Northern Pike

I didnt see a Pike thread so here it goes...heres a couple good ones out of a nearby lake.

 

My friend got this beast a few years ago in Canada

 

Nice one...Do you know the length? Just from the looks Id say around 12-14lbs

 

It was 39.5” if I remember correctly, a half inch short of the record for that particular camp.

 

Caught one years ago for some reason I used some steel liter one day with a minnow not sure the size of it somewhere in the 30in range. Thought I had a snag for awhile until it started fighting. Still the biggest fish caught in my questionable fishing career....

 

yep they do that, Ive seen people catch them on crappie jigs. Get halfway to the bank and pop the line.

 

Without steel liter I never would've landing the catch.

 

its possible just have to hook them on the lip and hope their teeth dont get near the line. Ive caught a lot on a spoon and no steel leader.

 

The older I get the more this fits me...

 

That’s been my experience with most of the pike I’ve caught. The smaller ones fight the whole time, the bigger ones just feel like you’re reeling in a log most of the time.

 

some has to do with water temp, some with where you hook the pike. The 14lb'r I caught was no joke, but it only did a couple good runs and it was easy to land. If you hook them deep in the mouth they fight more than if you hook them on the lip, at least thats been my experience so far.

 

Told my wife...I must be getting old...Id rather sit at home and make pike rigs than mess with celebrating New years..

 

Heres a fish log I made if you want to use it.

 

http://www.merricktackle.com/home-images/powerpro-knots/knots.html

couple good knots to know.

 

Big northerns are a lot of fun...








But if you tied them tail to tail with a big Tiger... no contest.

 

Nice! where you catching those and the musky?

 

All of those fish were caught in NM. We had two fisheries here that were hands down the best in the nation for tigers for 5-6 years (roughly 2009-2015). They stocked them to control goldfish infestations. They stocked big numbers and the fish all grew quickly. I've had days where I caught 30+ tigers between 20" and 36". The quality of the tiger fishing has fallen off in recent years now that they have the goldfish under control, but 40"+ fish are still fairly common.

The pike are always available and we have some VERY good pike fisheries in NM.

 

I did not know that they were down that far in the lower states. Thats cool though some may disagree I know pike is good eating, Im sure tiger muskies are the same.

 

At the peak of the fishery we had tons of guys down here from up north, even into Canada, fishing the tigers because they were so plentiful. Those days are gone.

I catch them for fun, not for food. The only pike I ever ate was cleaned and thrown directly on a gas BBQ grille. It was the foulest piece of fish I've ever had, but again was cooked with little care. I've heard they taste great if properly prepared.

 

I dont think they would do good just thrown on the grill...not like salmon or something like that, has to have a good rub. Best way is to cut up into nuggets and bread/batter deep fry. Up here they call it poor mans lobster. So I assume you could eat it with butter dipping? I havent tried that method. But a seasoned fish recipe is good with it also, as it is very mild fish IMO.