Perhaps a pike

[Spana]

I hope you guys will not mind my intrusion, I am not a fisherman but need your help.

 

I have a small lake, about 1ft deep at one end sloping to about 9ft at the far end. I have some nice mirror and common carp who have bred well but in the last 3 years we haven't seen any young. Ducklings and goslings disappear almost before our eyes and ducks are very nervous in the water, they are spooked by something under the surface that seems to go for their legs. I haven't seen any signs of mink altho we have had trouble with mink in the past. Do you think it could be a pike. I introduce the carp about 10years ago, could an egg/ small pike have come in with the fish. I also put in Rudd and altho they are, I'm told, unstoppable breeders they have all gone over the years. If it is a pike is it possible to fish for it without catching the other fish, how difficult would it be if possible.

 

I've looked at wild life sites but they seem more for garden ponds.

 

I'll try post a photo, would if be possible for a pike to live for years in this sort of water?

 

Thanks for any help or advice.

[Norfolkdipper]

Looks a nice water. If it is a pike, you can fish for it using lures or live/dead baits & not touch the other fish. Which is obvious really, as pike are carnivours & the others mostly herbavours. Don't know where you are but, have you considered it being an otter???? You may need to put up 'otter fencing' around the whole lake. Besides that, have fun going for the pike. But would be good to know where you are, as it can help.

[Ken L]

It could be pike but that's a decent sized pool and you'd be unlikely to notice the predatuion of a single fish.

The easiest way to find out for sure would be to fish it.

Of course, odd things do turn up in waterwatys and they're not always fish.

[Spana]

Thank you both. I have filmed otters there on wildlife cameras at night but its not an otter that spooks the ducks in the day time. A friend of a friend has suggested tonight that it could also be an eel. That is interesting as a few years ago there was an algal bloom in the water and we lost a few of the biggest carp and two huge eels which we had no idea were in there. So its quite possible that there are more. We have Canada geese nest on the island every year but for the last two years all the goslings have gone along with many mallard ducklings and moorhen chicks.

[Adam247]

Eels can travel across land to access water any where the seance it , even travel through street drains. If bit is a pike it may explain why the birds are being spooked and why the offspring are disappearing or it could be a catfish too ... Best guess get a dead / live bait out on a set of trebbles and see what takes , if you know anyone who does pike fishing would be beneficial as they are great fish but extremely delicate even tho they look tough and robust

[Barry C]

A lake near me had some terrapins released in it a few years back.

The way they killed the coots was to grab them by the legs, take them under and drown them.

Had lots of one legged and injured coots at the time.

A good cold winter seemed to kill them off and all seems fine now.

[MICK SMITH39]

My guess would be a catfish as well,the same thing happened on a lake I used to fish,the dog walkers who went over every day said they sometimes saw a large fish cruising along the surface.Get over there as much as you can and look for something cruising just under the surface,you should see a little fin about the size of your finger just breaking the surface as well. just put a dead bait out,if its a pike you should catch it in no time.

[MICK SMITH39]

What part of the country do you live?

[Spana]

North Cornwall Mick. When you mentioned the dog walkers it reminded me of something. When my daughter was here in the summer something in the water had a go at one of her dogs when she was swimming, really scared her. She wouldn't go back in again. I had forgotten about that. The lake water is quite cloudy where they carp churn up the clay bottom so its difficult to see anything swimming about unless its close to the bank. I've really got to get this sorted haven't I. Was wondering about phoning the local angling club, do you think they would be interested?

[sebn]

Blimey, something having a go at a dog would certainly point towards a catfish. It would have to have been a pike of considerable size to attempt that. I am sure that local angling clubs would be interesteed, however, i would be reluctant to go down that route. As soon as people know about the lake you potentially open it up to abuse. I would keep it under wraps and ask anglers you know and trust to help you out. I am sure any angler would love to have an unknown and unfished lake to explore, i know i wouild!