when and if do you stop

[ibrooke]

Hi All


Just wondered if everybody finishes fishing for pike in March or do you carry on all year round?


Ian

[Ash m]

End of march usually, have a few weeks after rivers done on a few big local res's to say bye to the season and they haven't usually spawned yet 100+ acres and very deep in places, then rods away till late sep!

[Tomcox77]

Same as above, give em a rest

[Carlperkins]

all year after spawning

just dont feck about weighing and photographing.

one of the biggest debates/arguements there is in pike fishing

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

all year after spawning

just dont feck about weighing and photographing.

one of the biggest debates/arguements there is in pike fishing

Quite right but most people stay away from this subject rather than justify fishing for a species at a time they need leaving alone purely because they will be heavier.
I have always thought this, people leave pike alone in summer and consider fishing for them at that time as bad practice and yet happily fish for them now, many of us have double standards in this case.
The pike fishing season should finish end of January and start the 1st of May imo

Cheers Alan

[Ash m]

Here goes this old chestnut, their 2 many other species to fish for and I'm glad of that! Variety is the spice of life and all that!

[owen k]

Shannon pike go on the munch in march and april.There's some great fishing to be had.Water temps. are never really a problem here either.It's still freezing in summer, but the pike do a disappearing act anyway as soon as the cruisers come out in force.

[David Vaissiere]

normally wrap up end of April or very beginning of May depending on the temperature, and start again at the beginning of September, again depending on the temperature

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Shannon pike go on the munch in march and april.There's some great fishing to be had.Water temps. are never really a problem here either.It's still freezing in summer, but the pike do a disappearing act anyway as soon as the cruisers come out in force.

But dont you think the fish should be given some rest around spawning time irrespective on how much they a feeding or how much they weigh?

Cheers Alan

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

normally wrap up end of April or very beginning of May depending on the temperature, and start again at the beginning of September, again depending on the temperature

So its ok to fish for spawning fish but not ok if its warm

Cheers Alan

[David Vaissiere]

normally wrap up end of April or very beginning of May depending on the temperature, and start again at the beginning of September, again depending on the temperature

So its ok to fish for spawning fish but not ok if its warm

Cheers Alan

everyone else does............

[Tomcox77]

Here we go

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

normally wrap up end of April or very beginning of May depending on the temperature, and start again at the beginning of September, again depending on the temperature

So its ok to fish for spawning fish but not ok if its warm

Cheers Alan

everyone else does............

So thats ok then? dont use that for a defence in all matters moral or legal

Cheers Alan

[David Vaissiere]

normally wrap up end of April or very beginning of May depending on the temperature, and start again at the beginning of September, again depending on the temperature

So its ok to fish for spawning fish but not ok if its warm

Cheers Alan

everyone else does............

So thats ok then? dont use that for a defence in all matters moral or legal

Cheers Alan

As probably 95% of pikers fish for them during spawning then yes its ok for for me as im at a disadvantage if I dont, plus when their minds are totally focused on spawning they become un-catchable anyway.

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

normally wrap up end of April or very beginning of May depending on the temperature, and start again at the beginning of September, again depending on the temperature

So its ok to fish for spawning fish but not ok if its warm

Cheers Alan

everyone else does............

So thats ok then? dont use that for a defence in all matters moral or legal

Cheers Alan

As probably 95% of pikers fish for them during spawning then yes its ok for for me as im at a disadvantage if I dont, plus when their minds are totally focused on spawning they become un-catchable anyway.

Do you know I have always pleasure fished for the love of it rather than in competition and so never feel at a disadvantage.
If thats you way of thinking you can get a jump on many other anglers by fishing in the summer.
Importantly its the time either side of spawning when they are catchable that they should not be fished for.
Many water can produce summer time mid to upper doubles, a few more can produce mid to upper 20s, the fact that pike are heavier at this time of year is the sole excuse to fishing for them because as anglers we are obsessed by weight and PBs

Cheers Alan


Cheers Alan

[owen k]

Shannon pike go on the munch in march and april.There's some great fishing to be had.Water temps. are never really a problem here either.It's still freezing in summer, but the pike do a disappearing act anyway as soon as the cruisers come out in force.

But dont you think the fish should be given some rest around spawning time irrespective on how much they a feeding or how much they weigh?

Cheers Alan

I don't think they need a rest to be honest.They're not pressured all winter anyway because it's in flood for at least 3 months,sometimes longer. They're a tough strain.I still handle them with the greatest of care though,whether it's February or april.I think they'd be more fragile in feb. when full of spawn than in march or april, when they're slimmer,faster and actively searching for grub.
edit;I'm just talking about a couple of sessions here and there on one very large river, up to mid-april or so..Obviously ,I wouldn't condone hammering the s***e of any venue all summer long.

[BillCollins]

I'll be finished within the next week or 2, usually getting bored with pike by now and there will be plenty more stuff to fish for anyway...

[owen k]

I have to wean myself off them.Withdrawal symptoms.
My mind is already wandering off to tench lakes anyway.

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Shannon pike go on the munch in march and april.There's some great fishing to be had.Water temps. are never really a problem here either.It's still freezing in summer, but the pike do a disappearing act anyway as soon as the cruisers come out in force.

But dont you think the fish should be given some rest around spawning time irrespective on how much they a feeding or how much they weigh?

Cheers Alan

I don't think they need a rest to be honest.They're not pressured all winter anyway because it's in flood for at least 3 months,sometimes longer. They're a tough strain.I still handle them with the greatest of care though,whether it's February or april.I think they'd be more fragile in feb. when full of spawn than in march or april, when they're slimmer,faster and actively searching for grub.
edit;I'm just talking about a couple of sessions here and there on one very large river, up to mid-april or so..Obviously ,I wouldn't condone hammering the s***e of any venue all summer long.

Me included........
I think most would think that pike do at times need rest from pressure.
I think most would think that pike are one of our more fragile species.
I think most would think that pike are at their most fragile just prior to and soon after spawning.

Most anglers ignore these three statements to suit there own purposes of catching and especially so of large fish full of spawn.

I often look at how large female pike are held in one of the most popular poses, head up and tail down, how do we think without the water supporting them the extra weight acts on their internals in this unnatural position?

I honestly believe that in controlled ( it would be impossible to enforce across all waters) places such as choooooo that if fishing ended at the end of January at the latest pike fishing would have more longevity than is often accredited to it.

Since I caught my first pike nearly 40 years ago we have come a long way, they are rarely if ever killed, striking quickly and uptraces the list goes on although I do think many rigs used by us all are still not that safe and why the way many use heavy braid so leaving the hooks as the week link really is the way to go
So after all these changes it surprises me that nearly all pike anglers will not get on board to the idea that pike (especially the important big females) survival would surly improve if we did not fish for them at this time of year.
Its just common sense especially so with the added pressures on modern angling;)

Cheers Alan

[Andrew]

all year after spawning

just dont feck about weighing and photographing.

one of the biggest debates/arguements there is in pike fishing

I thought it was the anticoagulant debate.

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

all year after spawning

just dont feck about weighing and photographing.

one of the biggest debates/arguements there is in pike fishing

I thought it was the anticoagulant debate.

And so surprising why people are staying away from it...............NOT!

Cheers Alan

[Jimk2]

all year after spawning

just dont feck about weighing and photographing.

one of the biggest debates/arguements there is in pike fishing

Quite right but most people stay away from this subject rather than justify fishing for a species at a time they need leaving alone purely because they will be heavier.
I have always thought this, people leave pike alone in summer and consider fishing for them at that time as bad practice and yet happily fish for them now, many of us have double standards in this case.
The pike fishing season should finish end of January and start the 1st of May imo

Cheers Alan

It does in Poland, to protect spawning fish and they eat them.
Holland has a different close season too, I remember not being able to fish for them.

[Steve B]

Finish when rivers shut let em spawn, give em a rest. There's always next October till march.

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

all year after spawning

just dont feck about weighing and photographing.

one of the biggest debates/arguements there is in pike fishing

Quite right but most people stay away from this subject rather than justify fishing for a species at a time they need leaving alone purely because they will be heavier.
I have always thought this, people leave pike alone in summer and consider fishing for them at that time as bad practice and yet happily fish for them now, many of us have double standards in this case.
The pike fishing season should finish end of January and start the 1st of May imo

Cheers Alan

It does in Poland, to protect spawning fish and they eat them.
Holland has a different close season too, I remember not being able to fish for them.

Does that mean British Anglers are behind the times?

Cheers Alan