Recaptures

I have caught the same big pike 3 times from different parts of the lake.
Would you count that as three 20lb pike or one 20lb pike for your record book.

I know that in the numbers game many would say that is three fish but I count it as one. I have now moved on to a different water as it seems that there are not that many pike in here.

Good on you mate it's one in my book, only the inveterate tally counters see it as three.

Three different 20's for me. Different times, locations and varying weights can justify that.

Class it as one or three, whatever you are happy with.

The key thing is that you have identified the need to move on to other waters.

Tight lines.

Neither.. calling it one or three doesn't tell the full story either way imho.

It's one fish caught 3 times for me and my records would highlight it as a recapture.

Recaptures and/or lack of them, can give you a loose basis, or at least part of the equation, for estimating stock numbers and sizes so accurate info is important when choosing a water to fish, now and in the future.

In my opinion it's 1 20lb+ pike caught on 3 different occasions, I don't see how it can be classed as 3 different 20's if the angler knows that it is definitely the same pike each time.

I'm not convinced that it's as cut and dried as some seem to think.
I've had the biggest fish in my syndicate lake on three occasions over a six year period. Only twice was it at a then venue record weight. However, does that mean that I can only claim the weight that I first caught it? I'm not trying to pretend that it's three different fish, but I've definitely caught it three times, at varying weights. It's also been caught on four other occasions by four different anglers. If it gets to thirty pounds, and if I ever catch it again, can I not claim to have caught a thirty because I've already caught it at lesser weights? As I've had it as a high teen, and twice as a mid twenty, I don't particularly want to catch it again until it tops thirty pounds. Last time out, earlier the summer just gone, it was 29lb, hopefully next year it'll get there. I'll be happy as larry to catch it again when it does, regardless of the fact I've caught it three times already.

The same applies to any recogniseable fish. You've still got to catch them and, unless it's a notorious mug fish, that spends an inordinate amount of time on the bank, the achievment isn't lessened by one individual catching it more than once.