Hot weather Pike Angling

Winsford & District AA requests that anglers do not fish for pike during the current period of exceptionally warm weather.

Pike are a species which thrives in cold water but can struggle in warmer water conditions when there is less dissolved oxygen.

Although pike may fight hard, and appear to have fully recovered after capture, scientific research shows that, in warm water conditions, they are at increased risk of delayed mortality several hours later.

In these circumstances pike don’t always float to the top where we can see them. They are just as likely to sink to the bottom and never be seen again.

The relevant scientific work was carried out at the University of Hull in 2019 and has resulted in similar recommendations being made to anglers by both the Environment Agency and by the Pike Anglers Club of Gt. Britain.

https://basg.online/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Pike-CR_26Feb_draft-6.pdf

The following summary is taken from the published research and may be quoted if desired.:

This review demonstrates that water temperature needs to be considered when managing pike catch and release angling practices in the UK. Given the manifold influence of water temperature on fish physiological processes (Fry 1967), and the fact that temperatures approaching thermal maxima are stressful (Beitinger et al. 2000), there is a need to protect pike, and thus their associated populations, from the effects of thermal stress during warm summers. It is important to establish acceptable temperature criteria for surface waters that are protective of these fish and define thresholds above which angling should be controlled (advised that fishing for pike should be avoided). This is particularly important with the more prolonged and elevated temperatures being experienced during the summer in the UK in recent years. As a consequence, a wide range of water temperatures are experienced over the fishing season (from 0 °C to 26 °C) and temperatures above 21 °C for prolonged periods (days) may cause undue stress on the individual pike when coupled with being caught and released.