Oh yeah lew, rubber or even worse leather. Your asking for a disaster if your not very experienced.
Also, at pump knows.
Practice on small fish if possible. As soon as you grab the pike, get it horizontal with your free hand supporting the belly. They thrash alot less, and hurt the fish less. Also if it does flop free, gravity is more on your side then if the fish is vertical.
Look at proper grabbing techniques. The gill plate is a no no imo. Its just as sharp as the teeth lol.
Get your hand inside as close to the mouth as possible. With confidence and a firm hold. Firm enough that if the fish flops you wont drop it, but not with jazz hands where it shakes abit and you drop it lol.
Yes your fingers will be in its mouth, but it cannot bite you in this position