Pike...Not changed much?

[Rich_]

I think what phone says about genetics and the more limited diet is the more likely explanation, The other species are omnivorous and pike eat fish, there's maybe a limit to how heavy they can get on the fish diet that's available to them. We judge the size of our fish by weight rather than length too. I wonder how many fish longer than the record pike have been caught but were a pound or two lighter?

[Andy Macfarlane]

It should be noted that something like 13 of the 15 biggest pike caught in the UK are from stocked trout waters. Make of that what you will.

 

Personally, I don't believe the stories of monters lurking away in Scottish lochs. Even the biggest pike caught up here are taken from trout waters.

 

In the past you might have seen the biggest pike taken from waters with a large run of sea-trout and salmon but in recent years, a 'large' run can be counted in the hundreds, so I find it unlikely that there are any secret monsters lurking in Lomond or any other naturalised waters for that matter.

[Renrag39]

It should be noted that something like 13 of the 15 biggest pike caught in the UK are from stocked trout waters. Make of that what you will.

And the other 2 were probably caught a few miles down the road from me...

[Rich_]

Indeed, If a fair percentage of their food is made up of trout which they have access to all the time, they'll potentially put on more weight than fish that , at best have only a dwindling seasonal supply to hunt down.

 

I'd be surprised too, if a new record pike came from a big natural loch/lake in the UK these days.