how big does a pike have to be to mount it?

[carpmanjake]

also as said further up. never get skin mounts. replica's are just as good and that biggun' is still in the lake for you to catch when it gets bigger

[BehindtheHead]

what if its speared?

[steffanf]

Like many have mentioned already, it depends on many factors. I got a lowly 25" pike mounted. For me, it was kind of sentimental. It was about 10 years ago and I still lived in southern Illinois at the time. I caught it during my first trip to Cass Lake. I actually caught the fish on Lake Windigo (the lake that is located on Star Island, in the center of Cass Lake) and was the largest pike I caught at the time. I actually portaged my boat to get to the land-locked lake and I'm not sure how I did it. I likely will never do that again. Dragging a 15' heavy-guage aluminum semi-V jon boat with a 20 HP Mrec across the 100' portage was a major PITA.

[carpmanjake]

what if its speared?

i personally would never spear anything over 10 lbs. if i see a big one come in i would pick up a rod and a shiner or other lure and drop it down to catch that beast. since we are allowed to angle and spear in the same hole in minnesota.

[BeezeHound]

That doesn't always work, had a monster in the hole just after opener this year and thought I would be tricky and just catch him. He never bit, sat there with his nose on the decoy with not a care in the world about anything else around him. Next time he's getting a very paralyzing experience.

[dcmusky]

what if its speared?

so much for look and release

[Cast A Way]

I believe a trophy is in the eye of the beholder. My personal best pike is a 44" out of LOTW. I do have a skin mount of a 40" pike that I caught back in 1993( tried for an hour to revive it with no luck). It's amazing what they can do with the replicas nowdays. Saw some great looking reps at the muskie expo. Reps are the way to go if the fish can be release to swim away.

[CrappieBart]

50inches or bigger for me, I have many over 50. Kidding..depends on the story and meaning to the person who caught it.

[BehindtheHead]

crappiebart i speared a 43" this year and from now on i wont even pick up the spear for a big fish. i have my trophy. i guess if i had a 50" come in the hole i would consiter but it would have to be something really special for me to spear another big fish.