Pike Match

[Peter Waller]

I agree entirely with the spirit of both Vagabond's and Argyll's posts, pike are, in my humble opinion, NOT suited as a match species. I would respectively suggest that you make this point to the club concerned. Despite all their safeguards I would personally avoid/discourage pike matches.

 

But if you must fish it, and thus support it, and who am I to say that you shouldn't, then treat it like any other day's piking, go out to catch. Your bait needs to be more attractive than anyone elses and I would suggest a popped up sardine as a good starting point. I would also go for a trawl around:-

http://www.pacgb.co.uk/

Edited January 10, 2006 by Peter Waller

[BoozleBear]

Cheers Pete,

 

I know the pacgb site already - I think you introduced it to me a year or two ago.

 

Part of my reson for going is to see how they do it there. I think the processes they have in place seem sound enough but it will be interesting to find out on the day. And believe me I'll be at the club's next meeting and writing to them if I see 1 thing out of line there.

 

Cheers

 

Simon

[Andrew Burgess]

I agree 100% with Argyll, Vagabond's and Pete Waller that pike is not suited what so ever.

 

Once I fished a pike match where there was no unhooking mat or unhooking tools so I made a point to the fishery marshals. So the match was cancel until the following weekend when every angler who took part was well equip and it's was also decided at the later committee meeting that any pike match at later date that every pike angler who took part was made was compulsory to have unhooking mats and tools otherwise you was expelled from the competition and probably the angling club too.

 

The best tactic is to either sink and draw or wobbling

[Brian Carragher]

I think the biggest worry people have when pike matchs are mentioned is to the calibre of anglers who participate in them. If everyone has a high standard of fish care then no harm will arise out of it, after all whats the difference between someone with high standards of fish care fishing in a match and fishing on their own, probably none, so if fish welfare is at the top of everyones agenda then go for it and make your own mind up later.

 

The major concern everyone will have is to the retention of fish and the weighing process, if there are enough marshalls and the fish are returned immediatly then no problem, the danger is when scalesmen are scarce and fish have to be sacked up or god forbid stringers used.

 

As to tactics, well if its a pegged match on the canal I think I'd go for a two rod float leger approach. One hard on the bottom and the other paternostered below the float so that youre fishing a bait up in the water. The floats should give you early indication of a fish and if you also use alarms and or drop offs you should'nt miss any fish.

 

The usual sea deads will work well but for a bait up in the water I like a freshwater silver fish as its the naturally occuring bait in the water and pike will be used to feeding on them.

 

Post up the results and your own thoughts on the concept of pike match's after you've been as I'm sure it will make intresting reading

[BoozleBear]

I think the biggest worry people have when pike matchs are mentioned is to the calibre of anglers who participate in them. If everyone has a high standard of fish care then no harm will arise out of it, after all whats the difference between someone with high standards of fish care fishing in a match and fishing on their own, probably none, so if fish welfare is at the top of everyones agenda then go for it and make your own mind up later.

 

The major concern everyone will have is to the retention of fish and the weighing process, if there are enough marshalls and the fish are returned immediatly then no problem, the danger is when scalesmen are scarce and fish have to be sacked up or god forbid stringers used.

 

As to tactics, well if its a pegged match on the canal I think I'd go for a two rod float leger approach. One hard on the bottom and the other paternostered below the float so that youre fishing a bait up in the water. The floats should give you early indication of a fish and if you also use alarms and or drop offs you should'nt miss any fish.

 

The usual sea deads will work well but for a bait up in the water I like a freshwater silver fish as its the naturally occuring bait in the water and pike will be used to feeding on them.

 

Post up the results and your own thoughts on the concept of pike match's after you've been as I'm sure it will make intresting reading

 

Will certainly let you know how it went, and how the fish handling and weighing was. Like I said I have already checked into it quite thoroughly and as you will see in my earlier e-mails, I believe they have it right in terms on compulsary unhooking mats, monitoring of strike time, assistance with unhooking when necessary, and speedy weighing and returning of fish.

 

If what I have been told doesn't turn out to be true then they will have a very angry angler battling them to either stop the matches all together or to at the very least change the rules significantly.

 

Perhaps they should ask each fisherman 2 or 3 random pike fishing questions when they register to see if they know what they are doing.

 

Example Q's they could answer...

 

- How long should you wait after seeing float move before you strike?

- What should the minimum length of a wire trace be?

- What would you do if a pike is deep-hooked?

 

etc etc

 

If they get unsatisfactory answers they can tell them to go home!

Edited January 11, 2006 by BoozleBear

[gozzer]

A few years ago I was asked to marshal and weigh-in at a pike match run by a work-mate on alake he leased. He thought be cause I had been angling for a long time (30 odd years) I would be suited to the job.

I had to explain that I wasn't a pike angler and not used to handling big pike, so I refused. I went watch the match and I wish i had said yes, Because I could have done a better job than the clowns he had doing it.

So you see it's not the number of marshals it's how commpitent they are.

[slodger]

The pike anglers you see at pike matches are simply a typical cross section of the pike anglers you see throughout the length and breadth of the country. Some experienced, some inexperienced, some good and some bad. If you think that piking outside of the public glare of a match situation somehow elevates the participants to another level of competence, or a more praiseworthy moral position then you're kidding yourselves.

 

The only consistency I've found with pike matches is their ability to draw the same old sanctimonious comments, from the same old bunch of self acclaimed experts, who, to a man, have only ever needed to fish 'one pike match' in order to convince themselves of the terrors of this pastime.

 

As for tips? Might I suggest some form of disguise?.........

Edited January 11, 2006 by slodger

[Brian Carragher]

Hi Chris (slodger)

 

Was talking to a mate of yours from Stockton (Bob Watson) the other day and he said if you're on to pass on his regards and he'll be meeting up with you soon

[slodger]

Hi Chris (slodger)

 

Was talking to a mate of yours from Stockton (Bob Watson) the other day and he said if you're on to pass on his regards and he'll be meeting up with you soon

 

Thanks Brian. Spoke to the 'Northern Boy' on the blower over Xmas. Top bloke!

[BoozleBear]

A few years ago I was asked to marshal and weigh-in at a pike match run by a work-mate on alake he leased. He thought be cause I had been angling for a long time (30 odd years) I would be suited to the job.

I had to explain that I wasn't a pike angler and not used to handling big pike, so I refused. I went watch the match and I wish i had said yes, Because I could have done a better job than the clowns he had doing it.

So you see it's not the number of marshals it's how commpitent they are.

 

LOL Cheers Slodger.

 

I think you have made a good point there. Perhaps it is better that if people are pike fishing poorly they are in the presence of people who can correct them - or even ban them from the waters they are a member of! Surely that's better than them being on their own doing it.

 

In the mean time though I do understand everybody else's concerns, and reading my threads will help people see I am taking care and going into this with my eyes fully open, and as a one of. Adding to that, I've been pike fishing myself for ages and know what I am doing (in case anybody was wondering), if you look to the left there's a nice 8 pounder that was unhooked and returned speedily, and released for the net with great care.

 

Cheers

 

Simon

Edited January 11, 2006 by BoozleBear