First Pike in years

Went out last weekend and was trolling a chatter bait looking for crappie. The first one hit and took awhile to get in. He was over 36 inches ( the tape on my boat only goes to 36 and he was way over that). I took a photo and let him go and trolled a bit longer when the second one hit. Very good fight. He too was over 36 inches. I have been fishing for almost 50 years and these are the biggest fish I have ever caught. I am a big bobber fisherman so I usually just catch panfish and bass. I am kind of hooked on these toothy critters.

I bring the fly rod to Canada too. Same flies that catch smallies will catch pike and musky. Big flies work but not necessary. I've caught musky up there on 4" bubble gum pink wacky worms while fishing for bass.

fun on a fly rod!     I fished smallies in Canada with one, a blast! CARPIO 

I catch them on minnow patterns 3" long. The last three I cleaned had a rock bass 6" to 8" long.

Caught five today. Big one was 34". 

Something to do while waiting for safe ice. Maybe another week or two around here.

I find they are pests.   They destroy my rigs while crappie fishing and chase the panfish from the area.     Why in the world would a well fed and healthy pike we’ll over 30” bite a 1” fat head ?     This is a common occurrence with me in the fall and happens about once every 4-5 outings.   I believe they just like to kill and agree about the eating quality.   Again, they’re like squirrels,pests.      CARPIO 

I flyfish in my local river for pike in November and December. Never use a net, just swing them along side and grab them behind the head. Use a Dr Slick long nose clamps to remove flies but very often the fly is caught in the side of the mouth when they take.

Here's the stomach contents of one caught a couple days ago.

I have been an avid musky and pike fisherman for years.  I would rather catch a pike than a bass.  I think bass are boring, they can't hurt you with their teeth, and they don't fight as well as a pike.  Have you ever been bitten by one?  I have up in Canada when I was 13, reached for the net without looking to help my dad unhook one and it grabbed my hand!  Hurt like hell!  Stick you whole hand in a bass and you get sandpaper burn.  I don't like watching fishing shows where they are fishing for bass and they catch a pike, then make the comment, "oh, it's just a pike".  I just don't understand the obsession with Bass today.

When I was a somewhat dedicated bass fisherman I would donate 3-4 Booyah Boogie Baits to pike every year. They were a slightly different version of the Chatterbait, and I wish I had a dozen of them right now. They were discontinued unfortunately. Yep. Pike loved them things.

Chatterbait for crappies?  Interesting.  I've throw chatterbaits a ton and have only caught bass, pike and muskies.  Pike love the chatterbait.  

I bought some $8 Textured cut resistant gloves at Fleet Farm for handling northerns. They are fun to catch and great to eat but actually very dangerous to handle. When I hook a northern, I put a glove on my left hand to grab the fish and take the pliers in my right hand. With my gloves, the northern is trapped in my kung fu grip.

Always a good time 

He got me with his gill plate.