On the one show on the BBC they said that pike have anti coagulants in their mouth to prevent the prey fish's blood from clotting. Does anyone believe this or is it an old wives tale?

Graze your hand on a tooth when unhooking one and then put a timer on for when the blood stops running.
It's (bloody) true.

tis true, I cut my had on the gill rakers once and that took a fair while to stop bleeding.

I stupidly returned a lovely looking pike when salmon fishing.Getting a rapala out of its mouth without forceps resulted in my hand and wrist being cut to ribbons, and yes, it didn't stop bleeding for quite a while! I can't see why a pike should have anticoagulants in its mouth though, it doesn't bleed its prey to death before swallowing.If you wait too long when a pike takes hold of your bait it has turned it and swallowed it down, alive and kicking, and although I catch a few pike damaged trout they haven't bled to death.Old wive's tale I reckon, but maybe the huge fish that occasionally drag drinking cattle into the depths have anticoagulants on their fangs.

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He riseth up early and disturbeth the whole household.
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I think this is a fairly common adaption amongst predators in the natural world. As pike tend to engulf their prey, as opposed to biting lumps out of it, not sure how useful it would be. No reason to think it would not be true, certainly the nicks and grazes you pick up from their teeth can be very irratating.

i think its so if the fish gets away it wont get far and its easily trackable..... we all know how fish no matter what size are b*ggers to keep a hold on.... I feel sorry for pike that feed on grayling

Yeah its true, My mate caught his first pike and while unhooking, it bit him twice, he was bleeding everywhere, even while his picture was being taken with his prize.

Tom

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it is true but a well known fishery scientist who is at alot of carp shows told me that they believe over time and evolution it has decreased in strength in pike due to the abundance of prey for them, not every meal is vital to their survival now.


another thing as well, i have seen fish in my next door neighbours pond heal very quickly from heron stabs but pike marks/wounds on silver fish and trout always seem just skinned over and wounds that have healed look very old? or is that just me?

Maybe the 'doctor fish' a.k.a the tench has been busy in your neighbour's pond, healing the fish ?

__________________
Behold the fisherman
He riseth up early and disturbeth the whole household.
MIGHTY ARE HIS PREPARATIONS!
He goeth forth full of hope and when the day is far spent he returneth
Smelling of strong drink, and the truth is not in him

A bit of blood builds character - although I was not saying that the last time I had the red stuff streaming from my hand for a few hours - if it a myth there is seriously something up with me!

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