Pike Fish For Britain

[Elton]

News release from the British Pike Squad added here:

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/News/british_p..._march2006.html

[Dick Dastardly]

No thank you.

[Dante]

News release from the British Pike Squad added here:

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/News/british_p..._march2006.html

 

 

 

Not my cup of T either, tbh i would have thought Pike are too fragile a species to be match fished for but maybe im wrong.

[Peter Waller]

No, you are absolutely right.

[Dante]

No, you are absolutely right.

 

* climbs on soapbox*

 

Thats why i quit pike fishing and running region 70/p.a.c.e.s. website, peter the hypocrasy (sp) that certain members seemed ok to follow while preaching conservation to the rest, for example on a trip to ireland a large double figure pike was weighed by hooking the scales under the jaw bone, so much for weigh slings and conservation :(

 

After that i vowed never to fish for pike again at least that way i cant be a part of the decline of the species.

 

* falls off soapbox*

[Dick Dastardly]

Do you know what? I reckon there are five types of Pike angler-

 

The Pike Angler-

He fishs for pike and enjoys catching pike of any size.In my eyes the true piker.Knows how to handle his catch and cares for it puting its wefare first in as practical a way as possible.

 

The Specimen Pike Hunter-

A bit scornfull of small pike and is only interested in real biguns.More interested in size than species but knows how to handle his catch and does look after it.

 

The Sprat and Bung Brigade- The guys who like to chuck out the spare rod (be it a carprod or beachcaster or what ever) for a pike whilst fishing for other fish. Dont know much about pike handling and often damage fish .Inecxuseable but this is down purely to ignorance or in experience.

 

The Carppiker-

Cant catch carp in the winter so swaps his hair rig and boillie for a snap tackle and smelt.....trouble is thats the only change.Bivvy, bedchair and pushing out the zzzzzs is still the MO.Doesnt need any advice on handling as he's caught loads of big carp....

 

The Pike Match Angler-

Interested in the glory/rewards of winning.Kows how to catch pike and how to handle them but puts their welfare second to his prime goal.He knows that delaying a strike may result in a deep hooked fish (Im not saying he may not be able to deal with it) but thats a risk he is prepared to take.He knows that retaining them causes problems but thats the way it has to be.He also knows that the constant pressures of matchs on his favourite water will in time trash the piking for every one.He promotes himself as representing "Britains" pikers........

 

 

Do you know who gets up my nose the most? I can assure you it aint the Carppiker or Sprat and Bung man .And strangely enough they dont cause the most damage either.

 

No "soap box" just plain sad facts Im afraid.

[Dante]

Do you know what? I reckon there are five types of Pike angler-

 

The Pike Angler-

He fishs for pike and enjoys catching pike of any size.In my eyes the true piker.Knows how to handle his catch and cares for it puting its wefare first in as practical a way as possible.

 

The Specimen Pike Hunter-

A bit scornfull of small pike and is only interested in real biguns.More interested in size than species but knows how to handle his catch and does look after it.

 

The Sprat and Bung Brigade- The guys who like to chuck out the spare rod (be it a carprod or beachcaster or what ever) for a pike whilst fishing for other fish. Dont know much about pike handling and often damage fish .Inecxuseable but this is down purely to ignorance or in experience.

 

The Carppiker-

Cant catch carp in the winter so swaps his hair rig and boillie for a snap tackle and smelt.....trouble is thats the only change.Bivvy, bedchair and pushing out the zzzzzs is still the MO.Doesnt need any advice on handling as he's caught loads of big carp....

 

The Pike Match Angler-

Interested in the glory/rewards of winning.Kows how to catch pike and how to handle them but puts their welfare second to his prime goal.He knows that delaying a strike may result in a deep hooked fish (Im not saying he may not be able to deal with it) but thats a risk he is prepared to take.He knows that retaining them causes problems but thats the way it has to be.He also knows that the constant pressures of matchs on his favourite water will in time trash the piking for every one.He promotes himself as representing "Britains" pikers........

Do you know who gets up my nose the most? I can assure you it aint the Carppiker or Sprat and Bung man .And strangely enough they dont cause the most damage either.

 

No "soap box" just plain sad facts Im afraid.

 

 

 

 

Thats a very good assesment Budgie and your so so right, sad facts they are.

[Peter Waller]

Strangely enough, although I still recommend the PAC as an information source, I resigned this year as a member. One reason being the pike matches that are organised by PAC regions. Granted that they are organised for very deserving reasons, Macmillan Nurses, and by very, very capable people but I am not happy with the message that goes out, namely that pike matches have the support of the PAC.

 

No, I don't think much of those who claim to represent the best of Britain's pikers either.

[slodger]

I think you missed a couple of categories out Budgie.

 

The 'I stand on morally higher ground than you piker'

 

The 'What I do is acceptable, but what you do isn't piker'

 

and the 'I'm perfectly at leisure to put pike at some degree of risk by fishing for them, but you aren't, unless you are doing what I deem as acceptable piker'.

 

I think it's a disgrace to label perfectly capable and well intentioned anglers as morally culpable the way you have. Just because the focus falls on a handful of less than responsible pikers that are attracted to the match fishing scene. Well ask yourselves a question:

 

'Are there more bad pikers on the banks on a weekly basis fishing in pike matches, or are there more bad pike anglers fishing under the self-righteous banner that you parade under, i.e 'normal and acceptable pikers'?

 

As for leaving the PAC because one facet of their policy doesn't suit you Peter? Well IMO the club is better off without you. Or maybe I should consider leaving the club because they don't condemn the use of big hooks on lures, summer piking, fly-fishing, chin holds, trout-water piking or any the other of contentious issues that hang around pike fishing?

[Peter Waller]

There was more than one issue involved Chris.

 

Re Budgies assessment, seemed spot on to me. Moral high grounds, where's the problem? Aren't you taking one over Budgie's opinion?

 

It would be so very easy to say everything is acceptable, but clearly it is not. Nothing to do with moral superiority, just a concern for the reasonable well being of the species.