Set lines found on top Devon pike water

The Exeter Canal is the latest water to be targeted with illegal set lines to catch and kill pike.

Devon PAC report the gear was found near the Double Locks on the Westcountry waterway, which has produced the largest pike caught in the county. More here.

There are few pike waters in Devon, with just the Exeter Canal, River Exe, Grand Western Canal and Trenchford Reservoir holding the species.

Devon PAC blog goes on: "Anybody who fishes the canal should be on the lookout for anything/anyone suspicious.

"If you do see anything untoward then please gather as much info as you can. Numbers of people, descriptions etc and report it as soon as possible."

The EA's 24hr hotline is 0800 807060 (add to your mobile...). Controlling club Exeter DAA 07967 251443.

The latest find was clearly aimed at pike, as lines were baited with dead roach on snap tackles. The EA is now investigating.

It comes after a number of pike were found dead on a Lincolnshire Drain two weeks ago, like the one pictured above. More on that here and here.

+++How to spot the pike killers' handiwork and what you can do here.

Illegal set lines kill Lincolnshire pike

SNOW JOKE: One of the dead pike found on a Lincolnshire drain

Pike killers have targeted a Lincolnshire drain using illegal set lines, leaving a trail of dead fish to double figures behind them.

A PAC member found their handiwork on Sunday, when he saw a number of dead fish by a bridge over the waterway, which is near Boston.

One was still attached to crude blue cord. Two larger specimens, including one estimated in the 16 - 18lbs bracket, appeared to have been restrained on a stringer - presumably to await collection.

But the drain had frozen, leaving the pike to perish. A person living near the drain saw someone leave the scene on a bicycle on Saturday.

PAC membership secretary Chico Winterton said: "The EA went down and removed some of the fish, some had disappeared even though they were dead.

"It turns out that some were attached through the gills and mouth on a stringer, maybe they were alive but maybe not."

the angler who found the fish has sent pictures to the EA. He told the PAC: "I would say with confidence that two are good doubles, especially for this drain, including the one still attached to the line, somewhere between 12 - 15 lb, in my estimation, and the smallest, probably 6-8 lb.

"They could be bigger, though. A real shame. In one of the pictures, if you look carefully, you can see all three of them.

"It seems odd, to me - one fish is still attached to the set line, which is blue nylon baling twine attached to a plywood stake pushed into the bank - but the other two don't appear to be attached to anything. I wonder if the person(s) responsible had picked the other two up elsewhere, and were disturbed while checking on the third one, and decided to dump the other two, to be on the safe side.

"I don't believe they are not connected, in some way, doubles being something of a rarity in this drain, and finding two of them coincidentally dead within feet of each other stretches credibility somewhat, especially in these circumstances. I have a feeling that quite a few pike are being spirited away from local waters."

Set lines have become an increasing problem in parts of the Fens in recent seasons. They're an indiscriminate way of killing predatory fish.

The EA is investigating the gruesome find. We'll bring you more on this as we get it.

SET LINES: How to spot the pike killers - click here.

Set lines - how to spot the pike killers

It's too late for this double (left), found dead beneath the ice on a Lincolnshire drain on Sunday. Story here.

So far no-one's been prosecuted for laying set lines - despite the fact the practice is widespread in parts of the Fens and elsewhere, if reports from angling clubs and pike anglers are anything to go by.

But that doesn't mean we have to shrug the problem off. If enough people report it and present the Environment Agency with evidence, they might start taking it more seriously.

Some set lines are easy to spot. Some take pike and zander using lengths of strong mono or even twine pegged to the bank or the margins, with a large sea hook or treble baited with a dead fish on the other end.

If you find anything like this, phone the Environment Agency's emergency hotline straight away.

Store the number 0800 807060 on your mobile, in case you need it. Give them a precise location, and make it clear that the call is about illegal fishing in progress.

Ask for an incident reference and make a note of it. You may be told to leave the set line or lines in situ. We'll leave this to your conscience - if you pull and find a fish on the end, you might consider trying to land and release it.

If the line's empty, retrieving it could obviously save a fish which would otherwise take the bait - or a fish-eating bird, for set lines don't discriminate when it comes to what they kill.

Beware of people who appear on a water, seemingly casting out multiple baits before disappearing almost immediately afterwards. Wait until they have gone and then inspect the bank.

If you can't see any obvious signs, try pulling a large lead along the margins in case lines have been fastened out of sight.

If you find anything, remove it to prevent a fish or bird being killed. Call the EA straight away - it's unlikely they'll respond to every call, because they don't have the resources and their thinly-spread fisheries teams are likely to suffer further cut-backs as the Lib/Con Government's spending cuts bite into fisheries enforcement.

But if enough people call, they may start taking the problem more seriously.

+++Tell us straight away if you find set lines or their aftermath on one of your local waters. The pike angler who found dead pike near Boston, Lincs, last weekend has triggered an investigation into the incident. We'll let you know as soon as we hear more.