Lake Menderchuck Pike have been Thick ! (short video)

[A-Jay]

Been working pretty hard past three days trying to get on a shallow water brown Bass bite.

But I'm getting everything but that.

Green bass have been everywhere and it seems the Pike are relentless.

This is the 'best' one from today,

and I'm using the term best, just to be nice.

A-Jay

 

[TnRiver46]

Love me some pike! Thats an alligator 

[Further North]

We fished a local river about two weeks ago - caught 20+ pike in one day, one about that size, but couldn't find a single smallmouth.

I went back up to the same river with a different friend last Saturday and that changed to about 50/50 pike and smallies.

I fished it with two friends Monday, and it was more like 40/60 pike smallies...

[gim]

4 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Pike are relentless.

I’m over 40 deep the past two outings on pike. None near that big though.

 

All I’ve caught this season while muskie fishing is pike after pike after pike.

[A-Jay]

16 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I’m over 40 deep the past two outings on pike. None near that big though.

 

All I’ve caught this season while muskie fishing is pike after pike after pike.

Maybe you need a new lake to fish.

Couple of days ago, I got bit off right at the boat my a big musky.

The kind that might have tried to eat the biggest one I caught today.

A real sea monster.

Sort of glad I didn't hook it.

You know I would have tried to land it.

And without the right gear that's always a complete clown show. 

🤡

A-Jay

 

[T-Billy]

4 hours ago, A-Jay said:

You know I would have tried to land it.

And without the right gear that's always a complete clown show. 

Yup. Sometimes it's a complete clown show with the right gear. 

[gim]

12 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Maybe you need a new lake to fish.

 

I've been checking with other anglers, friends, and co-workers this week and apparently I'm not the only one.  It seems that virtually EVERY lake here has pike on the rampage.  So maybe just switching lakes isn't the solution here.

 

I'll be making another trip to the snake farm tomorrow...

[TOXIC]

Hmmmmm……maybe you need to thin the herd a little?  Personally while I like pike fillets, I do not like cleaning them.  

[Further North]

14 hours ago, A-Jay said:

You know I would have tried to land it.

And without the right gear that's always a complete clown show. 

🤡

A-Jay

...and depending on water temps, it's a good way to kill a great fish.

[gim]

20 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

 Personally while I like pike fillets, I do not like cleaning them.  

 

I'm with ya.  The thought of filling my livewell with 10 slime darts and then spending 2 hours cleaning those things that are covered in snot does not appeal to me.

 

But eating them lobster style dipped in melted butter does.

 

Wish someone like @TnRiver46 lived nearby lol

[casts_by_fly]

22 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

I'm with ya.  The thought of filling my livewell with 10 slime darts and then spending 2 hours cleaning those things that are covered in snot does not appeal to me.

 

But eating them lobster style dipped in melted butter does.

 

Wish someone like @TnRiver46 lived nearby lol

 

how's you're garden compost pile looking.....

[TnRiver46]

35 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

I'm with ya.  The thought of filling my livewell with 10 slime darts and then spending 2 hours cleaning those things that are covered in snot does not appeal to me.

 

But eating them lobster style dipped in melted butter does.

 

Wish someone like @TnRiver46 lived nearby lol

Maybe I should make another trip! I used stringer, they slimed the heck out of the canoe just unhooking them . tossing ice directly on top of them in livewell could keep the slime congealed hahha

[A-Jay]

56 minutes ago, Further North said:

...and depending on water temps, it's a good way to kill a great fish.

So I just cut my line then ?

I hear ya, but I'm betting more giant musky die of old age than being miss handled by an angler.  Not saying  it's right but if the single one I might manage to land each season doesn't make it after therelease, 

the world will go on.

A-Jay

 

[gim]

Not a whole lot a guy can do when you pile into accidential bycatch like that and you aren't specifically equipped for it.  Obviously a sizable muskie is more on the rare side of that happening.

 

I'd definitely try to land it the best I could if I was bass fishing.

 

 

52 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Maybe I should make another trip!

 

Stop on by and as I already told @TOXIC, pick me up some spotted cow on the way will ya 🤣

[Further North]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

So I just cut my line then ?

If I had lighter tackle and water temps were above about 75⁰, that's exactly what I'd do if the fight went on more than about 5 minutes. 

 

I'm trying to think of a way to make this sound not-preachy, but I can't at the moment,  so you'll have to trust that I don't mean it that way: Personally, I feel I have a greater responsibility to the resource than I to to the ego bump I'd get by landing the fish.

 

But that's my view, for me...and while I'll have the discussion, I'm unwilling to impose my perspective on others.

 

...also, see below...

 

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

hear ya, but I'm betting more giant musky die of old age than being miss handled by an angler.  Not saying  it's right but if the single one I might manage to land each season doesn't make it after therelease, 

the world will go on.

 

You're right, to some extent...but multiply your fish by a few hundred...or a few thousand walleye/bass anglers and it becomes more significant. 

 

...but: I seldom use heavy "musky" tackle. Most of my musky fishing is done with heavy bass gear (or heavy fly gear) and it's not all that difficult to get a musky - even a four- footer - to net in 5 minutes or so.

 

I own one heavy rod (rated to 3 oz.) and it hasn't left the garage this year more than once. 

 

57 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Not a whole lot a guy can do when you pile into accidential bycatch like that and you aren't specifically equipped for it.  Obviously a sizable muskie is more on the rare side of that happening.

We were targeting bass and pike three times in the last week...and had two muskies on...one mid-30s, one pushing 40".

 

Fortunately they made the decision easy by getting off the hooks... 😉

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, Further North said:

If I had lighter tackle and water temps were above about 75⁰, that's exactly what I'd do if the fight went on more than about 5 minutes. 

 

I'm trying to think of a way to make this sound not-preachy, but I can't at the moment,  so you'll have to trust that I don't mean it that way: Personally, I feel I have a greater responsibility to the resource than I to to the ego bump I'd get by landing the fish.

 

But that's my view, for me...and while I'll have the discussion, I'm unwilling to impose my perspective on others.

 

...also, see below...

 

 

You're right, to some extent...but multiply your fish by a few hundred...or a few thousand walleye/bass anglers and it becomes more significant. 

 

...but: I seldom use heavy "musky" tackle. Most of my musky fishing is done with heavy bass gear (or heavy fly gear) and it's not all that difficult to get a musky - even a four- footer - to net in 5 minutes or so.

 

I own one heavy rod (rated to 3 oz.) and it hasn't left the garage this year more than once. 

 

We were targeting bass and pike three times in the last week...and had two muskies on...one mid-30s, one pushing 40".

 

Fortunately they made the decision easy by getting off the hooks... 😉

You know I am totally with you on all accounts.

I don't want to hurt any game fish and do consider myself a decent steward of the environment.

I take steps that make me feel like I'm doing my part,

to set a decent example and not add to the foolishness that surrounds us;

at both the professional & recreational level.

I have learned quite a bit about Esox care from you and others on this site.

I apply what & where I can.

A-Jay

 

[Further North]

5 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

You know I am totally with you on all accounts.

I don't want to hurt any game fish and do consider myself a decent steward of the environment.

I take steps that make me feel like I'm doing my part,

to set a decent example and not add to the foolishness that surrounds us;

at both the professional & recreational level.

I have learned quite a bit about Esox care from you and others on this site.

I apply what & where I can.

A-Jay

 

I do know that...it's why I looked for other ways to write what I was thinking. 

 

I still have nothing. 😉

[gim]

@A-Jay

 

I just watched the whole video you posted (earlier I only watched the part holding the pike).

 

Why do you think that when there's more largemouth in the area there's less smallmouth?

[A-Jay]

2 hours ago, gimruis said:

@A-Jay

 

I just watched the whole video you posted (earlier I only watched the part holding the pike).

 

Why do you think that when there's more largemouth in the area there's less smallmouth?

Not sure.

Remember I'm fishing for big fish and only target places & use presentations that have produced for me.

Some years the SMB do not show up in the numbers as previous years. 

Either way I do not think the LMB push them out.

I think it's more of a case that the smb left prime spot vacant and the green bass moved in.

I fished 6 hours a day in that same area the past 4 days including today and jumped off only 2 brown bass.

One was a GIANT.

But I saw very little bait (usually Perch) either - almost always goes that way, no shallow bait no brown bass. 

In the past, with the conditions I had today, this time of year, with bait schooling up in there, I could expect at least 2 or more fish over 5 even 6 lbs at times.  I wait all year for these last weeks of August and the beginning of Sept. 

I'm taking the weekend off to cut the grass and then I'll need to either go back there and see if they show OR try another lake.  At this time I'm undecided. 

Forecast is calling for crazy hot air temps next week so I might even take that whole week off while waiting for the temps to cool to a more seasonal level.

Sure burned me out too besides all the boat & truck gas. 

A-Jay

[gim]

So I went back to the snake farm this morning. The snakes were not biting. I only caught one pike in 4+ hours. Shocking change of results compared to the last several outings.

 

I also did catch 14 largemouth but it was a pretty tough bite. My biggest was 17 inches. They were not aggressive like they had been the last couple times.

 

My theory is that the change in conditions played a role. It was sunny and flat this morning. Most of my trips over the past month were the exact opposite: cloudy and choppy.

[Further North]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

So I went back to the snake farm this morning. The snakes were not biting. I only caught one pike in 4+ hours. Shocking change of results compared to the last several outings.

 

I also did catch 14 largemouth but it was a pretty tough bite. My biggest was 17 inches. They were not aggressive like they had been the last couple times.

 

My theory is that the change in conditions played a role. It was sunny and flat this morning. Most of my trips over the past month were the exact opposite: cloudy and choppy.

I just heard from a buddy that's out right now...really low fishing score for today on the Fishing and Hunting Solunar Time app...15...vs. a 96 for last Monday.