Anglers Mail Horror!

Have a look at the iside cover and the picture of the large pike taken through the ice in sweden in the predator gallery. You will see that the bright orange "thing" that is near the head of the fish is infact a GAFF! On the gallery page it can be seen quite clearly, as the guy is holding the full weight of the fish by holding the handle (the orange bit). Its common practice to lift pike vertically from the ice using this method. I know the Americans do it to.

I know it is in Sweden, but its not setting a very good example. Nearly every week AM has pictures that the antis can use...

What do u lot think?

I agree rob I have just had alook and this is the type of thing that they will pick up on!!

But did you see Survival Extreme on TV last week when the bloke caught 2 pike, to eat on spring loaded hooks? He was in Sweden somewhere fishing for them through a metre of ice.

Cheese...difference is that AM is regarded as one of the most read and followed weekly papers...As it is illegal in the UK to use a gaff, showing a picture of one being used without a disclaimer is pretty bad in my book.

As for the survival thing..i am against showing this sort of thing if animals or fish are killed in the name of entertainment...different if its a real life situation of course..but thats a personnel thing (having been a survival instructor myself!)

Yeah fair point about the disclaimer. Haven't seen the picture yet, I'll have a closer look when I get home.

Thats a couple of times in the last few weeks they've shown dodgy pics. Wasn't there one in last weeks as well of a kid with a pike covered in grass and stones and a note saying "please get a unhooking mat with your fee".

There are a few dodgy pics used in AM; pike and salmon being mishandled 2 recent examples. Treading on thin ice here, but approx. 2 years ago I saw a photo in the carp gallery of one of the suspects in the Stephen Lawrence trial...that disturbed me a bit as I thought it a little insensitive to include during an inquiry though it does go to show who we are sharing the banks with.Looks like the anti's did not use the oppurtunity to tar us all. Apologies Graham and crew if I am out of line.

Although I do enjoy reading Anglers Mail, there have definitely been a lot of gaffs recently.

However, an amusing one for me was a few weeks ago, Andy Little's article was Dace on the Wey. The first page has a photo showing tubular Reuben Heaton scales (costing ?80) - the caption being "weighing small species like Dace requires very accurate scales like these".
Turn the page, photo shows Andy (caption reads "accurately weighing a Dace") clearly using a set of weighmasters!

I did chuckle...

Personally don't have a problem with this one. Swedish pike fishery rules are tighter than our which is excellent. I don't believe this is a gaff, simply a blunt hook. Let me explain! Some folk are quite happy to 'chin' a fish, the 'hook' appears to have been used just as a hand might in chinning. Fishing through the ice, probably through a fairly small hole means that a landing net can't be used. I grew up using a gaff, I had no problem with a well used gaff. I have gaffed thousands of pike in years long gone by, simply hooking them under the tip of chin. No harm whatsoever. The use of a gaff, well used, according to books written by both Buller & Rickards, is not a problem. The gaff was outlawed to prevent people gaffing pike in their bodies. Because of the misuse factor banning the gaff was an absolute nescessity. But, as I say, I'm not convinced the AM picture shows the use of a gaff as we know them.

Peter, i see where u are comming from, but look closly. Its not under the chin, but looks like it may be under the gill cover.

My main concern though is that the Gaff is banned in the UK. I am not sure that showing its use is a good idea.

Rob your right - it looks like its under the gill to me - horrific shot.....