Pike Anglers: Compulsory Courses?

[Dick Dastardly]

Then there are issues of using a glove, I don't see how you can handle a Pike safely with a glove on, how can you feel anything. So surely using one is dreadful handling a number of experts use a glove.

 

 

I personally never wear a glove for the same reasons you give. The chain mail "filleting glove" type were so abrasive and the "gardening" leather glove was like a magnet for the delicate gill rakers as well! However a few seasons a go Chico Winterton sent me one of his "Muskie Armour" gloves to try.Its very soft a bit like a golf glove and you can feel whats going on and it doesn't catch. Wont save you from a trebles point but does stop "raker rash!. Even though I still prefer to go in bare back I was that impressed by the glove that on my last few seasons of teach ins I actually recommended them. Reasoning behind this was that they are quite pike friendly and if wearing one would give a piking novice the confidence then it couldn't be a bad thing.

[Dick Dastardly]

BUDGIE,

 

You might enjoy scanning through this.

 

http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/FedAidPDFs/fds98-34.pdf

 

Phone

 

Thanks Phone I had allready read that report as it happens.I read it as a pre cursor to a similar study we carried out on a local trout reservoir. Very interesting stuff though but not necessarily the same parameters as ours.

Edited January 19, 2012 by BUDGIE

[Dick Dastardly]

For those who are competent pikers (like many on here) it would also be a small price to pay to sit through a couple of hours of a teach-in, as it would mean their fishing is being actively protected.

 

Surely everyone wins?

 

 

This is the big thing that I struggle to understand why people dont get it!

[Dick Dastardly]

Substitute the word 'pike' with specimen carp / barbel / whatever ... would you still insist on the same level of proof (of fish care and ability), or is this just squarely aimed at pike and pike anglers?

 

 

I most definitely would! But the topic here is pike and the problems/techniques peculiar to them. As I keep saying pike are unique in the fact they have teeth,easily swallow a bait,require different holding and unhooking techniques,and many are simply scared of them!

 

Yes I see bad handling and practices with other species as well but its not really the same is it?

[Dick Dastardly]

For those who are aware of these sort of schemes what's the timetable like. With out upsetting anyone assuming the Pike season is 1st October to 31st March, how do clubs go about offering the services. Does it tend to be first few weeks of October and if you dont pass it's another season before you can get your card stamped. Is it once a month maybe second Sunday of the month etc.

 

Often done at the start of the season but where people are getting it a bit wrong is that in reality there is no PASS or FAIL. Its simply a course that must be attended prior to being able to fish for pike on the clubs waters. By insisting that all who wish to pike fish attend you can then at least know that all will have been shown/taught a recognised "good technique" regarding handling and unhooking. They will obviously need to "practice" through catching fish but the basic seeds have been sown (and if the instruction is any good a level of "confidence" given)

 

Its just taking that old gem of advice we give to all first time pikers "Go with some one who can show you the ropes" a practical stage further.

[gozzer]

I most definitely would! But the topic here is pike and the problems/techniques peculiar to them. As I keep saying pike are unique in the fact they have teeth,easily swallow a bait,require different holding and unhooking techniques,and many are simply scared of them!

 

Yes I see bad handling and practices with other species as well but its not really the same is it?

 

Am I reading you right Budgie? It sounds like you are in favour of angling 'exams' before being allowed to fish.

 

John.

[Dick Dastardly]

Stop moving the goal posts, or at least the question at the top of the thread which is...

 

As an experienced pike angler would you object to having to attend a "handling/Unhooking" course prior to being able to fish a water for pike?

 

I think that John (Gozzer) has put it well enough.

 

I can see that in heavily populated places like lots of you need to live, that you struggle amongst yourself for the limited resources (fish) availiable to you, and so you have to look after the fish so you can take it in turns to catch them. If you have to join a club in order to fish then you have to go by the rules and I suppose that the club committee have a right to set the rules (omg this is toe curling cringe making), however as has been pointed out, before you know where you are its became legislation. across the board.

 

The only technical negative point on the FAS site is the kit list, specifically forceps..I thought we had moved on past those for piking in the 70s

 

 

Emma,Danny and all you others oop north! No one is saying that you guys should or even need this sort of thing on your waters! Its not all about you guys! We are talking about club/privately owned waters. These have far more anglers and angling pressure than just one bay of your waters! Simply as most are about the size of one of your smaller bays and have more chimney pots around them in a 20 mile radius that you have in your entire county! Slight exaggeration yes but I'm sure you get my point!.....................................................................

 

However let me put this hypothetical question to you guys.For some reason your lakes suddenly become the place to fish.Pike anglers from all over the country flock to them.Instead of seeing just one other angler on then all season you are now rammed! Bank sides lined with bivvy's,B&B's full of them etc etc. You start to catch pike on a regular basis with traces down them,broken gill rakers, grazes caused by "gravel rash" and torn throat membranes ( and I truly do hope this will only ever be hypothetical) maybe just maybe you would then willingly see all these visitors made to attend a course before they are let lose on your waters?

[Dick Dastardly]

If the course showed how to deal with deep hooking so much the better ....would that be possible by utilising already deceased Pike??

 

On my teach ins some one from the hosting club or my brother if he came along would go out in the morning (whilst I was still waffling) and catch a pike,just in case the actual fishing half of the day didnt produce.This live pike I used for me to show how to pick it up,to show that it couldn't possibly bite you once held properly and to let people see how a pike would react when handled.

 

Now it wouldn't have done that same fish much good if everyone had mauled it let alone if I rammed a snap tackle down its throat! So I would allways take a couple of dead pike along with me (recently had a retard on the PAC site berate me for this be interesting to see if any here do the same!) These pike averaged around 6-8lb and I had a endless supply of them from the reservoir I was linked to.They were inevitably ones found dead in the holding pens after culls or ones taken by the gill nets (please lets not turn this into a debate on culling or gill netting as its irrelevant)

 

With these people could "play" with them but more importantly with the aid of a Deep Throat disgorger (only use I ever found for one!) I could push a set of hooks down them time and time again so people could actually practice deep unhooking techniques.

[Dick Dastardly]

All,

 

I know we have a slightly different perspective. I'm not quite "getting it"? In C&R there is the "possibility" and there is the "probability" a fish will die. Anyone have a "number" they can throw out? (even a guess) What % of dead fish can be attributed to idiots. They catch so few in relationship to the "better angler" I'd bet the "better angler" kills far more.

 

Is this simply an attempt to prevent "disgusting" angling behaviour? (Is this a - "if we can save just one fish it is worth it" - argument)?

 

Phone

 

 

I dont want to take this further off topic Phone (but if anyone wants to take it further and opens a new thread I will gladly expand) but sadly I believe a lot more pike die after release than most pikers believe/want to believe.

 

Regardless though good handling and unhooking techniques do make a massive difference.

[Dick Dastardly]

I am full of constructive ideas, and it took me a massive 30seconds to find this link..

 

http://www.gofishing.co.uk/Angling-Times/S...kly-and-easily/

 

About as good as they come. Is that constructive enough for you ?

 

Den

 

Sound enough to me Den.....................but it doesn't really deal with the big issue...........and that's a deep hooked fish.But it shows an acceptable way of handling a pike so its fine by me.As I keep saying the small difference brought about by personal experience and preference just ain't an issue to me as long as a basically sound technique is taught that's all that matters.Pikers are spoilt these days as there are lots and lots of good instructional videos etc but you cant beat one on one instruction.