Pike Fishing, Risk Assessment

[dredger]

I visited a broad at 06:00 a few days ago and spotted four 'Transit' size vans parked at the waters edge. When I returned the same day at 18:00+ the vans were there as were the obvious fishermen owners complete with sit on 'kayak' thingies. I spoke to them to ask what sort of day they'd had as it was more than twelve hours they'd been out and the answer was "Not that good they were pike fishing and caught only small one(s)" My question is; if out in the kayak and you catch a big and probably angry fish, where do you land it? The only possibility appears to be on the front deck between the legs. With all those teeth isn't there some risk to one's other important tackle?

[JennyMorgan]

As one who fishes for pike from a kayak I can assure you that I don't 'land' a pike as such. I bring it alongside, slip the fingers of my left hand under the gill flaps, lift the head, and with my right hand and a pair of long nosed pliers I roll the the hooks out, with squeezed barbs,  and quickly release the pike, all very quick, simple and safe. I generally fish by myself which means I can't weigh or photograph my catch but when fishing in a group it is a simple matter for kayaks to raft up.

[Wussername]

7 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

As one who fishes for pike from a kayak I can assure you that I don't 'land' a pike as such. I bring it alongside, slip the fingers of my left hand under the gill flaps, lift the head, and with my right hand and a pair of long nosed pliers I roll the the hooks out, with squeezed barbs,  and quickly release the pike, all very quick, simple and safe. I generally fish by myself which means I can't weigh or photograph my catch but when fishing in a group it is a simple matter for kayaks to raft up.

A far cry from the barbaric cruelty inflicted on pike not so long ago and a credit to the present day pike fisherman.

With a kettle of live bait, usually roach, caught from who knows where, purchased from the local tackle dealer to be impailed onto jardine snap tackle. The armed with rod, gaff to impail the fish when caught, and a priest to dispatch the fearsome creature.

I used livebait on one occasion and found it so distasteful I vowed never to do it again. As for the gaff and priest I was shown how to use them. I found the whole thing disgusting. 

I was shown the correct way to use dead bait such as spratts and of course the use of lure and spinning but by that time I had lost all enthusiasm.

Do they still use livebait today?

Andrew 

Edited December 23, 2016 by Wussername
Added comment.

[JennyMorgan]

Some folk do still livebait, quite legally. Me, I gave it the heave-ho more than fifty years ago. With modern day 'jelly' lures, if used intelligently', I reckon these can out-fish both deads and lives any day of the week. Regretfully the threat to pike fishing today is from anglers themselves, anglers whose bite indication leaves a great deal to be desired and today pike stocks on the Broads are at a very worrying low.

[Wussername]

12 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

Some folk do still livebait, quite legally.

I'm surprised, I would like to think that in this day and age this particular "legislation" or perhaps "allowed practice" be revisited.

All the more surprised  when respected anglers as yourself, together with others have not been able to influence those who continue with this method of catching pike.

Andrew

[JennyMorgan]

49 minutes ago, Wussername said:

I'm surprised, I would like to think that in this day and age this particular "legislation" or perhaps "allowed practice" be revisited.

All the more surprised  when respected anglers as yourself, together with others have not been able to influence those who continue with this method of catching pike.

Andrew

Perhaps, Andrew, I have no particular wish to influence my fellow pike anglers in regard to livebaiting, after all it is legal and it is their choice. I admit that I do find pike anglers who demand that we all return pike to the water in the same condition as before we hooked them, yet kill the fish that other anglers would wish to catch, as being rather hypocritical. However, the issue is simple, how long after we ban impaling a fish on a hook and then casting it out before someone then bans hooking a fish before reeling it in? That said I firmly believe that a roach deserves the same respect as pike anglers demand for pike. 

 

[MauriceMynah]

47 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

I admit that I do find pike anglers who demand that we all return pike to the water in the same condition as before we hooked them, yet kill the fish that other anglers would wish to catch,....

Hypothetical question (as I don't live bait either) What would those anglers think of me if I were using a small pike as live bait?

[JennyMorgan]

A question that has been discussed in pike fishing circles and whilst it does happen I have never heard of any great success using jacks as bait. 

[MauriceMynah]

Back in the heathen days of live baiting and snap tackle, I used an 11 or 12 inch pike (and caught nothing) and since have often wondered what the view from pike fishermen would be.

I have to admit that these days far from live baiting, I wonder at the morality of course water fishing at all. Fishing for the pot I understand and enjoy, but 'catch and release' I'm finding hard to justify.

Having said that, I also have to admit that my nieces younger son (12) has taken up the sport and I've given him a box of floats, shot, ledger weights, eyed hooks and hooks to nylon. I reckon about a season or two's .worth of consumables.

When they come round on Boxing day I'm going to go through my tackle collection and shove a load more his way.

[JennyMorgan]

The justification behind catch and release is twofold and simple, one being to preserve our sport and two, to preserve our shared environment. 

[rightsaidfred]

7 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

 

I have to admit that these days far from live baiting, I wonder at the morality of course water fishing at all. Fishing for the pot I understand and enjoy, but 'catch and release' I'm finding hard to justify.

.

Back in the 50s and 60s if it hadn`t been for anglers and the ACA most if not all waterways would have ended up polluted open sewers, not only no fish but birds and other wildlife would have disappeared to. Anglers were and still are at the forefront of conservation without seeking public money or being designated a charity.

Fred