New Personal Best Northern!

[98 Elite 203]

Me and Mark K went up to my favorite Adirondack lake, which I assume was our last trip up there for the year, given the weather conditions we have coming. The upper lake was turning over, and after fishing it for 2 hours with only one bite, we decided to go down into the big lake to see those conditions. The water was much cleaner and we started catching fish right away, although bass were hard to come by. I go over to a deeper bank section that I like, that goes into a shallow flat. The wind was going at this time, and this was the windy side of the lake. We get up to about 4-6' of water where there are scattered boulders/wood and weeds. Right away, Mark lands the biggest bass of the day on a Jerkbait. She was 5lbs 8oz's. Within 2 casts later, I hook into a fish on my tiny lucky craft 1.5 square bill.... At first I just thought it was a bass. I put my talons down so we didn't get blown around with the wind before I got this fish in....and then all of a sudden the fish starts burning off, with power. I knew right away it wasn't a bass. I had to put my talons up quickly because she was power housing through the weeds and I was worried my line was going to break (only 12lb flouro). After a minute or two of her burning drag, I finally got to see her....and she was gigantic. Mark goes and gets the net, but I am not prepared on my boat for a fish of this size...so we just had a bass net. I tell mark that we are going to haft get her head first, and then try to flip her into the boat before she falls out because half of her body will be hanging out of the net....she comes around and goes head first into the net, and my square bill comes out! So now this giant Pike is only halfway in the net, and is about to fall out of it at any second. Me and mark hurry up and flip her into the beat, and I literally jump onto of her and bear hug her to keep her from flipping back into the lake before she calms down. At this point, we can't believe how big this fish was, and its location of where we caught it. Sadly, I do not have a tape measure on my boat big enough. We had to estimate which we came out to 41-42" but she seemed bigger then that to me. This is my 3rd pike well over 40" this season. Maybe I will retire from bass fishing, and hunt these things! Estimated weight is well over 20lbs.

I had mark record a quick video, because pictures don't show her actual size.

https://youtu.be/rxVCx7Y1wlo

 

I will post some pictures of the 45" northern I got during the summer, that was my biggest northern Prior to this one...

 

 

[deaknh03]

Very nice fish.

[Darren.]

Great catch! Congrats!

[98 Elite 203]

Thanks!

[BassB8Caster]

Wow. Nice fish. Crazy to think that 12lb mono held up for that fish with all those teeth

[J Francho]

Nice work!

[Turtle135]

Great looking Pike, that one is built like a bulldozer!

[Deleted account]

Great catch and description. Just think it could have easily gone like " felt a bite reared back and my LC was gone".