40" pike

[big worm]

my old man caught a nice 40 inch 18 pound pike last week while fishing for bass.  no net in the boat either.  it made 3 runs when it saw the boat but was tired out by the 4th time and he was able to gill it.  wish I was there.  the board it is laying on is a 35" long cut out of a coutertop for a 36" sink.
[img][/img]

[SSmokinn SS]

nice fish.

sucks he had to be killed.

[greensider]

congrats real good fish nothing wrong with keeping fish wether for food or to mount it would be on my wall

[big worm]

nice fish.

sucks he had to be killed.

why is that?  there are plenty more that size out there.  sometimes taking the big ones out of the food chain is a good thing.

[jager61]

Awesome fish Bro whether kept or released, congratulations! They're not extinct or endangered!

Mike

[big worm]

Awesome fish Bro whether kept or released, congratulations! They're not extinct or endangered!

Mike

thanks, it is a nice fish.  he actually caught it in a small lake where it did not belong.  when the water went high last year it swam over the locks and was probably doing major damage to the lake.  if it were caught in the big lake it most likely would have been released. 

[SSmokinn SS]

why is that?  there are plenty more that size out there.  sometimes taking the big ones out of the food chain is a good thing.

actually a big northern like that does more to the ecosystem then you can imagine. That is a breeding machine.

"If you want to improve a pike fishery, immediately put the 36"+ fish back. In fact don't even take them out of the water. Keep and eat any 24-30" fish. It's called Selective Harvest, and works well with pike populations. The bigger fish cannibalize the smaller pike. Remove or kill a big fish, and there's nothing to keep the smaller fish in check, and you get a ton of obnoxious hammer handles. "

I am just biased I guess. With the replica mounts they do today that look better then a skin mount and last longer I just dont understand keeping it.

[Goatskin]

Get along... Just an internet forum.

[jager61]

actually a big northern like that does more to the ecosystem then you can imagine. That is a breeding machine.

"If you want to improve a pike fishery, immediately put the 36"+ fish back. In fact don't even take them out of the water. Keep and eat any 24-30" fish. It's called Selective Harvest, and works well with pike populations. The bigger fish cannibalize the smaller pike. Remove or kill a big fish, and there's nothing to keep the smaller fish in check, and you get a ton of obnoxious hammer handles. "

I am just biased I guess. With the replica mounts they do today that look better then a skin mount and last longer I just dont understand keeping it.

Nice Lookin Pike ya got there too! Definitely looks bigger than 30"!

[greyghost]

Nice fish never got one that big fishing open water, but pulled some nice ones through the ice. Great fish, and great pics. I dont keep many fish myself but one day i will have a monster pike on the wall and it wont be a replica.   

[NateFishNY]

beauty of fish... nice pike!

[waterwolf603]

congrats to your dad on the stud slimer! that is a beast and would have a spot on my wall regaurdless of what peta thinks 

[bigredfishing]

Nice fish!!   Excellent whether eaten or stuffed.

[pikechaser]

you fish for it, catch it, and keep it for whatever you want. Always someone here wants to put everything back, some people fish for a long time, before ever getting a fish like that, then someone says put it back ! Its up to who ever caught it, period, no need to feel guilty or come up with things to say back to anyone. NICE FISH !

[slabspanker]

What bait/ lure did it hit on? Awesome catch! thanks for posting! Pike are my favorite to eat!