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Paste cages

Brian,

No disrespect intended but the whole idea of fishing is to stick a bit of metal in a fishes mouth.

if you are offended by that then I suggest you are practising the wrong sport.
 
I did say additional damage... I remember a topic about the use of the sea ledger weights beign used with metal splines being dangerous to fish at what level do you say "its fishing" dead fish perchance?

Brian
 
Brian Timson said:
I did say additional damage... I remember a topic about the use of the sea ledger weights beign used with metal splines being dangerous to fish at what level do you say "its fishing" dead fish perchance?

Brian
Click to expand...

Where does a set of trebles fit into this argument, or does that not count as its only a pike?
 
I've done my share of sea fishing the last couple of years, having being living in Portsmouth. I'm yet to see any damage from using break away leads. I wouldn't (and don't) hestitate in using them on the Severn in flood conditions when needed.
 
Adrians wire looks like it is from armoured cable.

I have a bundle myself and it is really useful for all manner of stuff,ask any electrician you may know and if he can be bothered to pick it up (you know what they are like for not clearing up:rolleyes:) can save it for you.
 
Adrian
As did a gag and a gaff but do we still use them? also a lot i heading down the single hook route as well as times they are a changing.......
 
Brian, you are entitled to your opinion but in my opinion you are worrying about a problem which doesn't exist. Be careful your sanctimonious pursuit of fish welfare does not end up backfiring and end up with your sport being taken from you.
 
Not sanctimonious, just my view I was not preaching or trying to get people to change into the church of plastic cages. Stuart how so what I do not understand your question mate.

Brian
 
Stuart
The reference was towards using single hooks for pike fishing as opposed to trebles. The times they are a changing was a reference for fish care in general has increased. Look at Carp anglers they have mats and cradles the works. When I was a lad a pike gag and gaff were still used now frowned upon as its friendlier and safer to chin and there is no need for a gag end of.

Brian
 
Chinning a pike might be the macho way of doing the job but in the future people are going to look at some of these old videos and say what the hell were they doing?
Let me ask you this, would you chin any other species of fish?

A pike is a long fish for its weight and by chinning it you are removing it from an environment where it is weightless but surrounded by a fluid into air and allowing it to kick against nothing. All that weight is now supported by a skeletal structure which is not evolved to be weight bearing. This is almost certain to be causing damage to the vertebrae and internal structures. It is my long held belief that the safest way to handle a pike is just like any other skeletal fish and that is by using a landing net.

The reason people give for chinning pike is because flying trebles have a habit of getting caught in the mesh of the net making unhooking difficult, to me that is rubbish. Most people these days use barbless or semi barbed trebles so hooks tangling in nets is not such a problem, if you use a net with a rubberised mesh it is not a problem at all.

But we've all seen Matt Hayes triumphantly heaving a 20 pounder out of the water by its chin; and who doesn't think it looks macho? Hell I've even done it myself; and got the pictures to prove it.

There is a long history of big pike being caught once and then never been seen again, there are loads of theories for this but I personally think that many of them are simply victims of bad handling.

As far as I'm concerned if anything needs outlawing it is the practice of chinning pike.
 
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Would you take chinning a pike over a gaff? if so progress maybe not the best way but progress all the same. Landing net for me as well then turn the fish up side down and slide fingers carefully under gills etc so its fish welfare you are coming round to my way of thinking lol


Brian
 
You are the only one who has mentioned a gaff, the discussion originally was whether a spring hanging from a barbels mouth was likely to cause more damage than a set of trebles?

Answer, no; obviously.
 
Yes and it was to show the relation of fish care through the ages... according to your mantra we should still be fishing in the dark ages, no progress....


Brian
 
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