PAC Convention

Just a few days to go till this years PACGB Convention. With many of the BPS also belonging to the PAC, it will be great to see as many of you as possible at Stoneleigh Park near Coventry this Saturday. I'll be spending the day either manning the Products stand, or walking around selling raffle tickets.
If you see me, then pop over for a chat.
Then just a few days later and we'll be meeting up for this years International at Bridgwater. A hectic few days of fun, alcohol and fabulous fishing. Gold for GB & Silver for the Irish?
Take care and have a great start to the traditional pike fishing season.

Team Selection Final

First few pics from the TSF last weekend. 'Golden Balls' of course!
Congratulations to all those who made the team to represent us against Ireland next year: Mark Lloyd(c) Wayne Gorringe, Adam Todd, Alan Hickson, Gary Edwards, Darren Knowles, Adam Holmes, Andy Waller, John Currie & our very special angler Louise Hunns.
Don't forget those that will be doing the business for us in a few weeks time at Bridgwater in this years International: Gary Edwards (c) Paul Higginson, Paul Danby, Colin Telfer, Stu Parker, Andy Waller, Mike Skipper, Adam Holmes, Alan Grant & Glenn Neave.

Andy Waller

I know they're not Pike, but this pic shows a bag of Barbel caught by Andy Waller recently. Not a bad catch at all really. However Andy; please remember that "These Don't Count In A PIKE Match"!

You can catch as many of these as you like next weekend (5th & 6th), or Zander if you like for that matter and we won't care!

Alan Hickson

Alan "The Lure" Hickson has been hard into his training as this piccy shows. If this is typical of his catches in two weeks time at the Team Selection Final, he'll need a heck of a lot of these if he's to make the squad next year! Mind you it might be he's realised that there is a cash prize for the smallest pike caught over the two days. Any takers on cometing against him for that prize?

Pike baits exempt from new ban on taking river fish

Killing coarse fish caught from Britain's rivers could soon become illegal.

But exemptions look set to be put in place to ensure pike anglers can continue using limited numbers below a certain size for bait.

Environment Agency officials will next week launch a major public consultation exercise over proposed byelaw changes.

Anglers and other interested parties have until September 14 to make their views known.

"Within the angling community there is a wide range of opinion about whether anglers should be allowed to take the coarse fish they catch," an EA source said.

"There has been mounting concern that coarse fish removal by rod and line is damaging stocks and fisheries.

"We know that some coarse fish are taken to eat and there is evidence that specimen fish are taken for illegal stocking in other waters."

While there have been calls for a ban on the use of coarse baits - frequently following allegations fish are being taken wholesale to supply the bait trade - the EA is on record stating it does not take the claims seriously.

A section of the report accompanying the consultation paper has this to say on the issue of using coarse fish for bait:

"Anglers fishing for pike and other predators have traditionally used small fish
for live or dead bait. It is a legitimate and effective method of fishing and
there is a strong argument that is should be allowed to continue. There is an
equally strong case that the number and size of fish taken for bait should be
limited so it does not damage fisheries. Note that we are not considering the
ethics of live-baiting in this consultation."

PAC president Tim Kelly said: "Everyone wants the problem of fish theft dealt with. On the face of it they're going about it in a reasonable way by acknowleging the ownership of fish stocks and making an obvious exemption for using fish for live and dead bait.

"I see it as an opportunity for us to go in there and state our case. It's also an opportunity to move forward and look at making certified fish available for use as bait, like triploid trout."

EA fisheries policy manager Adrian Taylor added: “We have some existing local byelaws that limit the removal of coarse fish, but these are inconsistent. We are proposing to introduce new byelaws that will apply across England and Wales to limit fish removal, protecting coarse fish and the fisheries they support.

"With a change to our byelaw-making powers expected in the autumn, we are consulting with the angling world now, so we can introduce the new measures as soon as possible in 2010.
“In developing our proposals, we need to balance the need to protect fish stocks with the rights of fisheries owners and managers to decide how their fisheries should be managed. In particular, we need to consider the differences between river and stillwater fisheries.

“We need the views of the angling community to help us strike the right balance.“

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Click here to read the report on proposed byelaw changes. It includes a section you can print off and post to the EA.

From Monday, June 29, you will be able to take part in the consultation online. Click here for a link to the page where you can do that.

Sickening!

Alan Hickson has just sent me these pictures of a dead pike of around 15lbs in weight.
His words:-
"A up it makes me angry every time I come across this the mindless d--k head that did this
This pike had a stainless steel trace with 2 big trebles stuck down its neck. Attached to the trace was line of about 6lb breaking strain - this fish was doomed from the moment it picked Mr d--k-heads' bait up
This fish was somewhere in the region of 15lb, but may have been more". Cheers a very pissed off angler.

Paul Danby

Paul Danby, team member of this years British Pike Squad; also got amongst the fish during the tail end of last season with this PB taken on the 'wobble'