[Dick Dastardly]

Nice first post Rich and welcome to AN!

 

Very true what you say about to many people these days being "big pike" anglers rather thn pike anglers. Ive been lucky enought to have had acsess to many top waters and as a result had a fair few big pike. But Ive always regarded my self as a "pike angler" and the day I get fed up/cant be bothered with 5-8lb "bread and butter" fish will be the day I give it up!

 

Big pike are so few and far between it must be awfully boring for the "big or bust" boys!

[poledark]

First off, I have been targeting a couple of known biggies this winter. Not every time I fished, but maybe a couple of days a week in certain swims. Fortunately for me, I have it to myself most of the time...very few pikers, most after carp

 

Most of the problems with pike are due to poor unhooking and fear..mostly fear of being bitten/slashed, this leading to being out of the water to long.

 

For me, the other main problem is when the big females are nearly ready to spawn...about now down south, certainly in the next few weeks. I shall cease piking at the end of Feb for that reason. I have witnessed a couple of real big fish turn over in the past, one 30+ and one 29+

 

In the case of the 30, it came from a small 2 acre lake, and once its whereabouts were known, every wannabe came from near and far...except me I was asked why I did not fish for it, and predicted it would be dead in a matter of weeks...............I was right!

 

There is also a growing tendency to fish for them at night (carpers desperate for a run) Just how many deaths are caused I hate to think.

 

So, once again, a close season for pike, and no night fishing for them, unless you are prepared to wind in when you go to sleep.

 

Den

[noodle996]

Nice first post Rich and welcome to AN!

 

Very true what you say about to many people these days being "big pike" anglers rather thn pike anglers. Ive been lucky enought to have had acsess to many top waters and as a result had a fair few big pike. But Ive always regarded my self as a "pike angler" and the day I get fed up/cant be bothered with 5-8lb "bread and butter" fish will be the day I give it up!

 

Big pike are so few and far between it must be awfully boring for the "big or bust" boys!

 

as one of the people who doesnt mind jacks falling off does that make me big fish or bust?

 

yup i do aim for larger than average pike with poor results most of the time. I have seen it said about muskies being the fish of a thousand casts, well above average pike are way beyond that level, not to catch but locate.

 

I think this (for me) is one of the main reasons not to name waters. Why should anyine who has gone to what amounts to a fair bit of effort to track down some decent fishing give it away to every angler who can spool a reel with 6lb mono and then throw a spinner out

 

on several waters i have had the privelege of being able to fish where other anglers were not allowed, should i publiscise these and risk the fisheries being destroyed by the careless anglers out there?

Or should i just enjoy my fishing in fantastic surroundings and be content that im fortunate enough to be able to do this

 

very rarley take pics of fish now, and even less likely to discuss weights. and as for waters, well i will discuss some but not in the open that often.

[Dick Dastardly]

as one of the people who doesnt mind jacks falling off does that make me big fish or bust?

 

 

Massive difference between "doesnt mind jacks falling off" and regarding bread and butter pike as a pain though isnt there noodle? Im sure you know what I mean.

 

I dont think enjoying all the smaller fish that have come my way between big ones has adversely affected my big fish results! In fact its possibly help me catch mpre biggies by simply making my piking so enjoyable Ive wanted to go as much as possible!

 

Anyway how can you specificly target big pike? Increase your chances by fishing waters that hold them yes but Ive never found a way of eliminating smaller pike taking your bait! And never fished a lump water thats not held smaller pike!

 

No noodle when I refer to "big pike or bust" its the mind set Im reffering to.Im as loathing of those who look down on bred and butter pike as I am of those who look down on any species/size of fish...but even maybe more so when they clainm to be a"pike angler" rather than a specimen hunter.

 

Nohing wrong with "prefering" to catch big pike but I think that you will find all of us would fit in to that hat!

[Rich_]

Hi Budgie.

 

You're right , I still consider fish in the 5-8 pound size good fish to catch even after over 20 years of fishing for them, and of course there's nothing wrong with seeking out the bigger ones if you get the chance. I think the problem of pressure arises when places get a reputation for having a high average size of fish present even though the number of fish over 20 pound may be quite low. A lot of new anglers will make for these places.

I have often seen messages from people who have taken up pike fishing ,saying that they have been at it for a couple of Winters and not had a 20 pounder and they want to know where they are going "wrong". as if pike fishing was an easy route to a big fish.One of the things I like about pike fishing is you can catch them from different types of water & there's a method for what ever mood you are in.

 

As Rustys post has drawn attention to, the increase in popularity of the species is a bit of a double edged sword in some ways. Maybe it would be better if we spread ourselves a bit thinner, rather than concentrating on the popular places, big fish will turn up occasionally, and are a pleasant surprise , like my only fish to date that went over 20 pound.

[noodle996]

sorry just read my reply didnt mean it to come accross quite as confrontational as it did.

 

i know what you mean about the bread and butter.

 

one way i find usefull to avoid smaller fish is fish in the most awkward places you can (or try areas thought to be devoid of pike nudge nudge wink wink say no more

 

it works about one in a hundred times lol