Dying for a picture.

[Peter Waller]

A friend of both Argyll and I caught this pike at 22 pounds, he carefully handled and returned it. I caught her a while later at the same weight, carefully handled and returned. She was caught at least two other times that I know of. I was then to catch her both at 24 and 26 pounds. Then two trophy boys caught her a few weeks ago, she was well photographed and appeared in our local rag, also at 26 pounds. They stated that that they had had a weeks session with the intention of catching their first twenty. Now she is dead, washed up on my slipway. I know it's her because of her jaw shape. She doesn't actually look that big in this picture but her jaw is quite distinctive when seen from the front, and her length is right. She hadn't yet spawned, maybe she would have been a thirty next winter. The two 'anglers' who caught her did so because those before them had treated her well. Pity that their glory was more important than her welfare. My neighbours told me of the time that she was out of the water, I wish that I had been there. And the sad thing is that they don't know that their extended photo session probably killed the fish that they returned, supposedly none the worse for ity ordeal.

[Guest Josh Iddon]

Sorry to hear that Peter. Dam shame.

[Andrew Burgess]

Very sad note to hear that Peter.

[GlennB]

...... Then two trophy boys caught her a few weeks ago, she was well photographed and appeared in our local rag, also at 26 pounds.....

 

Presumably this is the photo from the local rag? Don't they know better than to promote this kind of fish handling? Don't answer that - obviously they don't. Maybe a sternly worded letter is called for?

[Elton]

Presumably this is the photo from the local rag? Don't they know better than to promote this kind of fish handling? Don't answer that - obviously they don't. Maybe a sternly worded letter is called for?

 

As the fish was found on Peter's slipway, I'm assuming he took the pic.

[GlennB]

As the fish was found on Peter's slipway, I'm assuming he took the pic.

 

Ah thanks, that wasn't too clear from the post.

[Peter Waller]

It was a very dead fish that washed up on my slipway and that I photographed.

[Elton]

How long do you suggest a pike can be kept out of water, Peter?

[Bob Bradford]

An avoidable loss Peter....more bad angling practice and ignorance...how anyone can berate me for coming on here and promoting angling coaches and good angling practice mystifies me no end... I really do wonder what sort of person ( I was going to put angler) can carry out such an act of vandalism and all for a trophy shot.... Pathetic!.

[Paul Boote]

An avoidable loss Peter....more bad angling practice and ignorance...b Pathetic!.

 

Please, fellas - better to fix your capture permanently in YOUR OWN head - via your eyes, burned into your memory - than (at terrible fishy cost) to flaunt it at just possibly impressionable (yet very likely soon become to be verminously envious) others.

 

From someone who hasn't photographed a fish, dead or alive, in nine years. Caught some nice ones, however...