New challenges ahead for PAC in 2008

We're going to reach new milestones and face fresh challenges in 2008, as the Pike Anglers Club builds on its most successful ever year.

In his New Year message to members, PAC president Phil Wakeford said many would remember 2007 for the 30th anniversary convention and increased numbers of events, with the capture of a 39lbs 8oz pike on one of them.

More members than ever before beat their PBs and enjoyed the social side away from the water, as two 30lbs plus pike and more than 35 twenties were caught by members on fish-ins arranged by the club.

But catching fish is just one side of the coin, as the PAC steps up its fight to preserve the pike and pike fishing.

Phil Wakeford said: "There has also been a lot going on behind the scenes and we think we are finally making progress with regard to fish being taken from our waters in numbers for food and the minority of clubs and fishery owners who still insist they need to cull pike.

"We will shortly be announcing a new intelligence hotline which is being set up as a pilot scheme by the Environment Agency after some months of negotiation by the PAC and King's Lynn Angling Association.

"Information received will be used to target patrols more effectively. We will be urging all anglers to use it to report concerns and help to identify problem areas.

"On the culls front, we have just sent 500 fishery managers and owners a copy of Pike In Your Waters and the respected journal of the national Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives (NAFAC) carries an article summarising the arguments against culling. Rest assured, we will be keeping up the pressure this year."

Membership of the club looks set to smash through the 3,000 barrier by the end of the current committee's term in May 2009.

"Between 20 and 30 people are joining a week at the moment - that's a tremendous vote of confidence in the club," said Phil.

"If you've just joined welcome aboard, we hope you'll agree today's PAC has a lot to offer whether you're new to pike fishing or a seasoned hand . Please help to increase membership by spreading the word.

"The bigger we get, the stronger the voice that defends the pike and pike fishing becomes."

Last year saw a number of successes such as victory in the campaign to save Cambridgeshire's ancient Lodes from being lowered.

In Ireland, organisers of a major pike fishing tournament did not abandon the use of barrels to retain fish but the PAC has won concessions and will be looking to achieve more this year.

PAC30 - the 2007 Convention - was the club's biggest-ever, as anglers from all corners of the British Isles and further afield gathered for an unforgettable event.

Arrangements for Piking 2008 are still being finalised The PAC committee wish all the club’s members a happy and prosperous New Year with a few pike thrown in.

For more information on the work of the PAC or to join up, go online to www.pacgb.com .

Chew Valley pike dates for 2008 announced

Bristol Water has announced boat and bank fishing for pike will take place at Chew between January 19 and 25; February 2 and 8; October 15 and 20 and 25 and 30; November 4 and 9; and bank fishing only November 14 and 19 and 25 and 30.

Get set for the War of the Roses

Wakefield and Glossop regions will be holding a battle of the roses Macmillan Nurses cancer support charity event on Underbank Reservoir near Sheffield on February the 24th.

The cost of this will be £7.50 adult and £5 OAP, disabled and kids with 95% going to the charity.

All welcome to come and represent either Yorkshire (yes) or Lancashire (I know Glossop is not in Lancashire but we don’t have a battle of Yorkshire and Derbyshire yet Kosh).

This is open to the 1st 60 anglers so if you want to feel good for just one day then come and help us out. Cancer touches us all in some part of our life’s so lets try and give a little back to those that we turn to in our hours of need. For further information maps and tickets please contact Pete Green.

Tel: 01924 782705

Email: psgreen@blueyonder.co.uk

Entries flying in for win a day with Mick

Entries for this years membership promotion are already exceeding numbers for the same period last year when a boat was the prize.

The ever popular Mick Brown has generated a very good entry to date said membership secretary John Cahill.

Details of how to win a day's fishing for two with Mick can be found at www.pacgb.co.uk/join

In the last seven days John and Pete Green have processed nearly 100 renewals and new applications with the current membership total standing at 2100. Once Royal mail resume deliveries Pikelines and new member packs should be with those who applied.

Eric Edwards talks to Region 31

Once everyone has recovered from the festive season and is ready to focus on fishing again Eric Edwards is presenting his legendary slideshow on Wednesday 2nd January to the South Lancashire region of the PAC.

The venue is the Caledonian pub, Bolton Rd, Ashton in Makerfield (next to Tesco garage).

Entry is free for Region 31 members and £2 for non-members.

Musky ace loses monster

We all get follows and lose fish, but you've got to feel for the guy in this video - click here to play it. Scroll down the list on the left and there are a lot of other clips of lure fishing and underwater footage.

Membership exceeds 2000

Membership has eleven weeks after the traditional year end already exceeded 2000.

PAC Membership Secretary John Cahill said ' renewals and new memberships have exceeded all expectations in recent weeks, we are well ahead on numbers from the same time last year'

We have over the last 6 weeks seen new memberships exceed 20 per week with last week reaching over 30. A number of memberships have been bought as Christmas presents and 'Membership Towers' is presently up straight so the membership 'pack' should be there for Christmas morning.

Following the sterling efforts of Pete Green all members who have yet to renew have received a reminder this week. We anticipate a busy postbag over the next few weeks and will endeavour to turn round applications as soon as possible.

The signs for 2008 are very good and last years high of 2500 members is expected to be beaten. With the help of all members, Regional Officers and Liaison Officers the prospect of taking the club to a new level of 3000+ members is possible.

Fish theft worse than feared says NAFAC

Fish theft is an even worse problem than previously feared, a survey by the National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives (NAFAC) has revealed.

It's now appealing to anglers and angling clubs to send in information to help its survey, to provide more ammunition with which it can lobby the aothorities.

NAFAC National Council member Steve Hellen said: ‘The information we received initially has confirmed how serious a problem fish theft is, and how little is being done by the authorities to tackle it.

"We hope others, not previously involved, will take advantage of this opportunity to comment."

For more information or two take part, click here.

Wet and windswept Ecton a struggle

More than 20 brave souls battled the elements on Day One of the PAC's first-ever access event on Ecton Lakes.

Members had the run of three gravel pits, a mile and a half of river and a weirpool on the Northamptonshire syndicate complex.

Four doubles and a dozen or so jacks were banked on a windy day when it rained solidly from the off.

Best of the bunch was a 13lbs 8oz pike to Andy MacDonnell, who also had an 11lbs 8oz, while Mart Batten and Steve Rudkin also had scraper doubles.

Piking in the past

The internet can be a great place. Out of copyright publications can be read by anyone. Two ancient tomes that mention pike fishing are now available in cyberspace.

The first, A treatyse of fysshynge wyth an Angle by Dame Juliana Berners. was published in 1496 and is reputed to contain the first mention of deadbaiting for pike.

"Take a roche or a fresh hering, & a wyre with a hoke in the ende & put it in at the mouth, & on by the taile down by the ridge of the fresh herying, & than put your lyne of your hoke in after, and draw the hoke into the cheke of the fresh hering, than put a plumbe of lead vpon your lyne a yerde long from your hooke and a flote in mydway betwene, and cast it in a pyt where the pyke vse, and this is the best and moste surest craft to take the pyke. And three maner of taking him there is. Take a frosshe & put it on your hoke at the necke betweene the skin and the body, on the back half, & put on a flote a yerd there in, and cast it where the pike haunteth, & ye shall haue hym."

The second we have found is Izzac Walton's classic, The Compleat Angler. You can skip straight to the pike fishing chapter here.

"And for your dead-baits for a pike, for that you may be taught by one day's going a-fishing with me, or any other body that fishes for him; for the baiting your hook with a dead Gudgeon or a Roach, and moving it up and down the water, is too easy a thing to take up any time to direct you to do it: and yet, because I cut you short in that, I will commute for it by telling you that that was told me for a secret. It is this:

Dissolve gum of ivy in oil of spike, and therewith anoint your dead-bait for a pike; and then cast it into a likely place, and when it has lain in a short time at the bottom, draw it towards the top of the water and so up the stream: and it is more than likely that you have a pike follow with more than common eagerness."

Who said flavoured deadbaits were new?

Darlington hosts Mark Barrett talk

Mark Barrett will be giving a talk and slide show to the Darlington and Teeside region on Tuesday, December 4 (8pm).

It's at Coxhoe & District Working Mens Club in Blackgate East, Coxhoe, County Durham DH6 4AA.

There'll be a buffet, raffle and ET original tackle stand. Admission £2 members, £3 non-members.

Gary Knowles talk this Wednesday

GARY KNOWLES SLIDESHOW

Wednesday 5th December

8pm upstairs at the Caledonian pub Bolton Rd Ashton in Makerfield

Buffet provided

Top raffle prizes including Fox jerkbaits

Non-members of region 31 £2 on the door, region members free

Contact Jon Neafcy R/O for more info

Cheshire Region welcomes Mark Barrett

Mark Barrett is doing a presentation to Cheshire PAC on Monday 10th December, at The Whipping Stocks, Little Peover, Nr.Knutsford, Cheshire.

Entrance - £3.00 for members and £4.00 for non-members.

Meeting starts at 8 p.m. - anyone welcome, but could you please contact Mark Johnson (Assistant RO Cheshire PAC) to give an idea of numbers.

Think twice over culls, urges PAC

Fishery managers across the UK are being urged to think twice before culling pike.

Five hundred of them are being sent a booklet called Pike In Your Waters, which sets out the scientific case against culls.

The report was compiled by the Pike Anglers Club, which has campaigned to preserve the pike and pike fishing for 30 years.

It explains the vital role pike play in a vibrant, balanced fishery and why all culls usually achieve is an explosion of small pike and an even bigger problem.

Copies are being sent to every member of NAFAC - the National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives - with their Winter Newsletter, which also features an article on pike conservation.

The club stepped up its campaign after details of a number of pike culls emerged.

"We're sorry to find that even in this day and age pike are still being killed because they are a conventient scapegoat," said chairman Colin Goodge.

"We're hoping fishery managers will read the booklet, weigh up the evidence for themselves and think twice before culling."

The PAC is meeting with Hadlow College, the Kent Fisheries Consultative and the Environment Agency to seek a more positive outcome for the River Darent, where a cull was carried out this season.

The action has won the backing of the Specialist Anglers Alliance (SAA) and NAFAC.

SAA secretary Michael Heylin said: “SAA and PAC have worked together for many years to protect pike in our waters. The natural balance of waters is disturbed by man’s intervention, generally to the detriment of ecological balance.

"There is little point in all of us working towards stopping the illegal removal of fish from rivers when fishery managers themselves take short sighted views on predator populations and the results are then widely published on websites.”

NAFAC executive chairman Martin Read said: ‘Fisheries management activities are difficult to carry out in isolation, particularly on river systems.

"Hopefully a dialogue between all the interested will go a long way to achieve a better understanding and outcome in future."

Copies of Pike In Your Waters can be downloaded for free from the PAC website. Just click here to get a copy.

Best ever year for catches on PAC events

Predator anglers won't be forgetting 2007 in a hurry.

For as well as the 30th anniversary of the Pike Anglers Club and a record-breaking convention, it was the PAC's most successful year ever for catches on its events.

Two 30lbs fish - topped by a 39lbs 8oz monster - and more than 35 twenties were caught by members on fish-ins arranged by the club.

Events organiser Mark Skinner said: "Members told us they enjoyed events so we've done our best to put on more of them.

"We can't guarantee the fish, of course, but it's been an exceptional year for us, in which an awful lot of members have caught new PBs.

"Many more have enjoyed the chance to fish some special waters, renew aquaintances and forge new friendships with pike anglers from all over."

Those catching new PBs included Lyn Baker, whose 39lbs 8oz Lake of Menteith pike is the biggest ever caught by a female angler.

PAC events also upped PBs for Dave Ross, with a 30lbs 2oz, Jack Culpin, 28lbs, and disabled angler Darren Bragg, 18lbs 8oz.

Thirty-six twenties and well over 100 doubles were also caught.

Mark said that total could rise this weekend, as more than 30 members target an East Midlands syndicate complex.

Next year, the club has even more events on offer and any member of the PAC can apply to fish them.

For more information on events and the work of the club, go to www.pacgb.com .

Throwbacks and boatside manouevres

Our friends over on Esoxhunter.com have just put up an interesting article on triggering takes from following fish with some natty diagrams. Click here for a gander - NB you have to scroll down bit to find it.