Help with catching Pike

[Anderoo]

Sorry mate, the advice given so far (if you ignore the squabbling!) is sound. Please don't go. Pike die very easily, and a dead pike upsets the balance of a fishery. If you want to go piking, let us know where in the country you live and hopefully someone local will take you out and show you the ropes. I'm in Oxford, if that's any good?

[Peter Waller]

Grandma, regular readers of Pike & Predator will possibly have read of my feelings on that issue.

[Puzzled]

I am a entering a pike competition on Sunday and for a first time trying for pike normally sea fishing (mackerel bashing plus some experience fishing charter boats) this competition is going to be on a large lake from a boat, any handy hints?????

 

Amongst all the intense debate on this subject, did anyone actually notice whether 10 Brownie points actually replied?

As I see it, he was off to pike fish on Sunday last.

[BoozleBear]

Amongst all the intense debate on this subject, did anyone actually notice whether 10 Brownie points actually replied?

As I see it, he was off to pike fish on Sunday last.

 

In all the excitement I don't think we noticed!

 

Well he hasn't been back on to tell us how he did, let's hope it's because he didn't go.

[gozzer]

Not being a pike angler can I bring some non bias, but objective comments to this thread.

 

Some time ago I was asked to steward and weigh-in at a pike match, it was organised by an acquaintance of mine, who thought that because I had been fishing for over 40yrs, I would be ideal for the job. I refused, saying that although I have caught many pike, I still didn't think I had the experience or confidence in unhooking a large pike. I went along to watch the match, and what I saw made me think I'd under estimated my skills. I helped some that were struggling, as did some of the more experienced pike anglers. If the PAC had been supporting the match and had members there, then I feel that they would have been invaluable, giving help and advise to the anglers. The match went ahead without PAC backing, as do many such matches. If they could send members to these events, then I am sure that it would help in the long run. By spreading the word, they might even make anglers think again about running them. As for their presence meaning that they support or endorse the event, I don't agree, it would just mean that they act like the St Johns members at any event, there to advise and also to prevent any accidents becoming more serious.

 

Just my twopenny worth, you can go back to agreeing to disagree now.

 

John

[Grandma]

Grandma, regular readers of Pike & Predator will possibly have read of my feelings on that issue.

 

 

I read your letter and agreed with what you said. However the same principle can be applied to pike matches; i.e. either practice will attract both experienced and incompetent anglers.

 

Incompetent summer lure anglers fumbling about, trying to unhook pike that are tangled up in micromesh landing nets are every bit as bad as the stereotype match angler that waits a bit longer before striking.

 

In some ways matches are likely to have a lesser effect on pike stocks than summer lure fishing: The pressure is limited to one area - I'd rather have 20 incompetent anglers fishing a match on a small stretch of one of 'my' waters than have 10 pairs of incompetent anglers chucking lures all over 10 of 'my' waters.

Also there is more potential for willing beginners to learn how to handle pike from experienced anglers.

 

The PAC code of conduct can only enhance the situation and is therefore a good thing.

 

 

It's worth remembering your average novice piker may be forgiven for not approaching experienced pikers for lessons / advice. Your average experienced piker makes a habit out of not being approachable, because he dosen't want anyone else to know what he's catching.

[Dick Dastardly]

After asking the initial question it would be interesting to hear 10 brownie points veiws on what he has read.

[Newt]

peter you have brought the Marie Curie up on here before, and were told then that the PAC region does not organize it at all.

their only involvement is to steward the event to make sure as much as is possible that no harm comes to the fish.

THAT IS NOT ORGANISING THE EVENT OR ENDORSING IT, BUT LOOKING AFTER THE QUARRY, THE FUNDAMENTAL ETHOS OF THE CLUB.

Mark - I think I will stick an oar in the water here.

 

I have no strong feelings one way or another about UK pike angling and matches but from a distance, I have to say that if the organization has any involvement in a pike match, it is tantamount to endorsing the event.

 

I fully understand the reasoning that has PAC involved and the massive quandary you find yourselves in. Working to safeguard the fish as much as possible in matches is certainly a reasonable thing to do but regardless of how you approach (or spin) the involvement, it does pretty much equate to PAC approval.

 

PAC basically had two options

A. Speak out against matches and refuse to be involved in any way, shape, form, or fashion

B. Work with match organizers and at matches to protect the fish as much as you can.

 

Two mutually exclusive approaches with lots of good reasons for doing one or the other and PAC has opted for A while Peter Waller (and probably others who are simply silent) strongly prefers B. He has suggested you both just agree to disagree and I can't figure out why you aren't willing to do that.

[mark barrett]

Mark - I think I will stick an oar in the water here.

 

I have no strong feelings one way or another about UK pike angling and matches but from a distance, I have to say that if the organization has any involvement in a pike match, it is tantamount to endorsing the event.

 

I fully understand the reasoning that has PAC involved and the massive quandary you find yourselves in. Working to safeguard the fish as much as possible in matches is certainly a reasonable thing to do but regardless of how you approach (or spin) the involvement, it does pretty much equate to PAC approval.

 

PAC basically had two options

A. Speak out against matches and refuse to be involved in any way, shape, form, or fashion

B. Work with match organizers and at matches to protect the fish as much as you can.

 

Two mutually exclusive approaches with lots of good reasons for doing one or the other and PAC has opted for A while Peter Waller (and probably others who are simply silent) strongly prefers B. He has suggested you both just agree to disagree and I can't figure out why you aren't willing to do that.

 

newt,

 

the reason is very simple because Peter is stating something as fact that is just not true. in both cases, the ACA and Marie Curie, the event organisers approached us as to the best way to conduct these matches.

if the PAC was to then turn around and say no, how dooes that in any way help the conservation of Pike?

 

to turn our backs would have been negligent in the extreme and wouldnt have served ANY of the membership. i accept that other people will disagree with the PAC having any involvement, but Peter, i personally feel has no room to comment upon this to the extent that he has, as he has been extremely vociferous in his defence of summer Pike fishing, his main argument for, being that its the man behind the method thats the problem, not the method itself, a principal that can EQUALLY be applied to pike match fishing.

to me Newt the only difference is that Peter participates in summer piking, an activity that is strongly denounced by many pikers, but doesnt in matches which is equally as controversial.

 

its the hypocracy that is oozing from this whole argument that has caused me to be as vociferous as Peter, coupled with the fact that its time that we all joined together, not derided each other for persuing legal fishing activities.

 

i do not i hasten to add though have any personal problem with peter, i have agreed with him in the past and disagreed ands have a lot of respect for Peter as both a person and an angler, that doesnt mean though that i will not challenge Peter or anyone else when they deride the PAC, club that I am currently investing a lot of my own personal time and money, voluntarilly.

 

Rant over, tight lines to all.

[The Flying Tench]

Whilst those who suggest expert guidance are probably 100% correct, life rarely revolves around 100% correctness and hence most anglers with half a brain should be able to fish for pike without too many problems

I did go a couple of times with experienced pikers, but we didn't catch any pike! Sometimes you have to learn things on your own. Despite this, the biggest argument for going with an experienced bod, certainly if they're like some of the ones who've offered today, is that you're more likely to catch!

 

Incidently, 10 Brownie Points, how did it go???!!!