Need help with piking

[Emma two]

I understand that all waters are not under the control of clubs,i also understand that some, if not all (i stand to be corrected )the lake district lakes and some tarns are free fishing, seeing that you state you fish "some " of these lake and tarns i took it you fished for free, as you do not belong to any clubs or Associations

had you pointed this out we could avoided most of the posts we've posted,

 

i've never argued that its laws to carry a unhooking mat,only if and if you belonged to a club/association than more often than not you have to have a unhooking mat.The EA licence has local byelaws and national byelaws which should also be adhered to.

 

The 'future generations and welfare of fish' is a melodramatic statement, for you havn't brought any evidence to show my practice is harmful to fish. I know for certain the past generations treated their fish in a wholly different way to the way we do now.

 

By calling the "future generations and welfare of fish" statement melodramatic i think that is enough evidence.That is the reason rules and regulations were put in place by club/associations,and the EA

do you think the pike population would still be in the state it is today if killed every pike we all caught

like they did in the 60s 70s,that why gaffs were outlawed and gags are frowned upon now.You seem to building your case on the fact that you do not want to carry a unhooking mat,just because you find it inconvienant whilst shore fishing (unless static deadbaiting)if you think you should for deadbaiting, why not for stalking/lure fishing form the shore, fishing for the same fish, different method, your argument is some what flawed wouldn't you say??

 

"I always carry a priest, believeing, and experience has shown it the only humane way to proceed"

Could you elaborate on the above statement, are you now saying that you dispatch every pike caught??why carry a priest?

Child no, 46

 

 

Most of the lake district lakes are not 'free fishing', similiarly 'some' of the tarns are. the lakes I fish, I pay for. That does not require onr to join any club or association. there are some waters, mostly in the south of thr park which come under the control of an association. I don't fish these waters.

 

You are being especially melodramatic and wholly unscientific in your 'future' generations' speech, in that you imply my selfishness will ruin it for them, total nonsense, what impacts negatively upon a species is the destruction of its habitat, and not what happens to individuals. I have a nice conversation with the prof who is responsible for the study Lancaster uni are conduction on Bassenthwaite lake, he is quite sure that even if most pike caught by anglers where to die as a result (and we were both sure that they dont,unhooking mats or not) that it would make no measurable difference to the population. I tend to believe him and not you. The past generations killed quite deliberately most pike caught, it wasnt even questioned, yet we still have lots of pike, and even after the outright killing stopped, mats didn't suddenly come into it. Yet we still have pike there, I caught 3 this afternoon (top lures).

 

You are a star at graspin' wild statements out of the air in order to make your case..your words 'are you now saying you dispatch every pike caught?? why carry a priest'... you really say some very silly things, and one can always tell that when questions begin 'are you now sayin,,,?'. Carrying a priest does not mean that I kill every fish I catch, in the same way that an armed soldier or police officer doesnt shoot every person they arrest (this is like explaining things to the grandkids) what it does mean is that if I 'have' to kill one', and I think that at some time in an angling life one is faced with the neccesity to kill a fish, and anyone who disagrees simply hasnt yet been in that situation, or they are someone who is estranged from the truth and reality or they don't fish very much at all. Then the means do do that is at hand, mine is a lead weighted piece or polished antler, what would you use?? scrat around your canal bank for a stone or a piece of metal while the fatally damaged fish flips around? or are you one of theose who returns fish which are clearly going to die anyway, and so long as you dont see it you can kid yourself that it survived?

 

To conclude, despite your wishes that it were the case mats are not compulsary in all situations

In my case thay are not compulsary in any situation

Despite the above I choose to use them in some situations.

Mats improperly used are worse than not being used at all...they need to be wet, they need to be properly clean. And significantly the angler using them needs to wet their hands! (Watch for that one, its the most commonly neglected).

There is no evidence to show or even to suggest that mats have or will make a significant difference to pike numbers.

When debating stick to responses which address things the other party actually said, rather than inventing things you wish that they had said so you can answer them.

Edited August 29, 2011 by Emma two

[Dick Dastardly]

I'm not going to get to heavily involved in this one but would like to point out a few things,

 

Ive never found a WET unhooking mat to remove any less or anymore slime than WET grass.I use an unhooking mat only on hard/abrasive surfaces and in reality my pike very rarely touch the ground any way!

 

I think it is totally daft to try and compare the pike fishing on a glacial lake/tarn etc to the piking on a (for example) Midlands gravel pit. Emma is totally right in what she says about piking on her waters as Smudger is in general on his waters.Far to great a difference to compare. What is right on one wont be on another.

 

Its a shame that both of you (whose opinions on such Ive allways interesting and in line with my own) haven't taken this into account as its sad to see two fellow pikers bickering over pike welfare.....especially when its distracted attention away from helping a "newbie" who if give help/good advice would then know what to do (allways easier to get information across if a "united front" is perceived) that in turn would have helped advance "pike welfare" in its own more effectively than this debate don't you think?

 

"Pike Police" Yes its very hard to put over the need for care when pike fishing and that it is so different to other forms of angling without sounding "know it all" "scolding" "putting off" but we have to try to get the message across without coming across as such (as this thread proves) or we will simply be ignored and wrote off as "Pike Police"

 

But pike are very different for a couple of reasons.First they are a very delicate fish,I wont go into all the scientific mumbo jumbo but simply the way they are built and have evolved to live makes them this way. Next they do take time to move their food from one position to another in the mouth (to a position/orientation where a "strike" by the angler has a chance of being successful) and lastly the biggie, we use treble hooks! (and although when used correctly these are by far the most effective and IMO "safe" method they can potentially be so damaging if used wrongly).

 

They also have very sharp teeth and this causes many would be pikers to be frightened of them!

 

So please nobody tell me they are not any different to any other large fish!

[Dick Dastardly]

my house backs onto the basingstoke canal and i don't have much spare time atm to go out fishing due to work and im relativly new to fishing but i fish in my garden when i have time and i knew there were pike in there but i didn't know where to start with pike so i was fishing for roach and bream.

 

If your still looking in mate! If your still not to sure (despite some good advice given by others already) and can't find a good pike angler local to you give me a yell come October and I will have a drive down with some gear and have a day in your back garden with you.I wont fish my self but will gladly show you the ropes.

 

Its not rocket science but there's several things that are far easily learned on the bank than by reading etc and not only will learning these things catch you pike but also enable you to catch them without damaging/killing them.

[Phone]

BUDGIE,

 

What right do you claim to make such a sensible post on a thread that has gone so radical?

 

Phone

[Dick Dastardly]

BUDGIE,

 

What right do you claim to make such a sensible post on a thread that has gone so radical?

 

Phone

 

Phone didnt you realise I was the Chairman of the Independent Pike Police Complaints Commission? After all some one has to "police the police"!

[Phone]

Budgie,

 

Ohh

 

Phone

[Renrag39]

When we get to the Fens, I'm unhooking all my fish away from prying eyes! Or asking for help...

 

Renrag