i got raker rash and im happy

[Angly]

Well done that man

 

Hear, hear!

[BigKev]

stick with it , you say your not the most experienced angler but at least you knew what to do and undoubtardly saved that fish , if by your actions you made the others think a bit more about what to do then thats a BIG PLUS . spreading the word is what needs to be done

[wayne baker]

i thought i would have another rant as a follow up to my last topic "What to do in this situation"

 

pulled a sicky yesterday and headed up the canal and got speaking to a young guy who seemed to know his stuff and didn’t appear to be like the rest of the usual morons that inhabit the canal so we had a coffee and a smoke talked tactics (no venues)

 

he went over to his rod and a short while later i heard a whistle and i looked over to see him playing a large pike he gave a little nod to indicated he needed help so I walked over with my unhooking gear in hand and he most certainly needed a hand a big one.

 

His reel was of the kind that you get in Shakespeare starter kits, you know the ones made entirely of cheap plastic. Well he tried setting the drag to do something to help but it never worked I heard the clutch (if you can call it that) break and then entire thing imploded and the line tangled all over the reel.

 

I told him to walk up the bank when there is less resistance from the pike and if she wants to swim just walk back down don’t put too much pressure on her just take it easy and we’ll get her in after doing this for about 2 minutes he eventually got her in enough for another angler with a big enough net could get her out the water.

 

My worst fear was realized when I chinned the pike to get the trebles out to see that she was deep hooked. Having never dealt with such a problem and without my teacher andy macfarlane I had to rely on everything I had read on the pacgb website regarding deep hooking.

 

One observer said “Just leave the last treble its alright”

 

I got the first treble clear and told the guy to reach in my pocket and get my metal cutters and sniped the trace and got the first treble completely out of the way, I pulled the gut out slowly to reveal the problem treble, it was so badly hooked that all 3 points had hooked the gut and stitched it shut. With my cutters I told him to very carefully break up the trebles, which weren’t steel thankfully, all 3 points had been cut and everything removed. The gut retracted itself and the passage was free and clear I sat with her in the margins for half an hour as she had been in and out of the water for about 15 minutes (2 minute intervals between operations)

 

She sat there quite the thing in the big net while she chilled out a bit got the lad his trophy shot and returned her to the water and swam away. First time ive dealt with a deep hooked pike and the first time ive got raker rash. I look at it with pride that I saved a pike from certain death.

 

Oh yes it was probably a low double

 

Next it was my turn to catch a pike, I walked about 12ft from my rod to do a pee when my fox micron m screamed like hell, there was no beeps just one single tone.

 

I bolted back to the rod did the usual 2 steps forward hold and strike. Got it in close enough to have a look it was the most skinniest thing you had ever seen yet it was very powerful.

 

As I was getting it out of the water I noticed a flesh wound near the scissors.

 

I got the hooks out and had a look at the flesh wound it was still a bit pink so I assume its been fairly recent but then I notice that the lower jaw part of the scissor was completely missing and the top scissor was just flapping about freely with nothing to connect to.

 

Would a pike with damage like this survive long ?

 

Im starting to feel like I shouldn’t be fishing this part of canal as almost every pike taken from it is being mistreated but at the same time I think about what would have happened to the other guys pike if I hadn’t been there I was also thinking that if I catch any pike with damage, trebles, trace still left behind I can help them. What do you think ?

You done well Andy. To be able to deal with a deep hooked fish always good it may be your first, But it wont be your last. Where ever it be your own or someone elses. A valuable skill that all pikers have to learn.

[Dick Dastardly]

But it wont be your last. Where ever it be your own or someone elses. A valuable skill that all pikers have to learn.

 

Exactly Wayne.Regardless of using singles,hair rigging or "instant" striking.

[Neil G]

Good work

 

hate to say it but that is general situation on free stretches, most f**ked by irresponsible anglers or kids who just don't know any better.

Edited February 24, 2009 by Neil G

[JV44]

Good work

 

hate to say it but that is general situation on free stretches, most f**ked by irresponsible anglers or kids who just don't know any better.

Second that from what i see on the Thames free bits steve.

[Andy Macfarlane]

Wait a minute. Why are we congratulating this idiot for dogging work? He didn't even ask me if I wanted to go.

 

....Andy....

[Chappa]

Well done mate, you've done a top job there!

 

I've only landed 2 pike, both easily unhooked thank goodness. I'm still very much a pike novice so I hope it's a good long while before I'm in that situation. In the mean time I'll keep fishing for pike with someone with a lot more piking experience in case the worst happens.

 

Top Man

[Andy_1984]

Wait a minute. Why are we congratulating this idiot for dogging work? He didn't even ask me if I wanted to go.

 

....Andy....

 

 

sorry buddy i would have, only, i was there a few short hours, hardly a proper pike session but im thinking of both us going up to see what we can pull in as i think giving it a proper going over could turn up some excellent canal pike and show these noddys how its done

[Andy Macfarlane]

Yes, yes, you say that now. Heard it all before...(arms folded)...

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Heh! Aye I'm game. It's been a while since I talked to any proper noddies. Might even set up float leger and really baffle the hell out of them...lol...

 

....Anders Van Der Poach....

Edited February 25, 2009 by Andy Macfarlane