Real or Not real

[Paul]

My Uncle sent me these pictures of a 55lb 56" northern Pike that took a bit of a 36" pike. Landing both fish in the net. If this is doctored they did a darn good job. Supposedly a New word record caught in Canada on Rainy Lake.

[finnbay]

I've had these emailed to me a couple of times over the last year, and that's the same question we've had. The only clue I've had is that the catch has been atrributed to several different waters both in Minnesota and Canada. If it is doctored, I wish I had those skills!

[Steve Foss]

When this pic gets pushed around the Web, which has happened at several intervals over the last couple of years, it's commonly debunked as a European fish.

[Dbl]

Here we go again! This seems to be a yearly occurrence around here. This was the last discussion on these photos.

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=817802&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=all&vc=1

[EatSleepFish]

gotta laugh at how many people have recieved this email. I've been to many bars in the middle of nowhere with this picture posted up at the bar and all of the 'tenders claiming it came out of the local lake/river. It's been traced back to being caught somewhere in Europe. Many fish this size are being caught in Europe.

[SledNeck]

Welcome to the INTERNETS!

[Reef Runner]

Here we go again.

These have been around for years!!!

[art321]

When will these pictures ever die and fade away!!!!!!! Still neat to look at.

[slimngrizzly]

I think they're awsome pictures! There just not from minnesota. From what Ive gathered the fish was caught this past march on a lake in Holland by Ewout Hutton. Its huge! Be fun to go over there and get one!

[Steve Foss]

I think they are cool pictures, too. But I've been seeing them posted for more than a year, so it couldn't have been caught in March.

[shogun]

The correct stats were:

44lbs and 54". Just shy of the state record.

The guy that took the picture is a friend of a friend. Fish was caught in Namakan.

[cjac]

Here's the the true story about the first two pics, info obtained from RK (Rob Kimm) editor of Esox Angler. 3rd picture is not related, just a piggy back photo.

The first two paragraphs are a quotes from Jan Eggers, the king of pike in Europe, last paragraph is RK translating. Like I said before, how could one possibly make up the name Ewout?

Chris

"This pike was caught on the 6th of March 2006 by Dutch fisherman Ewout Blom in a pretty big lake in the south of Holland, I know the name of the lake from where quite a number of 40 plus pikes were caught and released but promised not to mention the name to avoid too heavy fishing pressure.

"This pike had a length of 127 cm and a weight of 19,5 kilo and was caught trolling with a Rapala Super Shad Rap in perch colour and I have about 10 original digital pictures of this fish"

For the metric-impaired (such as yours truly), 127cm and 19.4 kilos works out to right around 50 inches, and just barely shy of 43 pounds...

[shogun]

I have seen that story as well - it came out months afterward. The 3rd photo is definitely un-related - someone just threw that in there. That one has been around for probably 5 years or more.

The Europe story is bogus.

[cjac]

Hi shogun,

Europe story is 100% accurate, not Namakan, not 54lbs. This fish was on the winter 2007 cover of Esox Angler along with an article written by Jan Eggers on the Dutch pike fishing. A publication, it's staff, (like I mentioned RK is the editor) would not publish a "falsified story" and/or photos.

You can go the the Muskies/Pike forum and search on "Ewout" and you'll see the direct post from RK from last year.

Hope this helps to clarify so people sound credible. I'll do that for FMers I've not met when talking fishing, but not with my own boss on work stuff, I'll let him talk himself into a hole!

Chris

[Fishing_High]

I heard the same story Cjac did, I did a lot of searching on google and other places like a year ago when I first saw the pictures, a friends dad said his friend caught it on Rainy so I looked around sure enought everyone was telling there story of the "FISH" but from what I can remember Cjac is right it was caught in Holland by the angler he mentioned.

[katoguy]

I have a friend and business associate in Holland. (Who coincindentally will be here for his annual late Oct trip to Mankato - the guy loves Halloween.)

This was caught by a Dutch fisherman. The largest of the pikes are caught in Norway. They go to remote Norwegian lakes for the largest of the slimers. The Netherlands do have huge pike and zander, however. I have an autographed fishing book from a couple of Dutch pro-fisherman and outdoor writers. Very interesting how things are so different over there, yet very much the same.