Pike Welfare: Handling and Care Every UK Angler Should Know
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Pike don't ask to be caught. The least we can do is handle them properly when they are.
This isn't a lecture. It's a kit list and a few habits that separate anglers who respect the fish from anglers who don't think about it at all. If you're serious about UK piking, this is as much a part of the sport as your rod setup.
Unhooking Mats — Non-Negotiable
A pike out of water is a pike at risk. Their scale coat and slime layer protect them from infection, and both are easily damaged on bare grass, gravel, or a boat deck. A proper unhooking mat with raised sides keeps the fish contained, cushioned, and wet while you work.
Buy one that's actually big enough for a proper pike — not a budget mat sized for a stockie carp. Pike are long, and a mat that's too short means the head or tail hangs off the edge onto hard ground.
Knotless Landing Nets
Standard knotted mesh nets can strip slime, damage fins, and in worst cases snag teeth or gills. A proper knotless net with a fine, soft mesh is the standard for a reason — it's gentler on the fish from the moment it's netted to the moment it's released.
Check your mesh size too. A specimen pike net needs to be deep enough and wide enough that the fish isn't curled up against the frame, which stresses them further and makes unhooking harder than it needs to be.
Long-Nose Forceps and Wire Traces
Pike have a mouth full of genuinely dangerous teeth, and treble hooks set deep are common. Long-nose forceps or artery clamps let you unhook safely at a distance from those teeth, without wrestling the fish or crushing your fingers.
Pair this with wire traces on every pike rig, not just when you "think you might catch one." A pike bite-off isn't just a lost lure — it's a hook left in a fish's mouth that it now has to live with.
Antiseptic Wound Gel
Any nick, scale loss, or hook wound is an entry point for infection. A proper antiseptic wound gel (the type designed for fish, not a human first aid kit) applied to any visible damage before release genuinely improves that fish's chances. It takes seconds and costs very little. There's no good reason to skip it.
Minimise Time Out of Water
The photo can wait. Get the hook out, treat any wounds, and get the fish back in the water as fast as you reasonably can. If you want a photo, have your camera ready before you lift the fish, support it properly with two hands, and keep the session out of water under a minute wherever possible.
Why This Matters to Us
We built The Pike Plug because we're anglers first. Every hour we've spent designing hoodies has come after hours spent on the bank, and the fish are the reason any of this exists. Gear that keeps you warm and dry matters — but it means nothing if the fish you're targeting aren't handled properly. Respect the fish and respect each other; that's the whole ethos behind this brand.