I thought it was just a myth

[john step]

I have just been doing my bailiff bit at my local club lake and witnessed something that I thought was one of our angling tall tales.
A senior member had just tackled up and had mixed some groundbait. He rinsed his hand in the edge and .....bang, his hand was taken by a pike causing a nasty wound probably needing stitches.
Now I know the tales of dogs etc attacked whilst swimming and have always thought that they were just tales. Now I am not so sure. Anyone else known this?

 

[Ray Roberts]

The next time i go swimming in a lake or river the pants are staying on.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I couldn't live with myself if I choked a Pike!!!!!!!!

 

[Ray Daywalker Clarke]

There was a tale about a young lad sitting on the side of the Lea Canal, with his feet in the water. The tale goe's that a pike had a bite at one of his feet.

True or False i am not sure, but i wouldn't rule it out, now i have read this.

 

[The Sogster]

Personally I think this is something that is more likely to happen around spawning time.

Several times while observing spawning/ mating fish I have witnessed pike attack swans feet. It usually happens when there are several males around a female and the swans swim over them.

I have often wondered if it is a threat response, i.e. are they protecting their breeding territory. Or are they simply trying to scare off their rivals by displaying their aggression and so be the one most likely to have the best chance of fertilising her eggs.

 

[binka]

Completely different circumstances I know but...

Pike bites mans hand - YouTube

Shows how easy it is

 

[lambert1]

I think I will stick to Cyprinids

 

[andreagrispi]

Few years back in early autumn I was walking the banks of an old estate lake. All of a sudden a full grown mallard started thrashing around on the surface, it then got dragged under the water. About 20 seconds later it came back to the surface, wings flapping with massive pike clamped onto its rear end - it went under again and that was it.......gone!!

 

[jon atkinson]

Completely different circumstances I know but...

Pike bites mans hand - YouTube

Shows how easy it is

Ouch!! & that only looked like a little jack too - probably had enough of his 'back & forth' release technique! I suspect that he'd have been rather more cautious with a big one...

 

[noutbutacold]

Think its very possible.

I was once wading whilst fly fishing in a foot or so of clear water, something made me look down and inches in front of me was a pike of about (I appreciate water can make things look bigger) 20lb, It struck at the pile of fly line floating on the surface in front of me, got all wrapped up in it smashed into my calfs and somehow freed itself and swam off, later I climbed out of the tree I had landed in and found it had taken large chunks of coating off my fly line.

It had also made a small puncture mark in my waders..... If I ever catch that Pike it owes me the best part of £150 in damages Not to mention new pants

 

[jack sprat]

About a decade ago fishing on Throop with pellets in 4ft of water, a duck was diving and taking the pellets and being a nuisance when it suddenly shot to the surface with half its tail feathers hanging off. About ten minutes later I foul hooked a pike of about 12lbs from memory which I suspect had had a go at the pike. The duck kept well away after that!

 

[Tee-Cee]

This is absolutely donkeys years ago ( I was a young lad so it must be a while back!) I recall a swan being found on the Hants Avon at Ibsley with it's neck hanging over the little weir, just below the bridge, and a pike (attached to it's head) below the weir.

 

[law]

I've seen it at one of my lakes too.
The guy had eaten an orange, washed his hands in the lake and a little pike bit him.

 

[terry m]

If you consider some of the weird and wonderfully shaped lures that catch pike, it is no surprise that fingers, toes (and perhaps genitalia) could all be on the menu.

I can vouch for the razor sharpness of pikes teeth. Through complacent handling I have sustained many cuts, some pretty deep, over the years.

Underestimate Esox at your own peril.

 

[Derek Gibson]

Dave Lumb summed it up perfectly years ago now, ''Pike don't think, they react''. And if they are hungry and see something splashing around, and it looks like they can get it in their mouth, that is exactly what they will do.

''Pike do not deliberately attack people'', no matter what you may read. Angling literature is full of accounts of pike attacking milkmaids toes, horses noses etc, it's simply a case of misjudging its intended target, simples.

 

[dorsetandchub]

Few years back in early autumn I was walking the banks of an old estate lake. All of a sudden a full grown mallard started thrashing around on the surface, it then got dragged under the water. About 20 seconds later it came back to the surface, wings flapping with massive pike clamped onto its rear end - it went under again and that was it.......gone!!

Probably an England batsman - out for a duck

 

[binka]

I have pike fished many a time on a shallow stretch of river where my sister moors her narrowboat.

The other boaters are aware of pike being present although not to the size of the upper doubles that I've had right off of the stern and bow of the boat.

Anyone familiar with narrowboats will know there's a weed hatch right above the uxter plate (at the stern where the steerer stands) that you lift up in order to be able to reach down into the water with your hand to clear the submerged prop and I can tell you that there are now one or two nervous boaters on that mooring... especially after I've told 'em the pike like to use it and lay there waiting to ambush their unsuspecting prey

I would of course point out that such an event is highly unlikely but why spoil a good thing?

 

[flightliner]

Few years back in early autumn I was walking the banks of an old estate lake. All of a sudden a full grown mallard started thrashing around on the surface, it then got dragged under the water. About 20 seconds later it came back to the surface, wings flapping with massive pike clamped onto its rear end - it went under again and that was it.......gone!!

A pity it wasnt a tuftie Shaun.