On his first ever day fishing in Ireland, Fin Kasper from Flensburg, Germany, landed 4 pike on the fly on Lough Conn. Not only did he break the magic 1 meter mark twice he also broke his personal best four times during the day with pike measuring 93cm, 97cm, 102cm and 108cm!
Later in the week he had another cracking pike measuring 98cm. Fin was part of a group of anglers from www.bissclips.tv, Germany’s most popular online angling channel. The group stayed in Foxford, Co. Mayo, and concentrated on the area’s many prolific pike waters but also fished for sea trout in the nearby Moy Estuary.
Angling journalist, Holger Bente, who was leading the group also had a personal best with a 101cm fly-caught pike and described the pike fishing in the Foxford area as outstanding.
Find out more about pike fishing in Mayo area…
https://fishinginireland.info/pike/northwest.htm
https://fishinginireland.info/news/category/pike-reports/foxford/
Guidelines for handling pike
Download: Pike Handling and Conservation [.pdf 850 KB]
When landed, the fish should be laid flat preferably on a protective mat and the hooks removed with a suitable tool such as long handled artery forceps or a long nosed pliers. Anglers may find it useful to wear protective gloves. Sometimes it can be easier to release the hooks by working very carefully through the gill covers.
The use of pike sacks can be used for the short time retention of fish enabling them to recover prior to weighing or photography. When weighing and photographing fish, the pike should be cradled and supported properly to avoid injuring the fish. A pike sized weigh sling should always be used if the fish is be weighed.
When being released, the pike should be held carefully in the water to promote recovery until it is ready to swim away. At all times, the pike should be returned to the water in the shortest possible time.
