Silver Pike

[Ralph Wiggum]

I caught this little fella on a metro lake last night. I've never seen a pike like this before--all gray and devoid of markings. From the research I've done, it appears to be a silver pike!

[Esox_Magnum]

You are correct

[reinhard1]

wow. i have only cought one in my life and that was in boulder lake near duluth. and that was years ago. great catch. good luck.

[Friar_Tuck]

very cool!!

[Esox_Magnum]

We catch several a year down here in Iowa.....Heres what they look like when they grow up....

[LOTWSvirgin]

Yes sir thats a silver!!! I caught and mounted a 35" last April I caught in Iowa

[mainbutter]

Does anyone know the genetics behind the silver pike? Is it something like a simple recessive trait, or more complicated and polygenetic?

[LOTWSvirgin]

I think its just a Genetic mutation or something like that

[Ralph Wiggum]

Yeah, I wish it would have been bigger, but it was cool to catch one, regardless of size.

[Esox_Magnum]

If theres 1 odds are there are more.....

[smeese]

Silver Pike are basically Hypomelanistic, meaning they lack the black pigment in the strain. They are not a hybrid however and should be fertile if I am not mistaken.

[mainbutter]

should be fertile if I am not mistaken.

Absolutely! This certainly is a trait that is passed from parents to offspring.. and that is why certain locations are known for producing silver pike.

I bet it's a simple recessive trait. There are probably a dozen or more heterozygous non-visual carriers for every living one that is caught. I've often wondered if this trait makes a fingerling more or less likely to be eaten by a predator.

[walleye101]

Well it can't help to be hatched with characteristics resembling a Johnson's Silver Minnow!

[Abndoc]

I have caught aleast one every year on bald eagle ice fishing...pretty cool looking

[thatoneguy]

I have caught aleast one every year on bald eagle ice fishing...pretty cool looking

They bite on bald eagle? Interesting choice of bait.

[kyleharty]

They bite on bald eagle? Interesting choice of bait.

They'll eat just about anything if they're in the right mood!

[thatoneguy]

that is too true

[My_Key]

They bite on bald eagle? Interesting choice of bait.

No kidding. Around my place, very little eagle meat makes it past the dinner table.

[Laska]

I caught a 16lber back when I was 13, nailed a daredevil more colored like the first picture, If I would have had the money I would have mounted it! Beautiful looking fish and I wish I could catch another one.