news

 

June was decorated with colourful thunderstorms, and it was as impressive also in the table of  4th season of “Release the Mother!” contest – in the month of summer solstice 16 pikes have been registered – at least metre long and longer. The biggest of them all – a 121 cm long beauty, after long years of endeavour, was caught in LVM Lake Kaņieris by Māris Miķelsons, “Release the Mother!” contestant from its first season. Māris reached his personal record, and also a record size in “Release the Mother!” from Kaņieris and from LVM lakes in general. The 4th year of “Release the Mother!” brings a feeling that more knowledgeable, intellectual attitude towards fishing and fish has been here all along, which is now materialising in registered, unprecedented size trophies. In comparison to previous seasons – a 112 cm long pike in 1st, and 116 cm was registered in 2nd year of “Release the Mother!”, caught by different anglers, on natural fish bait, but not fully following the rules of “Release the Mother!”.  Angling participants in LVM Lake Kaņieris up until now caught beautiful fish, but bellow metre, and now metre has been topped by one fifth – well done! We would like to mention one fact in particular, that this year in June almost 31 metre of caught and released carnivores have been registered, which is half more that in 1st season altogether and almost as much as in total in 2nd season. The average pike – contestant size in June – 94.4 centimetres!

 

The great TOP 3 in June: 1tt from top – LVM Lake Kaņieris “local” – first “Release the Mother!” pike that is larger than the measurement trough; 2nd from top –119 cm from Lake Alūksne, author Ingus Ozoliņš; his accomplishment is also the 112 cm beauty

Remembering his “Thunder catch” angling day's most exciting moments, Māris begins his story by telling that at one point the crazy angling spree began to fade away – how long can you go and not get anything noteworthy? And on such note, his hopes and dreams of big fish, on the morning of June 29 going into LVM Lake Kaņieris together with his angling colleague, were gone. Māris had decided only to angle in a big-bait technique, but this time lake was the one who had other plans – firstly, giving five pikes to his partner, while Māris did not even have one hooking contact. Shortly before 11 AM, in a far distance he felt a solid jerk, in next casts followed other attacks to the silicone lure, until “mother” hooked, and when next to boat, showcased a metre long body, a mistake in landing the fish comes with a price – this pike sets free and, blaming herself for her inattentiveness, she swims away. The big event followed soon after that – in a long cast, soon after beginning of reeling – an incredible force with a concentrated jolt stops the reeling. Instantly Māris was sure that this is an impressive fish, which is not shy to show her strength by running under the boat twice, but this time landing the fish was successful – a 121 cm long and 13.4 kg heavy pike, weighed using the landing net. We can only imagine the weight of such fish during the autumn feeding season, if it would want to eat not one fish of a weight of 3kg or more, but several breams that are very common in LVM Lake Kaņieris..., but for now, Māris takes his position as the record holder of largest pike in LVM lakes in the discipline of individual fish size.

Caught and released twice – 111 centimetre long pike from Lake Alūksne, was ready to be tricked by a silicone for the second time already after three days

There is an existing, old assumption about the great pikes of Lake Alūksne, that they are in the depths of water since the “Tsar times”, can be caught only in autumn and only by trolling – in the fishing season of 2019 has been turned upside down... Due to the big depth of the lake, many locals always were trying to trick pikes with wobblers, weighed silicone lures – there were some results in autumn, but our story is about breaking the stereotypes. Māris Lietuvietis, head of municipality agency ALJA, which is responsible for management of the lake, comments on the abundance of large pikes:

“The fact that Lake Alūksne has an impressive proportion of large pikes has been known for several years now, when the bravest trolling anglers in autumn “revealed” the large lures, to be more precise, started to use lures up to 45 cm and the results in most cases were successful. To catch a pike by trolling in autumn, within 6 - 12 kg, was not and is not that difficult. I can only compliment enthusiasm of Normunds Ikomass to reach his goal, even though it is a pity that it was not done by the locals. Normuds in a not full season has brought foreign and other region anglers to Alūksne and provided a high level “guiding” in Lake Alūksne. It can be concluded that lakes abundant with fish are the capital of management and a place not only for catching fish for consumption, but also, with the change of angling traditions – new, modern angling service types. The last experience shows that there are more and more of those who are ready to pay for a service of guide, equipment and boat rent, housing, food and other service types to enjoy recreation options in lake and outside of it.  In our lake the number of one day licences sold in one season is around 3000, with a slight increase in trend, because a certain number of “one-day anglers” at one point begin to buy season's licence.”

Five, six years ago Normunds Ikomass could be met in a rink of amateur hockey games, but in connection with angling only after one fateful time, when together with Jānis Školins for the first time tried out trophy pike angling “drug”, was quite far..., but that time, this exciting activity got to the bone of Normunds. From this spring, he also “has sailed into the waters of international angling competitions”, is offering guide services of trophy pike angling in Latvia and is the first one here to begin such services. Last year, after feasibility studies, the Lake Alūksne proved to be the most perspective for trophy angling for clients. In a set with the short, but successful large pike angling experience of Normunds, client is boating in an impressive angling motorboat where everything works for him to meet the large size pike... This summer in a short period – in May, June, Normunds together with clients have caught and released several dozen large pikes, rocking the basis of local angling community – it turns out that the large ones can be caught all through the year, as it has been seen in Scandinavian waters and is also being proved in Latvia, what’s important – lake has to be looked after. Lake Alūksne, which has a 3 pike limit all through the year, (the only water reservoir in Latvia; in other places – 5 pikes from 50 cm, the statistics show that the average pike catch is less than a half of the allowed (

author’s note)) is being looked after by ALJA inspectors. Māris Lietuvietis informs that the existing limitations could be increased in the future to save the large “mother” in particular:

“We, as managers, were able to make conclusions – Lake Alūksne could become pike trophy lake No. 1 in Latvia or even in Baltic; following the exiting elaboration forerun, discussions with anglers and conclusions from them, we have developed a new project of licensed angling regulations, which will include a prohibition to keep a fish if the specimen is 1 metre long or longer. Eventually – through the years, simultaneously with the care of genetically high quality spawn, we hope to see a catch of an unprecedented size pike in our lake”.

Catch that is the dream of many pike anglers and participants of competitions. Total length – 519 centimetres. Who knows how (to release), receives (law of karma)!

Ingus Ozoliņš in the last season of “Release the Mother!” won by competing in the competition of total length of pikes, and also got the 3rd largest fish of the season. Last year was trolling together with his father – this year, not without the example of Normunds, he is angling in big-bait technique – the next great pikes of June 16, after the giants of Māris Miķelsons, starting with 119 cm and finishing with exactly 100 cm, were received exactly from Ingus and Lake Alūksne. Soon after Summer Solstice – Ingus, in his hometown lake, also an unheard quantitative achievement – 5, caught and released trophy pikes – all in one angling time! When comparing many photos of caught and released pikes, a repeated catch and release of one 111 cm long “mother” was found recently, only not full 3 days after the first catching. It is not a secret that the official Latvian record of pike – said to be caught in Lake Ungurs (Rustēga) in 1989; registered weight 19.56 kg and 139 cm length – is received as a challenge by contestants, after unexpected success at the beginning of this season, Normunds thinks that the new national record definitely hides in the depth of Lake Alūksne. Not to miss any important news – follow news on Facebook.

Other collaboration lake did not present such sensational news, like recently in LVM lakes and Lake Alūksne, but true trophies can turn out to be just a matter of time. Salvis Buls, the inspector of Lake Burtnieks, explains that the audience of lake has just been going the legendary lake after fish, using the method of trolling, delegating the angling process to motor, but this place is also slowly starting a small, but substantial enthusiasts of big-bait, who take measurement troughs to angling sessions, but for now no results. Before Summer Solstice, Lake Burtnieks was on the verge of blue-green algae bloom – it brought serious concern, but luckily at the end of the month came a colder weather and allowed to avoid danger of oxygen depletion. From Lake Usma in June came only one application and situation can be compared to Lake Burtnieks – it needs only a core of similarly thinking people, who gather newcomers – share their experience, show places and techniques. Owners of “Bukdangas” think – if progressive signs will continue, the change is Lake Usma will come soon – lake is relatively healthy, only have to allow fish to grow bigger and anglers become wiser. Despite the small size, the Lake Opsa this season has provided more applications to the contest than Lake Kāls and Lake Burtnieks together. Owner of the lake, Armands Pudniks, informs that during the hot period he did not even allow spin fishing, due to the high temperature of air and water. This year in Lake Opsa, similar to the LVM Gulbju Lake last year, during the day pikes hide in the thickness of water plants, but with dark begin active feeding. In the conclusion we can also praise Recreation centre “Pīlēni” at Lake Engure – every month some applications, also slowly gathering enthusiasts – group of people of nature friendly angling – so results will come soon.

While it is summer and pleasant weather, especially in small lakes, pikes become active during the dark period, but Lake Opsa has evidence – Armands Pudniks, owner of the lake, is posing with yet another, night “silver mother”

Contest “Release the Mother!” will continue until November 30, all anglers can participate in it in the collaboration lakes of the project.  We remind – adult anglers can send in applications for pikes that are at least 70 cm long, if angler is 16 and younger, he can register pikes in “Release the Mother!” that are at least 50 cm long. The efforts of young anglers in “Release the Mother!” contest will be encouraged by hunting and angling experts – SIA Ieroči. Be a responsible new angler – don’t allow dad or brother to help you – the most active new anglers will get surprises!

“RELEASE THE MOTHER!” 4th season is supported by the best lure, equipment, fishing and hunting clothing, electronics sellers – FishBon, Eholotes, SIA Ieroči and Golteenn – with shopping in these stores you are supporting a sustainable angling!