A fish question

[Guest]

Something different happened tonight.

I caught a northern that was about 3 lbs. or so. Nice fish -- but when I first saw it in the water, I thought it was a walleye. The eyes were large and the sides were a standar dark green/grey color.

I've caught hundreds of northern pike before, but I've never seen one like this. Is this some sort of variety that is a rare/recessive trait (kind of like double jointed people) or was this not a northern?

I noticed the standard pores under the mouth and I am pretty sure it was a northern...but all of the ones I have caught before had the light/dark bars that are a standard issue for these fish.

So, in short, what's up with that?

[minneman]

so.. you've been fishing boyer Eh? Ive heard them called silver phaze northerns, I too have caught my share of these fish, and would like to know what we're looking at.

[Guest]

A while back I read an article on what your describing, it's a subspecies of the Northern Pike, and some say its a totally different species. They call it a Silver Pike, and they are only found in certain lakes in the northern midwest and canada. They are truly rare at any size, so what you caught is a trophy to any avid pike fisherman. And I don't mean to contradict what the guy before me said, but IT IS NOT A PHASE it is a subspecies of Northern Pike, they did a test with this Silver Pike at a University in Iowa I believe, and they crossbred Silver pike eggs with a Musky and they ended up turning out looking like a Musky but smaller, they crossbred them with a standard Northern Pike and none of them survived, then they bred them with other silver Pike and they all turned out looking like a silver pike, proving that they are either a totally different species, or a seperate subspecies. They are a truly beautiful fish, [ and normally anything that isnt related to a Trout i think looks ugly ], and a true prize, I hope you released it as soon as you caught it!!! But if you didn't try too in the future! Thanks!!!

Zack

[MN]

In have never heard of a silver pike - but I did find this - look at the bottom of the page.

http://www.fishweb.com/recreation/fishing/fishfacts/fish/pike/pike.html

MN

[delmuts]

i remeber reading an article in the "in fisherman magazine" about the silver pike. they are for real and some what rare. del

[Guest]

hey guys.i ran into these northerns last year up here in hibbing.....i have a posting under the "grand rapids forum "...."blue northern pike"...they are a subspecies all by them selves..eyes are bigger....scales are smaller.. ..and the face of these pike have a "dip"(top part of the head)most northerns ,the head is straight...there tails are also "forked like a musky..but they are not muskys...but a subspecies all by themselves...they are called silver pike ...but the color varies to an intense irredescent blue(like the ones out of a little lake here by hibbing...so they are also known as blue pike....going after these blue pike in a couple weeks...thanks......jon