Pike & Zander History

If you have any photos of Pike & Zander Angler's who have had an impact on the Pike & Zander scene throughout the last three or four decades, then please contact us.

This is the Skull of the Legendary Endrick Pike Head 12.5 inches long, which is on display at Glasgow's Kelvingrove Museum and Art gallery. The fish was found dead in a marsh at the mouth of the River Endrick on the East bank of Loch Lomond around 1934. It was estimated to weigh around 70lb but is more likely to have been around the 50lb mark.

The Pike inhabits waters throughout the whole of Europe with the exception of southern peninsulas, and also north Asia and North America. It lives both in lowland warm waters and in gently flowing rivers. spawning takes place in March and April, sometimes even under the ice at water temperatures of 5-12 0C. Areas where spawning takes place are amongst plants, overgrown weedbeds. The eggs have a viscous cover and adhere to plants, their egg numbers depend on the size of the female anything from 10,000 to 50,000 eggs. The Pike is a typical territorial predator lying in wait in a hiding-place for its quarry, it gains information about its quarry both from its large eyes and the sensory cells in small pits on the head and in the lateral line. The sharp back pointing teeth on the jaws and palate give the quarry little hope of escape. Current Record stands at 46lbs 13oz 1992 R. Lewis, Llandegfedd, Wales.

For far too long the pike had been regarded by many fishery owners and anglers as little more than vermin to be killed and removed at all costs. As a direct result there formed the Pike Society back in 1977, which is known now as the Pike Anglers Club of Gt Britain, which over the past twenty four years has changed attitudes towards pike. Below are a few of those founder members who helped in changing those attitudes.

Historic Pike Anglers

Dennis Pye Norfolk Broads Legend, famous for the use of Livebaiting. Dennis perfected the technique to catch many 20lb pike with the use of the dumbell method.

Derrick Amies With a Pike Capture of 36lb 6oz. Derrick caught two 40lb pike, the first was 41lb 8oz in Feb 1983. The second was 42lb 2oz in Aug 1985 both fish came from the River Thurne system and was the current British Record.