Should I/we fish for pike full stop

[Peter M]

mark barrett:

the problem with dong fish ins these days, juniour ones at least are the child protection laws. anyone who is running one of these nowdays has to have a full criminal background check, which do cost money. i am of course 100% in favour of the reason for these but they have put paid to a lot of this type of event

If offering a juniour teach in session it is best to check the law regarding this before proceeding. I recently had a CRB enhanced check and it cost me £28.

[mark barrett]

that was my perception of it too and i think the standard check is £13 or at least it was when i used to have to do them for the security firm i used to work for. by the way budgie i am an ex doorman. i gave that up a year or so ago, despite the postings on this forum i just wasnt relly agressive nough for that job

[Dick Dastardly]

I bet you was just in it for the girls then Mark! I will have to stand corrected about the charge for the criminal record check.I never knew there was different levels.The CRO check I have to have when registaring in the security buisness costs nothing.But as I have said I teach on many ,many teach ins through out the winter months and have never come across a problem.

[mark barrett]

thats ecret out then

[Dick Dastardly]

Oh two things I forgot to add-

I have taken part in a couple which were sponsored/organised by the police.

 

A lot of this was first raised with refernce to Les Webbers Angling Projects.I thought the residential aspect of this is what had first raised the issue? A lot of the older membrers on here had met Les when he allowed us to use his facillities for a day and so were therefore a bit peeved when him and his wonderful charity came in for a bit of stick.This is what Lynn was going on about.

[IvanSanders]

Hi Mark, thank you for your comments. Although I go piking whenever I can (here in South Cumbria - following my return from France in July 2003), sadly, I do not get much chance now for zander, although I did quite a bit on the Fens, in the 70' and 80's when I lived in Peterborough.

 

The point I was trying to make is that there are far, far more anglers who fish for pike and zander, (and not just on the Fens) and perhaps perch than there were 30 years ago. No matter how good an angler is or how careful, accidents happen and predators die. Any long term predator angler who states that a fish had never died on them must be very, very lucky. A very good number have had traces part leaving trebles inside a pike, leading to a slow death.

 

It stands to reason, that more predator anglers = more predator deaths.

 

More predator anglers fishing for them in their breeding season = less future stock.

 

There is nothing in my power to do anything about this other than make positive suggestions and lobby those who possibly can. Groups like the Perchfishers, PAC and ZAC, together with local non-affiliated predator groups should organise a joint seminar, together with possible sponsors, to thrash out a long-term publicity campaign to ensure everyone who fishes for predators understand what tackle and techniques to use to maximise predator survival. All predator items of tackle should carry guidelines. All anglers buying items of predator tackle should have freely available, booklets giving information educating them on tackle and techniques.

 

I believe the PAC have one for pike. I do not know about the ZAC or Perchfishers.

 

In 1987, Ivan Sanders, produced an A4 booklet called "Protecting Pike - and the Pike Angler!"

 

This was funded by Tydd Gote A.C.

 

Apart from myself, contributers included:

 

John Sidley

Nev Fickling

Bruno Broughton

John Nunn

Alan Beat

Gordon Wood

Ian Knowles

Mick Bowles

Ken Whitehead

Andy Orme

Barrie Rickards

 

There were 22 sides of information, pictures and diagrams.

 

I would love to see an updated version called "Protecting Predators", mass produced and issued to all tackle shops.

 

I would then shut up! (except on eel conservation!)

 

Brian

 

Crikey Brian - after of these years - it's amazing what the internet throws up! Thanks so much for remembering me. I well remember you, my other friends, and not least the late great John Sidley. What a dedicated fanatic, and fighter for the welfare of eels.

 

In the 1980s I was a fanatical pike and eel angler, and occasionally fished in the British Pike Angling Championships, indeed I was fortunate to finish 10th one year. Incidentally using a single hook. I never used trebles. My catch rates significantly increased when I switched from treble hooks to single hooks due to always instantly striking in order to avoid gut hooking at all costs.

 

I gave up competing after a few years due to the selfish cruelty of many competitors. A part of me died inside each time I witnessed an 'angler' struggling to unhook a fish after 10, 20, or more minutes!

 

I was instructed by some of the then senior members of the P.A.C. to immediately stop writing pike conservation articles or face being banned from the PAC as, by innuendo, I was making their members appear cruel. So I promptly resigned.

 

The world has in recent years become a far more selfish place, and the world of angling has not escaped unscathed.

 

Nowadays I concentrate more on my golf (GOOGLE: sanderslongdrive) but often reflect on the many good times fishing (particularly night fishing) and my good friends whom I will always recall with the greatest repect.

 

God bless you all,

 

Sincerely,

Ivan

[StormCloud Fire]

This may sound like I am trying to be controversial I am not it's just how I feel at this moment in time , First off I love pike fishing and have fished for them for some 32yrs I am also pro live baiting I love lure fishing, but I am starting to feel should I fish for pike at all. the main thrust of my post is we are all aware Pike are a very fragile creatures and don't fair to well from angling pressure at any time but more so during the summer months, also each year we have concerns raised of deep hooked pike, pike gassing up, multi rod use, live bait use, pike matches, my point is should there be a clear defined season for pike fishing say from October to March, I know this wont sit well with the summer lure angler, or should we have a total self imposed abstention out of respect and for the welfare of these magnificent fish, I know this is extreme but this is how I feel at this time, I am not trying to grab the moral high ground and be holier than thou , I will be the first to hold my hand up to the bad practice/handling of pike in my early days, and yes this may be playing into the antis hands, but yesterday I caught 19lb.8oz fish only to find the scissor of it's jaw had been ripped of at some stage of it's life it may not have been due to an angler but as I held that beautiful creature I couldn't help wonder if I was doing her any favours knowing how fragile she is:(

 

Sorry if this sound to down beat

 

Sounds like A Case For Barbless hooks! I havnt used a Barbed trebble hook since I left the Uk in 1963 and have found then BARBARIC devices that do irreprable harm to the fish we catch Ive used only singles with the Barb pinched off for mothe lifve and spinner baits . good hooking of live paits ensures a safe Cast and the Barb serves no purpose ive not lost a singel Fish to a shaken hook ! Ive had tackle breaks but not let a fish excape otherwise Its Law In Canada So an ANgling country that has some great jumpers when hookesd were demonstrating the BARB is BARBARIC removing hooks is simple and virtually painless. Ive never used pliars or any other hook removal device . Ive Never seen a GAG thats used to keep Pikeys mouth oppen and teeth out of my hands . not seen one in a tackle shop in Canada Home of 80 + pounder muskie ( Super sised Pike ) if you timid just gently hold the pike by its Eyes USE latex cloves and pres them into the skull its mouth will Fall open and you can tickle its tonsils , Please use care remember you wouldnt want someone pushing your Eyes into your head . But try pressing your closed eyes inward its reasonably painless and the Pike as a clear Eyelid that closes as you come close to it.

SEASON FOR PIKE Fising NO real Defines season as you catch a rtoach and a pike latches on IVe landed a 14 pounder on a #16 hook!! MY Barbless hook is made by flattening the barb with a pair of needlenose pliars . TRY THEM PLEASEthey do work and the bait doesnt escapeeither worms maggots Roach Tripples were oughtright banned and we find on loss for that change. tooss the trebbles in the Garbage and use a stout #00 01 hook short shank wide curve The fish will thank you when you release it!

[Brian Carragher]

Hold a pike by its eyes

 

 

Are you for real, are you an angler at all, I very much doubt it

 

 

Please don't give me any lectures on fish welfare when your own fish handling skills are less than zero

[Andy_1984]

what nonsense storm. for someone who goes on about fish welfare (barbless hooks) your certainly not doing pike any favours sticking your fingers in its eyes. learn how to chin a pike fingers under the gill plate and in to the back of the mouth.

 

see the links bellow:

[AddictedToScopex]

MY Barbless hook is made by flattening the barb with a pair of needlenose pliars . TRY THEM PLEASEthey

 

if you timid just gently hold the pike by its Eyes USE latex cloves and pres them into the skull its mouth will Fall open and you can tickle its tonsils ,

 

 

What one giveth with one hand thou taketh away with another.