Northern Pike: My Favorite Fish

 I think the reason I enjoy pike fishing so much is that the fish leaves no doubt about what is happening when it hits your lure. You're realing in and WHAM, you've got a fight on your hands. Granted, the excessive aggresiveness can result in some misses, but by and large, the fish does the work and hooks itself. You just have to get it to the boat and in a net before its heavy headshakes manage to dislodge the hook. This is less of an issue with treble hooks but it does happen. 

I first came to love pike on a trip to Lake Nipigon, Ontario. Located 40 miles north of the upper tip of Lake Superior, the bays and rivers of the lake are loaded with walley and pike, while the main lake is a fantastic Lake Trout fishery. We were staying in a cabin on Orient Bay and one could stand on the dock, casting the classid red and white Daredevl lures (or the cheap imitation from Wal-Mart), and catch pike all day. The old man that managed the campground we stayed at took the time to teach us how to properly clean the fish in a manner that saves the most meat and still removes the ever annoying "Y" bones which are a key reason many don't consider the fish to be worth eating.

Besides being fun to catch, and speaking of eating, I'd put them up against any freshwater fish when it comes to suitability for the table. The meat is mild, clean, and firm. It's perfect for grilling, breading and frying in smaller chunks, or even poor man's lobster. When breaded and fried, it's a perfect choice for fish tacos. 

If you follow our Youtube channel, we should have some fresh pike fishing content for you in the next few weeks as the season just opened. 

What are your thoughts on the toothy predator?




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