Huge Pike

[Guest]

I went out to Big Mantrap Lake near Park Rapids Minnesota and Caught a 45.5 inch northern in 5 ft of clear water on a high 80s degree day. He weighed in at 26 pounds. The biggest fish I've ever caught before and i usually go up to canada for big pike. It put up a little fit for being that big. I was wondering why it was in that shallow water in that hot weather. I also don't understand why it put up such a wimpy fight. Any info would help. Austin

[Guest]

austi ...congrats on that northern!......i've only caught one like that in all the years i've fished for northerns!....sand point lake....many years ago...got that one mounted...which people don't really do anymore..same size as yours...guy from the rapids mounted it.....C.A. Meckley....anyway...i just got back from a little local lake by hibbing here where i live...water on the lake was like glass this morning...was looking for crappies ..but only the northerns were accomodating...i must have caught 15..totaled .all smaller ........AND ...they were in the shallows also ...like 1 foot of water....plus largemouth were mixed in with the northerns...northerns from 10" long to 3 and 4 pounders ....my guess is that they are just seeking the warmer waters and or following the minnows in shallow...had a great time with my canoe just "slipping up on em "...and watching them swim away....i didn't keep any of the fish ...released em all.....still seeking those crappies........lol...just nice being out there in my canoe!..........jon

[David Swenson]

Austin,

Big pike are found in shallow water often early in the year. They are seeking out the warm water in the shallows. There are a number of theroies and/or reasons for this. The biggest reason I feel they are shallow is raise there body temp which in turn raises their metabolism to digest food. It may have been very warm on top of the lake but 5 feet down could still be 10 degrees or more cooler than the surface temp, especially early in the year.

As for little fight, big fish are funny that way. Some come in with little or no fight while others fight so hard they reach their objective, getting away. Some big muskies also come in easy. I could only speculate as to reasons why; the fish is old, sick, or tired from some activity. Or the hook in the mouth hurts so much they just follow the source of the pain right to your net (kinds like when the teacher had my ear).

Hope this helps you some.

David Swenson
http://muskieguide.homestead.com/

[Guest]

Nice pike to bad it didnt fight alot.

[This message has been edited by fishstunner (edited 06-01-2002).]

[JWB475]

Not trying to insult your intelligence Austin, but are you sure that fish was a Pike and not a Muskie????

Mantrap has an outstanding Muskie population and it can be easy to mistake the two, especially if you have never seen one...

If not, nice fish - I have been fishing Mantrap for a few years now and have not been able to catch a pike anywhere near that size..

Now Muskies on the other hand, well that is another story...

[Guest]

I'm positive it wasn't a muskie. I've been fishing for pike and muskies around ten years. The fish didn't have a red tail and the holes under the jaw made it sure it was a pike.