Handling Pike (Newb)

[BRAD10281]

I've always kinda been intimidated by Pike...well, actually their teeth. Whats the best way to handle one of these fish while you pull the hook out...especially if its 30" to 40" long?

Thanks,
Brad

[chamookman]

A firm grip (with gloved hand) behind the head seems to work for Me - Bob

[booktens]

And use needle nose pliers.:D

[rendotwo]

carefully

[fishonbb]

I grab them behind the gills(the head),it seems to kind of paralyze them but definately not every time. I get nervous everytime specially landing them in a kayak.

[steelers fan]

I pike fish quite often and most fish you'll catch will be 26" or less, I never take these fish out of the water unless they are hooked real deep use a pair of needle nose and unhook them over the side of the boat. Bigger fish are a different story they often inhale the lure and it can be a chore to unhook, just be as fast as you can, you should not keep a fish out of water any longer then you can hold your breath......And rember A 30" plus fish is NOT a good eater!!!! eat the 24" to 26" fish and let the bigger fish go to spawn and catch them another day.

[thedude]

nothing to be scared of. just don't stick your arm down their throat. smaller fish - grab behind the gills from the top.
bigger fish you can (carefully) grip from the lower gill plate under the jaw. be careful not to stick your fingers up in red part of the gills as that is bad for the fish, but towards the front of the mouth under the jaw you are good.

my grandpa taught me to grab the big one's by the eyes. said that would keep them from flopping in around.l

[Big_P]

my grandpa taught me to grab the big one's by the eyes. said that would keep them from flopping in around.

I was just going to say that!!! ONLY IF YOU INTEND TO KEEP THE FISH!!! If not go with the previous excellent suggestions. The eye thing DOES WORK!!! I've used it numerous times and without a flaw....except on the 36" I got back in 1990!!! THAT FISH WAS WHISKEY BENT AND HELL BOUND!!! :SHOCKED: But, grabbing them with your thumb in one eye and your middle finger in the other paralyzes the smaller ones. Hope this helps and TIGHT LINES TO ALL MY BROTHERS!!!:grouphug:

[dtg]

Whenever I catch Pike up in Ontario, I always use BIG heavy hooked lure and I never even touch the fish. I grab my leatherman, open up the pliers, latch onto the shank part of the hook, give a twist and presto, fish is off and charging away from the boat. I've had a couple of them nip me on the way down, but no worries, you never even feel it, you only notice the trickle of blood coming off your fingers.:lol:

I fished with an old guy once and he put his pointer finger in one eye socket and his thumb in the other eye socket and the pike was well managed. He handled every one of them that way and had no incidences.

[bucketmouthhauler]

.except on the 36" I got back in 1990!!! THAT FISH WAS WHISKEY BENT AND HELL BOUND!!! :SHOCKED: But, grabbing them with your thumb in one eye and your middle finger in the other paralyzes the smaller ones. Hope this helps and TIGHT LINES TO ALL MY BROTHERS!!!:grouphug:

That reminds of this guy I talked to after a tournament on wixom, He caght a musky first thing in the morning, it ravaged his whole boat, broke rods wrecked the line on all the rods he had on his deck. His hand had to be stitched up, he said it ruined his whole day. I wish I could have seen it.

[Bulletproof]

Boga Grip

[jigworm]

Second the Boga Grip. One of the best tools I've ever bought.

[BRAD10281]

I've seen the Boga Grib used on TV...Just checked out their website. Looks like a handy dandy tool but wow is it expensive. Anyone know how the Rapala Lock 'n Weigh compares to the Boga Grip? The Lock 'n Weigh is a bit more affordable. I also found some knock-off Boga Grips on eBay going for about $15.00 but I'm a bit weary of those.

I'll be practicing mostly catch and release so no worries about me ruining the pike fisheries.

Brad

[n.pike]

Grab behind the head from the top, you'll feel the backbone. A gentle squeeze will hold them just fine. Never grab the eyes unless you intend to keep them, it SEVERLY injures the fish. The same with a glove, it removes the protective slime. You can handle a pike like a trout, wet hand, keep them healthy to be caught again.

[thedude]

Like this:
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/527/medium/MVC-006X.JPG

or like this:
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/medium/12lb_northern.jpg

:D

[waterfoul]

Hey Justin... it was nice of that guy to let you have your picture taken with his fish! LOL!!!

I know a guy that would keep a small ball bat in his boat... now this is many, many years ago. He would simply club the dang thing over the head and throw it in the cooler. This guy is long dead now... wonder where that bat went??

I know a guy who still does this with the walleye he keeps...

[wally-eye]

Mike, don't be talking bad about my fishing partner. He can't help it. He catches so few fish that when he does get the bat out he takes his frustrations out on the poor little fish he caught. Really don't know how he even finds the bat with all the junk in his boat. LMAO..

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[bigsablemike]

if you thumb and middle finger the eyes it seems to make em hold still

[thedude]

in alaska they do that to pretty much every salmon. if you're in a boat w/ a big king, they usually get it up to the side, gaff it, and then whack it in the skull w/ these cute little wood black-jack thingies.... then they bring it in the boat. nothing like a 80lb ocean run king thrashing in your boat.

thats where i learned the "dogfish pliers" trick mike. ;)

[pescadero]

in alaska they do that to pretty much every salmon. if you're in a boat w/ a big king, they usually get it up to the side, gaff it, and then whack it in the skull w/ these cute little wood black-jack thingies.... then they bring it in the boat. nothing like a 80lb ocean run king thrashing in your boat.

thats where i learned the "dogfish pliers" trick mike. ;)

That is pretty much the method we always used growing up fishing for Salmon in Muskegon lake and Lake Michigan, it was also the method used on the charter fishing trip I took on Monterey Bay in California, and the charter trip I took on the Columbia in Oregon.

--
lp

[Dedge]

Every single lake trout fisherman that I have ever fished with from up this way keeps a peice of drift wood in the boat. I mean I literally can't think of a single one that doesn't have a club of some sort aboard.

Dan

[n.pike]

We always carried a nightstick salmon fishing, perfect size to whack 'em before tossing in the cooler.

[waterfoul]

Mike, don't be talking bad about my fishing partner. He can't help it. He catches so few fish that when he does get the bat out he takes his frustrations out on the poor little fish he caught. Really don't know how he even finds the bat with all the junk in his boat. LMAO..

:lol: :lol: :lol:

You know... come to think of it... I've never been fishing with him and had him catch more fish than me (freezing cold whitefish on the muskegon channel not withstanding). He had to take his frustrations out on MY fish! LOL!!!

And Justin... you swing a mean pair of pliers!! :tdo12:

[Bucky]

very tight grip

[Krull]

I pike fish quite often and most fish you'll catch will be 26" or less, I never take these fish out of the water unless they are hooked real deep use a pair of needle nose and unhook them over the side of the boat. Bigger fish are a different story they often inhale the lure and it can be a chore to unhook, just be as fast as you can, you should not keep a fish out of water any longer then you can hold your breath......And rember A 30" plus fish is NOT a good eater!!!! eat the 24" to 26" fish and let the bigger fish go to spawn and catch them another day.

The golden rule with Pike is if you are not going to eat them, do not bring them into the boat. Like said before, pliers, up to the side of the boat, grab hold of the lure and usually the pike will do the work from there. If you have one that you just have to get a picture of, but are not going to keep, WET YOUR HANDS FIRST! Get it into the boat if possible without a net by grabbing it as stated earlier, grip hard and try to minimize handling of the fish as much as possible. The more you touch it, the more protective slime is removed and the less chance for survival. Gloves are a good idea. Also, very good idea once you have control of the fish, open the bail of your rod. When that pike comes out of the water, we all know it will go crazy. I know from experience what will happen if that pike decides to shake the lure when your line is still tight and your rod is "loaded". Think Robin Hood. A friend of mine got to visit the West Branch hospital to get all three prongs of a treble hook unburied from his thumb once. When releasing it, try to revive and torpedo it into deeper, colder water.

[eyesforever]

:yeahthat: Hey Justin... it was nice of that guy to let you have your picture taken with his fish! LOL!!!

I know a guy that would keep a small ball bat in his boat... now this is many, many years ago. He would simply club the dang thing over the head and throw it in the cooler. This guy is long dead now... wonder where that bat went??

I know a guy who still does this with the walleye he keeps...

[Ugly Stick]

Krull has got it right!!!!!!!!!!!! Dont grab the pike by the eyes :mad: Nice fish Dude.

[bigbob]

just cut your line :lol:

[big cheapbass]

Like this:
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/527/medium/MVC-006X.JPG

or like this:
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/medium/12lb_northern.jpg

:D Some nice fish ya got there!

[big cheapbass]

Talkin' about pike, I caught around a 28" on elizibeth the other day fishing for bass. Anyway that was one pissed off fish. I had him in the net and was workin with pliers to get the hook out, I had one hand holding him down and was using my other hand to get the hook out, My buddy was observing over my shoulder when the fish jumped! It scared the sh2%! out me and I lunged back hyper extending my friends knee in the process! Gotta be carefull with the decent sized ones they are pretty powerfull!!!