why pike matches

[Steve Grantham]

i love my pike fishing in the winter and i cant understand why we have pike matches.everything i read about pike says they suffer from fishing pressure,yet when i go to fish some fen drains there are pike matches going on all the time.
someone tell me this is right!i admit i have never fished one of these matches,i like to pike fish where i want not where a peg tells me to !
i am not anti matches just worried this harming our sport.

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)]

The problem with pike matches is that they attract pike anglers of little experience and without the necessary unhooking equipment. Not only that but there is a tendency for anglers to let the pike have the bait a bit too long with the inevitable results.

 

[GrahamM]

All pike matches organised by, or supervised by, the PAC, are well run and no fish come to any harm. In fact, many blossoming pike anglers go away from them with valuable knowledge which, in the long run, saves more pike than if they had never attended a pike match in the first place.

 

[p a c man(B A S)]

good point graham..

 

[Chris Bishop]

The PAC brought out a code of conduct for match organisers earlier this year, the ACA were the first to adopt it.

It covers things like minimum tackle required, having the right unhooking kit, ensuring there are enough marshalls on hand and not retaining pikle in keepnets.

You can have a read of it here

The idea is to try and start educating organisers and those who take part in matches.

While there are some very well-run events, there are also some which aren't as pike-friendly.

At the end of the day these things are going to go on whether we as pike anglers agree with them or not, so the club has taken the view it's better to get involved by asking people to follow our code.

 

[Steve Grantham]

thanks for the replys, some good points of view . i am sure the matches are run well and we have good fishermen in them who handle the fish well. but my point was about the amount of fishing pressure the pike are getting , i have stopped going to one drain in the fens a well known stop because in the winter months there is a match on this stretch of water most weekends.
sorry i am sure people enjoy these matches but for me pike are not a match fish .

 

[Chris Bishop]

We're not saying we're in favour of matches, we're saying if you must hold or take part in them please observe the code of conduct.

I know a few drains around the Cambs/S Lincs border get hammered, we're not condoning that.

 

[Steve Grantham]

ok Chris i hear where you are coming from,
thanks for trying to answer my worries , i am sure we all have the best intentions for the welfare of the pike at least there are some rules.
the clubs who hammer there waters will pay for it in the end when the fishing goes downhill.