when does the season end?

[Guest tigger]

There is a certain aspect of making a "virtue out of necessity" in condemning summer pike fishing - the same fish that was well over twenty pounds in March is now a lean and mean 19 lb, and so in our weight-obsessed angling culture is not so highly regarded.

 

 

I would much sooner catch a fish that has spawned and fed it's self back up to it's true weight rather than kid myself that I have caught a heavier fish just because it's full of eggs. At the end of the day I don't think fish full of eggs should be counted as a record weight as it is a false weight.

[Vagabond]

I would much sooner catch a fish that has spawned and fed it's self back up to it's true weight rather than kid myself that I have caught a heavier fish just because it's full of eggs.

 

Yep, I second that - after all, if one goes out on the pull, one does not target a lass that looks as if she's eight months gone!

[Guest tigger]

Yep, I second that - after all, if one goes out on the pull, one does not target a lass that looks as if she's eight months gone!

 

 

 

Not unless you've got a fetish

[zedhead]

It is in my humble opinion that pike shouldnt be pursued year round. Ok pike in march can be spawn laden and some anglers chase these for the extra weight, this is not true in my case, id much prefer to catch a 10lber in october than the same fish as a 13 in march.

There are issues with summer piking that I dont agree with, lactic acid build up and oxygen depletion just two, my main problem is that pike need a restbite from the constant and growing pressure they are recieveing these days. Not just pike either, I strongly agree with close season on rivers, based on the fish need a break principle.

 

It seems just common sense to me that the rewards of reducing angling pressure short term pay off in the long term, this is especially the case with pike as the species do not take to constant recaptures at all well.

[Neil G]

Lots of different views on this but I'm sticking to fishing for pike year round as I haven't really that much interest in catching carp & tench anyway.

 

I think the pressure aspect is true on some smaller waters but not realy applicable to larger ones. Some of the reservoirs I fish are around 80/100 hectares in size and I hardly ever see anglers there....I wonder how many fish are recapured there?