2026/27 Memberships now available!

Memberships can be purchased from the following locations:

Stafford Angling Centre Ltd
Unit 1A Gainsborough Works, St. Patricks Street, Stafford,

ST16 2PN.

Open and league competions will be held throughout 2026:

Call Alan for more details 01785 213599

When fishing for predators such as Pike or Zander, specialist handling is required to ensure both angler safety and fish welfare. Their sharp teeth, strong jaws, and delicate gill structures mean they must be handled differently from general coarse fish. This section outlines best practice for landing, unhooking, and photographing predators so they can be returned to the water in excellent condition.

For pike fishing:

• Long nose forceps are cricial for unkooking barbed hooks or deep hook holds,
• Side cutters for cutting out bared trable hooks,
• A large, deep landing net to safely sucure the fish. Pike will often rolls or thrah when restrained,
• Suitable size and padded unhooking mat,
• Supported horizontally over their full length and never lifted by their gill cover.

Due to their tendancy to thrash, Pike should be removed from the net to an unkooking quickly to avoid them causing damage to themselves from loose treble hooks.

A safe way to handle a Pike is through a method called 'chinning'. This involves sliding your fingers under the Pike's chin, behind the gill plate, to gently support the head while keeping the fish horizontal. Done correctly, it gives you control without squeezing or lifting the fish vertically.

• It is NOT putting fingers into the gills.
• It is NOT lifting the fish by the jaw alone.

For Zander:

Zander are samller and more delicate than Pike, they often only require standard foreceps for unhooking and are less prone to thrash once netted. Instead, expect short, sharp flops

• They require a deep net for aduquet support,
• Supported horizintally under the belly and tail,
• They should not be 'chinned' like pike or held around the head,
• More delicate than pike and bruise easily if squeezed.

Takeaway:

Both fish do not tolerate long expose to air and will fatigue quickly requiring long periods of rest in the water before release.

Predator handling requires calm, confident, and careful technique. With the right tools, proper support, and minimal time out of water, pike and zander can be safely unhooked, photographed, and released in excellent condition.