Should I/we fish for pike full stop

[Peter Waller]

Brian, Fenboy and Budgie, you all talk with much sense. Unfortunately you are not politically placed to see that sensible rules are introduced to protect our pike stocks from over fishing by those who should not be fishing for 'em.

[Brian Crawford]

Peter Waller:

Brian, Fenboy and Budgie, you all talk with much sense. Unfortunately you are not politically placed to see that sensible rules are introduced to protect our pike stocks from over fishing by those who should not be fishing for 'em.

Very true Peter but it does not say a lot for those who are politically placed!!!!

 

Probably too busy writing books and articles telling predator noddies how to be more destructive.

 

More publicity and distribution, should be given to the NAA Code of Conduct for Coarse Anglers. This has good sections relating to predator fishing. Not enough but at least a start. Although the cost of £1 may put off the type of population we would wish to educate. It is a shame the contents could not be put onto appropriate web sites or in various predator publications or subsedised to be free in tackle shops. The PAC have a basic guide that should be more available also.

 

Brian

 

[ 19. January 2004, 09:59 PM: Message edited by: Brian Crawford ]

[Dick Dastardly]

Brian your UK comments are spot on your French comments are way of the mark certainly for the areas I have experience in and what I read in both French publications and the regional reports I recieve.However it is of no interest to most who read these posts and none of there buisness as they dont live in France so all I will say is yes we can look at the good things and try to adopt them BUT please lets not hold up a system that has allowed its predator fishing to be destroyed (and continues to do so with its new gill netting rules) as a model for predator conservation.

[Peter Waller]

Brian Crawford:

Brian Crawford:

Brian, Fenboy and Budgie, you all talk with much sense. Unfortunately you are not politically placed to see that sensible rules are introduced to protect our pike stocks from over fishing by those who should not be fishing for 'em.

Very true Peter but it does not say a lot for those who are politically placed!!!!

 

Probably too busy writing books and articles telling predator noddies how to be more destructive.

 

 

Brian

I'm not sure who you have in mind Brian, but yes, there are some that fit the bill to a tee. There are some who can, but there is not enough of 'em.

 

Leon and Bruno & Waterman spring to mind as being pretty good!

[Dick Dastardly]

Every one is agreed that education is the way ahead? So why arnt all of you educating then?

 

Every one is agreed that education is the way ahead? What about those who will never attend instruction or think they allready know it all?

 

After all "Teach ins are for Noddies" (not my words I hasten to add)

 

Who should decide who teaches and what they teach? ( I once witnessed a club official instructing juniors how to use a gag and how to cut the wire).

 

Should the PAC sort all this? I dont think they would have the time or funds to do any more than they do now.The EA maybe? **** they havnt even got the resources to check rod licencing.

 

Fishery owners/managers maybe? after all it would be in their interests surely? but are they interested in their pike?

 

No I think non of the above.It is down to us as pike anglers to educate and protect as best as we can.If you are not prepared to give a few minutes on the bank helping and a few days each year holding a teach in then you really just need to shut up about education.Also be realistic if you are that worried about possibley harming a Pike then just go and fish for some thing else instead.

[Brian Crawford]

Peter Waller:

Peter Waller:

Peter Waller:

Brian, Fenboy and Budgie, you all talk with much sense. Unfortunately you are not politically placed to see that sensible rules are introduced to protect our pike stocks from over fishing by those who should not be fishing for 'em.

Very true Peter but it does not say a lot for those who are politically placed!!!!

 

Probably too busy writing books and articles telling predator noddies how to be more destructive.

 

 

Brian

I'm not sure who you have in mind Brian, but yes, there are some that fit the bill to a tee. There are some who can, but there is not enough of 'em.

 

Leon and Bruno & Waterman spring to mind as being pretty good!

No problem with them but as far as I know they are not in the political positions to effect a solution either. They have enough on their hands within their own organisations. I was thinking more of those politically "active/inactive" in predator organisations who, to me anyway, do not appear very proactive, and who should be highly visible in demonstrating this. If they were, why are we having these discussions on the same issues on several topics threads? I would like to be proven wrong and would be the first to apologise if so but I have read nothing to indicate I am!

 

Perhaps it is me that is deluded after all that French wine and there is no problem with conservation of pike, zander and perch in the UK!

 

Perhaps the predator organisations and predator oriented fisheries and predator tackle manufacturers and specialist tackle shops are doing magnificently in their efforts on predator conservation and predator angling education on a national front, and are developing improved predator environments and reducing predator pressure by campaigning for predator close seasons?

 

Really!!

 

Brian

[Colin Brett]

Quite a few years back I asked myself whether I should be fishing for Pike. I had 2 bite offs in 2 visits and was really upset about it. And yes I was using wire, I guess they just picked up the baits and managed to get the mainline across their jaws. I didn't fish for the rest of the season.

However, I decided to carry on as I knew I was employing shall we say "best practise" whereas some fishing the same waters were not.

I guess I also thought I had more to offer within fishing circles than outside.

Hopefully I have helped save a few pike from an early death by offering advice both on the bank and at Pike meetings etc.

 

Pike are more at risk these days from people fishing illegally on club waters and killing all they catch. We have loads of these people in the fens

 

Stay with it Tony, you are obviously a good and succesful piker.

 

Our sport needs you in it!!

 

Colin

[Dick Dastardly]

One thing I think we should bear in mind though-

 

As pikers we are allways beating ourselves up over this issue but we should occaisionally stop and remember just how much improvement has come about over the last 30 years.

[Brian Crawford]

BUDGIE:

One thing I think we should bear in mind though-

 

As pikers we are allways beating ourselves up over this issue but we should occaisionally stop and remember just how much improvement has come about over the last 30 years.

Yes, about 100 times the number of "anglers" fishing for a decreasing number of mature pike in more and more publicised waters. More "pike" anglers chasing for more and more status of numbers of big pike over 30lb. More books, articles, etc. on how to become an instant "pike" angler. No close season for pike and other predators, except on rivers. Yes, we have improved.

 

Brian

[fenboy]

I won't knock the numbers game too much, because when you are very young and keen, it's the yardstick by which you measure success - ie 10 doubles in a season... twenty doubles and a couple of twenties in a season...etc.

But, like most of my generation I grew out of it. Some, however, clearly haven't. I don't know what drives them on to feel as though they must catch more 20s and 30s than anyone else. And, sadly, I don't think they realise that they are being ridiculed by the majority of mature pike anglers who really don't give a damn about who has caught the most.

If one of them eventually bows out at age 60 with 2,000 pike over 20 lb, including 25 thirties and a brace of 40s, it doesn't mean he will get the respect of his peers. They might even question the means by which he attained such a total. MUscling in on known fish and catching the same individual specimen over and over again doesn't earn respect from anyone. Or does it?

And catching more and bigger fish than anyone else doesn't entitle you to greatness. It's more likely to be an epitath to a sad, wasted life.