Not only is it great to catch large Pike but its a fish that can provide a meal as well, those 2-3# fish are very good in the pan. One huge problem as Ive mentioned before is feeding Walleyes to Hammer-handles. We've tasked if the DNR had any information on this or if they adjust stocking with Pike as a variable. When we discovered they had whats called a power curve for stocking Walleye it opened my eye's a little but I was met with fierce resistance from some DNR.

Now there is a new paper done by the MN DNR; showing that if you have over 7.5 Pike the chances of successful Walleye stocking is very low.

On page 8 the description starts of the findings on Pike and Walleye; but also mentions Perch, also generally depleted on these hammer-handle lakes. Then on page 28 it shows a graph (fig3) the horizontal line marks 5 eyes per net; below the line marks are fewer than 5 above the live are over 5 per net.

The Vertical line shows Pike abundance at 7.5 per net, any marks to the left is lower to the right higher than 7.5. So look at all the marks in the upper left where they captured over 5 eyes per net compared to the upper right.

Bottom line is runt Pike are a huge problem for not only Pike anglers but all anglers. Our most expensive stocking is the Advanced fingerling program, when these fish are stocked into lakes with over 7.5 Pike per net they get devoured and show little or no benefit to the angler other than he can sleep easy knowing the truck dumped them.

Into the gullets of hordes of snake Pike. So Walleye, Perch and Pike fisherman have a connective tissue in the hammer-handle.

www.michapter54.com/pubfolder/PDF/eyestockingpikeeffects_Parsons_Wae%20stocking%20Final635%20v3%20-%20complete.pdf

Exactly, everyone can help by just keeping a fillet knife and some zip locks handy. Once you figure out how to take care of the Y bones, pike is actually much better table fare than walleye.