Sex is a perilous pursuit for the predatory pike

THE countryside is rather quiet at present. Most things seem to be still and dormant, waiting for the spring. But below the surface in our rivers, lakes and canals there is plenty of movement and drama.

The pike spawning season has started.

The pike may be Ireland’s ultimate predator and the slow migration towards their spawning grounds is traumatic for everything that swims. There is a spawning ground every few kilometres in a river or canal and every few hectares in a lake. It’s always in shallow, weedy water — usually between 30cm and a metre deep. Pike eggs are deposited on vegetation, water crowfoot is a favourite but they also use Canadian pondweed, water milfoil or even the dead stumps of reeds or sedges.