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| If you had a choice to fish a good Pike Lake or a good Musky Lake which would you choose and why?
I'd favor a good Canadian Pike lake. It's all about the numbers. I've been on some Canadian lakes where we've boated Pike all day long, with some of them being good sized and good fighters. I just wish they tended to get that big (rule of thimb) state side. It happens occasionally, but not often. But the numbers are great, and I like throwing spoons.
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Posts: 425
| MUSKY LAKE!!!
Pike are just bait |
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Posts: 73
| "Pike are just bait."
Dude...you've never BEEN on a good Pike lake if you really believe that. I'd take either on about any day. |
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Posts: 425
| If you like the numbers game, DON'T musky fish. They call it HUNTING for a reason. |
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Posts: 1060
Location: Medford, WI | Definitely musky....just something about them. But, with that being said, I think it would be a blast to go way upnorth and fish them like you brought up hawkeye. I watch that on t.v. quite a bit and it looks like a lot of fun. Just not quite as much as having those 50+" muskies chasing your bait around in circles though.
-Jake Bucki |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I'd take a big pike lake any day. Those who don't just haven't caught big pike before. Something truly special about a four foot class pike. Catch numerous ones that size in a day, and you've done something not many can say they ever will.
Edited by TJ DeVoe 4/9/2009 4:39 PM
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Posts: 32926
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | How about both? That's what draws me back to the Goon every year. Pike and Muskies in trophy proportions.
I'd take a 45" pike over a 50" muskie any day.
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| But who wouldn't want big fish AND numbers? That is possible with some Pike lakes. There's really not much difference between a 45" fish and a 50". And it is hunting. It's not as they are just jumping into your boat. That's a myth for even the best of Canadian lakes.
I just think too many people have the idea that all Pike everywhere are like those hammer handle nuisance fish that often bother you in some Musky lakes. Some people that fish Musky exclusively won't fish "numbers lakes", but only pursue trophy opportunities. But some do. So isn’t that still Musky hunting? There's no right or wrong to any of this---it's a matter of preference. And different days have different goals.
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Posts: 415
Location: madison wisconsin | You can catch pike fishing for panfish, bass, walleye, pike, and musky. A pretty easy fish to catch IMO. Muskies on the other hand..... Not so much, as we all know.
I'd give up catching 40" pike all day to catch one 50" musky anytime. |
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Posts: 32926
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Muskies are not all that harder to catch than Pike in a literal sense; it's mostly numbers that make the difference. One can catch Muskies fishing for all other species too. |
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Posts: 73
| Another thing I'd add is that while the smaller Pike might be "easy to catch", the big Pike live a different lifestyle and are not so easily caught. When it comes to big, I'm happy with either. |
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Posts: 431
| I'd definitely go for a fly in pike trip just after ice out so I can give my fly rod a serious workout. Something about the chance to sight fish big fish gets me going. That trip is definitely on my list of trips to take. So much fishing to do, so little time. |
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Posts: 32
Location: Minnesota | I consider myself an equal opportunity esox angler. I really enjoy targeting big fish, be it Big Pike or Big Musky. Both offer different characteristics that you can target throughout the year and in different conditions. I also like lakes that offer both Big Pike and Musky, which always prompts the debate of Pike in Musky lakes. |
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Posts: 6
| Piking is fun, but musky is a lifestyle |
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| I've had a ball fishing for BOTH species. As Esox Anglers, I would suggest we band together. Anybody who says Pike are just bait have never seen the Pike I've seen in sub arctic Canada. When I say those fishermen are ignorant, that's not a knock, it just says they don't know.
Walleye and Bass are fine if nothing else is biting. If you tell me you lump Pike in with Walleye or bass, you've never seen real Pike water. People who don't like Pike have fished on waters where people keep everything they catch and waters where idiots are allowed to spear. If you can spear a Pike, why not a brook trout or a walleye? Try to get that through St. Paul, Madison or Lansing.... Spearing is CRAP and you shouldn't be able to do it to ANY fish. We as Esox Anglers need to hang together. NO spearing and catch and release. If you want to eat fish, you should probably be fishing for panfish. |
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Posts: 463
Location: Sw Pennsylvania | Well where i'm from in southwest pa were pretty happy to catch a pike on the river, the numbers are real low. I'd go with pike lake and catching a 45 in would be just fine with me......i'd take a musky lake too though...not very chosey fellow!!! |
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Posts: 317
| Unless you are fishing some remote, just opened Canadian waters, I think really big Pike are harder to catch than Muskie. |
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Posts: 6
| On trophy pike waters vs trophy musky waters - Pike are far easier to get to bite. |
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Posts: 457
Location: Minneconia | I would easily give up a 45" pike to catch a 35" musky. Too easy to catch, mess up your baits, smell like duece, and....not a musky. Maybe there should be a PikeFIRST.com?
Note how sad I am below being FORCED to take a picture with the welfare esocid....
Edited by Dirt Esox 4/9/2009 11:51 PM
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Posts: 392
Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | good pike lake or a good musky lake...which ones closer?
i want to go to holland and catch pike. |
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Posts: 32926
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | DE,
I suggest you fish only waters that contain no big pike, leaving them all for the rest of us to catch.  |
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Posts: 1295
Location: WI | I'd hate to choose. Flyrod pike are a ton of fun! |
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Posts: 73
Location: Indiana | There's nothing like going to a big pike lake in Canada and catching monster pike. Tearing up baits that have never been looked at by a muskie. It's a good opportunity to get your money's worth on the baits that have never been bit. And the same rule applies to pike fishing (even more so)...big baits equal big fish!!!! It's nice to practice your hook sets about a hundred times in a week too.
I think most people have never seen a trophy pike lake...where even 50 inchers are possible. |
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Posts: 2064
| Aprox. 500 over 42" and 11 pike over 46" including a replica of a 48.75 x 24.5 (all at lakes you can drive to)......... Been there done that its now BORING! too easy - I'll take a muskie lake any day!!!
Edited by IAJustin 4/10/2009 9:24 AM
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Posts: 1106
Location: Muskegon Michigan | I like both and fish for both. I think a 50 inch Pike is the biggest prize of all. That si like a 58 to 60 inch Musky. Very rare. Kingfisher |
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Posts: 462
Location: Antioch, IL | Fishing is fun. Period. Don't care if I'm on a musky lake, pike lake, bass pond or catching bluegill out of a county ditch. If I'm fishing I'm happy. Don't even really need to be catching, but it helps. |
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| (all at lakes you can drive to)......... Been there done that its now BORING!>
So....how many years have you been doing this? That would be a lot of Pike per year. And big Pike at that. But still hard to imaging being bored with it.... |
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Posts: 2064
| Best day was 23 pike over 42" and 90% of those numbers are from 8 weeks of fishing - big pike are easy in May on a lot of waters in Canada |
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Posts: 457
Location: Minneconia | Agree with IAJustin, we'd go to ONT as soon as ice was out and hammer 40-45" pike in the bays, it's way too easy and becomes boring. Pike will eat anything. |
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Posts: 32926
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | And you were not fishing Muskies when they were just post spawn and concentrated because.....?
Muskies will eat anything too. Look at what we throw at them.
If there were the number of Muskies as there are Pike, you'd be bored with Muskies. I'd love to be that 'bored'. |
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Posts: 2064
| sworrall - 4/10/2009 2:15 PM
If there were the number of Muskies as there are Pike, you'd be bored with Muskies. .
Agreed - I like the "hunt"!!!! I didn't bowhunt the year after I arrowed a 152" deer because for a while I was "satisfied" - I have never went back pike fishing in May after I seriously got into chasing muskie....Now if I set a goal say catch a 48" pike on a flyrod - it may light a fire. I want a 54" + Muskie and my passion may subside when I reach my goal??? ...I guess its just my personality --- Do it the Tred Barta way! LOL
Edited by IAJustin 4/10/2009 2:35 PM
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Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I want a 50" Pike. Like I'll ever catch THAT fish. |
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Posts: 2064
| You need to go to ALASKA..... |
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| To each his own of course. But I have to agree with Steve in wishing I had that boredom problem from catching too many fish. I guess I can't quite wrap my mind around that one.
But I can appreciate that you like the more difficult hunt for Musky that is the case after the spawn is over and they have left the bays that would make them easy targets, too. Thank goodness that many states do not allow for that.
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Posts: 2064
| Boring was a bad choice of words - Not a challenge is what I meant - If I wanted to go catch a 45" pike this year I know I could - I'd bet the farm on it. |
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Posts: 1764
Location: Ogden, Ut | Personally, I happen to be a bit partial to a package that contains both...
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| Now there's what fishing is REALLy all about! |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | Sorno, What a great pic !
Your son seems to be saying with that look,.... "Oh Ya, I'm Cool... I'm Bad !"
Jerome |
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Posts: 303
| Jim Munday - 4/9/2009 4:22 PM
"Pike are just bait."
Dude...you've never BEEN on a good Pike lake if you really believe that. I'd take either on about any day.
I agree....In kiepers newest video, they ran out of suckers for the day but caught a hammer handle pike and put a sucker harness on it, and a muskie nailed it! |
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Posts: 392
Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | Deeply Hooked - 4/11/2009 11:18 PM
Jim Munday - 4/9/2009 4:22 PM
"Pike are just bait."
Dude...you've never BEEN on a good Pike lake if you really believe that. I'd take either on about any day.
I agree....In kiepers newest video, they ran out of suckers for the day but caught a hammer handle pike and put a sucker harness on it, and a muskie nailed it!
was that a 45" pike that got nailed? pike eat musky also!!! |
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Posts: 656
Location: Forest Lake, Mn. | I think that catching a 50 inch pike is more of an achievement than a 50 inch muskie. People have mentioned numbers on this thread. Looking at catch rates it looks like a 50 inch pike is a rarer fish than a 50 inch muskie. As a young boy my dream was to put a 30 pound pike in the boat. I've had 30 pound muskie in the boat but not a pike.
But for me, I don't care which I catch. As long as it's green, mean, toothy, strong, and long with plenty of girth, the color of it's spots doesn't matter.
In fact I'd like to see some appropriate bodies of water, here in Mn and Ws, managed for throphy pike in the same manner that we manage muskie waters for throphies. Given the proper enviroment and good management pike will grow to the size of muskies. Perhaps we need a "Pike Inc." too? Heck, it might even be a tool to use to better manage muskies and take some pressure off the muskie waters?
Edited by fishpoop 4/12/2009 6:32 AM
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Posts: 4053
Location: Land of the Musky | Pike for me. Last year I have never caught so many 40"+ pike in a short time. Biggest was a 48" for us. In about 2 hours we got multiple low 40s a 44", 45", 46" and a 48" to top it off. |
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Posts: 135
Location: Irvine, KY | Being from KY and not making my first trip up north yet (might change that this year)... Ive never even seen a pike, so I guess id be happy to catch a few. I believe id take a trip to Europe for some of the monsters they have there, over any musky lake in our part of the world though. |
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Posts: 43
Location: Warrenville,IL | IAJustin - 4/10/2009 2:38 PM
You need to go to ALASKA.....
Justin,
Not really.
You actually would need to go here> www.taltsonbaypike.com Great Slave.
Another possible location is Lac La Marte.
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Posts: 457
Location: Minneconia | Either way I wish people liked pike as much as this post indicates as it would take some of the pressure off of my favorite musky lakes.....:P |
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Posts: 280
Location: McFarland | Winter Pike...Summer Muskies
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Location: Madison, WI | ^^^
Show off. :P |
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Posts: 2064
| jamie - 4/13/2009 7:26 AM
IAJustin - 4/10/2009 2:38 PM
You need to go to ALASKA.....
Justin,
Not really.
You actually would need to go here> www.taltsonbaypike.com Great Slave.
Another possible location is Lac La Marte.
My family has been to Lac La Marte several times don't think the camp they went to ever reported a 50" pike (lot of Mid and upper 40's) and no doubt Great Slave is a haven for mid-40" pike - and I' m sure there could be a few 50" pike in there -But there have been a dozen+ C&R pike from Alaska waters between 52-54" in the last 10 years - Steve wanted a 50" Pike - tributaries of the Yukon is the destination hands down. |
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Posts: 86
Location: Wauwatosa, Wisconsin | Musky Musky Musky Musky! Its all about the thrill of chasing and finding the fish and hooking up with one. Sure pike are fun and the numbers can be great, but sometimes its just to easy. Sometimes i like a challange it makes me feel like I am becoming a better fisherman and I learn to appreciate that fish way more. And plus when you Musky fishing there are usually some nice bonus pike. DIE HARD MUSKY FISHERMAN FOR LIFE!!!! |
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Posts: 61
Location: Sioux Lookout On Canada | Having the best of both worlds here in the Lac Seul area of Northwestern Ontario, I frequently encounter trophy size pike while musky fishing. It is about covering water and the anticipation of what will bite next. Some of the largest pike that I have had the pleasure of boating myself or with guests, have been while we were musky fishing.
Fishing is fishing when you are throwing big baits.
I have many successful catches of 40"+ pike while musky fishing. They are common. Rick Franklin, Pro walleye fisherman can testify to this experience. We boated really nice pike over 36", one over 40" and muskies in the mid 40-50 inch class muskies were in the same spots. We then boated a mid 40" muskie down the shore from the pike. Unless you have fished this area, you are yet to really know what can happen. Come share the experience guys... it is incredible! I agree Steve, the Goon, LOTW and Lac Seul have the best of both worlds. Large, aggressive toothy critters...
It makes me remember the time fishing with Colin Gosse... Bear Paw Bay on Lac Seul... I hooked a 40.25" northern on a bucktail and as I was bringing it boatside, A mid 50" muskie T-boned the pike. That was a rush.
Enough Said...
Neil Michelin
Canadian Heartland Fishing
Lac Seul Fish Fry Co. |
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Posts: 61
Location: Sioux Lookout On Canada | Hey Steve... looking for a 50" pike? Wesley Bay on Lac Seul... see the fish there each season but not lucky enough to keep them hooked... very big and maybe you or JK will be the lucky guys to keep them on. Absolute big water monster...
NO bull.
Neil Michelin |
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Posts: 4053
Location: Land of the Musky | Got the quesation of where I went for my big pike. Answer: Anglers Kingdom just North of Red Lake Ontatrio
http://www.anglerskingdom.com
James
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Posts: 43
Location: Warrenville,IL | IAJustin - 4/13/2009 10:32 AM
jamie - 4/13/2009 7:26 AM
IAJustin - 4/10/2009 2:38 PM
You need to go to ALASKA.....
Justin,
Not really.
You actually would need to go here> www.taltsonbaypike.com Great Slave.
Another possible location is Lac La Marte.
My family has been to Lac La Marte several times don't think the camp they went to ever reported a 50" pike (lot of Mid and upper 40's ) and no doubt Great Slave is a haven for mid-40" pike - and I' m sure there could be a few 50" pike in there -But there have been a dozen+ C&R pike from Alaska waters between 52-54" in the last 10 years - Steve wanted a 50" Pike - tributaries of the Yukon is the destination hands down.
Justin,
I disagree strongly. There's more than a few. It's an annual happening. We get 50's every year.
I'm not trying to get into a pi$$ing contest with ya. I know the Yukon is awesome and there are some huge pike in the 50's, but the average.. "AVERAGE" pike on Slave is 38.5" and 16-17lbs. That's the average. The average person catches one every 13 minutes. The largest ones of the year consistently are 50". And the number of trophies ( 41" and above in NWT) averages about 6-8 PER day PER angler. The best week was 312 41"+ in a single week for a single group of 8.
Here's a couple of the 50's from there.
There's a few more in here> http://trophypikepix.blogspot.com/
But..anyway..normally I'd take muskies if I'm in NW Ontario, IL, or WI. But if I'm going way north, the pike win out.
If anyone really wants a crack at the biggest of the big in the pike world, we'd all have to travel to the Baltic Sea. They have all of us beat hands down.
Edited by jamie 4/13/2009 2:47 PM
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Posts: 2064
| I like contests Years 1992 -1999 38-39" was the average on the Gullrock chain in May - with 10-15 40"+ fish daily best day over 20 including 3 over 45" with a mid 30LB sow ...Cost me $300 a week
Big pike are easy thats my point (especially if you are willing to fly and spend $$$) - 50" pike can be had in north america - Where did Reynolds get his 54" pike?
Pike on the Fly: In Pursuit of the Water Wolf DVD
Synopsis: Reynolds ups the entertainment factor with some of the most exciting pike fly fishing action ever caught on film. Filming took place over the past 3 summers at some of the worlds most prolific pike waters in Alaska & Canada. During filming Barry took eight pike of over 50” including his new personal best of 54”! separate bonus added footage section at the end on fly’s, leaders, & other tackle for those who want more than just the entertainment value. 60 min.
Edited by IAJustin 4/13/2009 3:58 PM
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| Another choice for truely huge Pike is Camp Grayling outfitters..there is a lake they do flyouts to call Riou...as far as big pike go, if you are a big pike hunter you have heard of this lake...if not, then you aren't! ; )
I have done a trip with this outfitter and we put pike to 50" in the boat...a 50" pike is far more rare than a 55" musky imo...they have pike to 54" in camp
http://campgrayling.ca/index.htm
Justin, you have done trips to Gull Rock chain? in ontario? i'm going there this summer w/ the fam..shoot me an email...
thanks |
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Posts: 2064
| Or you could come down fishing with me this weekend and we can talk all about it - I have only been there in May so don't know if I can help with summer but I'll send you a PM. |
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Posts: 581
| My memory isn't good, but I believe that there were some scientific studies reported on by Infisherman magazine comparing "how smart" pike were, compared to other predatory freshwater fish. I'm paraphrasing, but they studied how many times each fish species would strike some sort of decoy that was introduced into an aquarium.
If memory serves, the pike would strike the decoy most quickly upon introduction, and with greater frequency. Basically, the pike would keep hitting this decoy over and over again, while other species--including muskies--would, ostensibly, "learn" that it was a decoy and not hit it more than once.
The theory was that pike are programmed to feed with a reckless abandon due to the extreme amount of inter-species competition for food....
The study made sense to me at the time, as to why pike seemed so much easier to catch than muskies.
Anyone remember this study? Better yet, anyone have a link? I'd like to re-read that, as I'm a bit fuzzy on the details. |
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Posts: 724
Location: Southern W.Va. | I guess that I'm in a different place as Northerns are really not available to me here in W.Va. but muskies are with several good creeks and rivers in my area, along with a few lakes. To me it's 6 of one and a half dozen of the other. Fished the "Big V" for the first time last year and was lucky enough to put a 40" pike and a 42" musky in the boat with the pike being my largest to date. I consider the pike a better catch then the 42" ski as I was told that it was larger then average, while the 42" ski was just average for that lake. Personally , I love them both and can't wait to go north to chase them again. Saw a HUGH muskie while fishing with Jonesi but couldn't say that I've ever seen a bigger pike.
For what it's worth
Mauser |
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Posts: 829
Location: Maple Grove, MN | If you want really big Pike, then head out to Colorado and/or Northern New Mexico. The Pike out there get massive while feeding on those tasty stocked trout. Very few people fish for them and +50" is not out of the question. Pike in the 35 to 40 lb range are almost common.
Sometimes I wonder how big of Pike one could catch out there with our modern Muskie tackle. The New Mexico state record is just shy of the world record.
Just a thought.
Edited by Herb_b 4/14/2009 4:28 PM
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