E-Sox consultant Steve Rowley was recently invited over to Finland, along with Neville Fickling, to present at a high profile pike fishing seminar in Vassa.

Finland plays second fiddle to the other Scandinavian countries when it comes to quality pike fishing, and seminar organisers Pike Paradise have secured EU funding to try and develop and promote better pike fishing in the region to attract more overseas anglers.

Steve was invited to present to a high profile audience, which included many influential people from local authorities, people who can make a difference to the way the region protects its pike population going forward. Steve presented a 35-minute slide show, illustrating how things have changed dramatically over the years with regard to pike conservation in the UK. He promoted better fishery management, better pike conservation, better fishing techniques, and better handling practices, all of which are integral objectives of the Pike Anglers Club here in the UK.

The trip extended for an extra four days of guided fishing in the Archipelago, which resulted in lots of fish being caught, but as expected nothing of notable size.

Steve said, “Finland is a stunning country that has pike waters to die for BUT unfortunately it also has a culture which allows any fish to be caught and killed. As a result, many pike are killed commercially or by anglers for the pot every year. The lack of any protection, or safe havens for pike results in exactly what you see here in Finland, lots of small pike, very few double-figure pike, and even less 20lb-plus fish, which is not conducive to attracting overseas anglers.”

The objective of the seminar was to push for better regulations in the region, which would offer more protection for the pike. With better protection pike would undoubtedly grow bigger and thus be much more attractive to overseas anglers.

Steve added, “If I can offer any advice to Finland, it would be to create safe havens for pike, places where they can thrive and grow big. Only then will they be able to monitor the effect of having selected waters with big pike in them, and what impact that can have on visiting overseas anglers.

You will not be able to change a culture overnight, but if you can create safe havens and promote catch and release to the younger generations, it might only be one generation away, when pike will be treated with the respect they deserve in Finland.”