Pike Culls

[Leon Roskilly]

Browsing through a book published in 1934 (Fifty Years on the Test by Ernest C. Paine), I came across this.

 

I have known a water where there was a greater rejoicing over the number of pike taken out than in the condition of the trout after the pike had gone.

 

In the deeper waters of the Test it is practically impossible to clear the river entirely of pike.

 

When the large pike are caught, there is a great increase in the number of small pike.

 

If a careful watch is kept when walking up the river where large pike have been taken out, you will see these small pike dart away from the side.

 

What with these little pike and with eels it is not surprising that in the deeper water it is difficult to keep a sufficient stock of young trout.

 

It's surprising that the damage caused by interefering with the natural balance of pike was known about over seventy years ago, but even now there are still some anglers who think that they are doing the river a favour by chucking pike into the bushes!

[Steve Walker]

I think I may have mentioned before that I found an old Victorian river keeper's manual in the library at the Institute of Freshwater Ecology. Possibly down in the basement store, actually. There was no evidence in there of such enlightened attitudes, it could easily have been entitled "British River Wildlife, And How To Slaughter It". It was actually quite funny, in a politically incorrect, I-can't-believe-I-just-read-that kind of way. The advice on swans was that by eating river weeds they damaged trout habitat, but that killing them may be unpopular with the public. It therefore recommended luring them somewhere quiet with bread before discreetly dispatching them!

[highseas]

more swan any one???

[Guest flempike]

Browsing through a book published in 1934 (Fifty Years on the Test by Ernest C. Paine), I came across this.

It's surprising that the damage caused by interefering with the natural balance of pike was known about over seventy years ago, but even now there are still some anglers who think that they are doing the river a favour by chucking pike into the bushes!

 

This has been major issue for me, as I have fished many lakes in Ireland, and they did produce many many pike of all sizes over the years, from 30 cm attacking real big lures to 100 cm + pike attacking both small and big. As I am going piking on Derrevaragh Lough in December, I one more read through all the internet stuff on 'pike culling' and especially trying to find info on this lake concerning culling. And there is indeed great debate about all of this, which is quite unbelievable really, as any 'scientific' method of measurement is both used by the 'pro culling' or 'against culling' people. I believe that it is the law of nature that species are developing superbely as the prey is omnipresent and vice versa, therefor, it seems obvious that pike are omnipresent in these waters as their prey is equally in great shape. It is exactly the same with foxes, and indeed great controversy exist about them as well. The game versus the fox, the hunter against the protector of the fox and vice versa. The supposed diminished number of trout must have another reason altogether, such as pollution, etc.

[highseas]

whare pkie are concerned i dont mind one for the pot

but mass culs no thanks

 

what do you all think??

[ChrisBishop]

There's considerable evidence that all culls do is lead to an explosion in numbers of smaller pike.

 

There's quite a lot of info here and here and here.

 

The campaign against culling is being stepped up on a number of fronts, if you're interested subscribe to the PAC Blog here and get an e-mail every time it's updated.

Edited November 30, 2007 by ChrisBishop

[Leon Roskilly]

See also:

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/Coarse-Fishing...e_for_pike.html

[dapper64]

whats special about trout anyway that we have to cull other species that prey on them?one of the clubs I'm in has just stocked one of our stretrches of river with barbel after a long debate with another clubs trout fishermen who have fishing rights higher up.they didn't want the river stocking with barbel as they claim they eat all the trout spawn.what next ?culling kingfishers that eat the fry.

[DavidWliilamson]

I thing that you should leave the river/lake systems to settle them self every time we interfere we up set the natural balance of thing

[bok]

I thing that you should leave the river/lake systems to settle them self every time we interfere we up set the natural balance of thing

 

 

 

I agree with David we should leave mother nature to herself, The pike are there for a reason if they were not there the balance in the ecosystem would be out and cause lots of other problems.

 

Mother nature seems to have done great over millions of years without our inteference I don't think any of us should cull pike or any other species at all.