[Plumbgranny]

Closing moments on Sat. 1-2-21. I see a mark on the Vex and feel the bite. Rod doubles over and after 10 minutes of cussing and saying "I'll never get this thru the ice" I pull the big female thru the 6" hole just as the line breaks. Lucky to hook her in the top lip. Fat ol' bluegill eating water-wolf.

 

[Nostromo]

Nice work. A few times I've had Pike hit my panfish rod. But I've yet to land one that way.

 

[ice ghost]

I’ve had it happen a few times. It’s thrilling. Good job

 

[ShedAntler]

I am almost exclusively a panfish fisherman. I have landed many pike on my jigging rod and 3 pound test, but definitely lose many more than I catch. However, I have never landed one bigger than 28 inches. Congrats on a great accomplishment!!

 

[ICEGUY]

Good job. I love Pike, they are great! Especially caught in cold winter.

 

[Flag Up]

Very nice! Landed a 9lb. northern on sowing thread years ago. The key is keeping your drag set light enough so they don't snap off on the hit.

 

[Plumbgranny]

Good job. I love Pike, they are great! Especially caught in cold winter.

Fried it up for the fam last night. It was fantastic.

 

[Go Lions!!!!]

Yup...pike are delicious...ate my belly

full last night on fresh pike that never hit the fridge! And yes...they are bluegill eating machines. Found this 8” Gill in this 26” pike. Looked and felt like he had a brick in her gut! Also a 3-4” Gill...and still took our pike minnow for dessert!!!

 

[Fishfighter]

After snapping off a monster northern at the hole I started carrying a gaff whenever pike season is open. You will greatly increase your landing percent on light line if you gaff the legal ones.

 

[Plumbgranny]

After snapping off a monster northern at the hole I started carrying a gaff whenever pike season is open. You will greatly increase your landing percent on light line if you gaff the legal ones.

Agreed. I have one....of course not with me at the time. Typical me move.

 

[Go Lions!!!!]

The bigger the fish, the more you need a gaff...they definitely help. But I personally like to release any pike I get over about 34", so no gaff for me. But if you are fishing light line and you know you are going to kill any size legal pike...gaff away! Then again, if you are using a 6" pan fish hole, there isn't a lot of room for a big pike's head and a gaff. If you can get their nose started, it's pretty easy to slip the fingers under the gill and slide them out. If you got them that far/close on light line, they are probably pretty whipped at that point.

 

[Flag Up]

The bigger the fish, the more you need a gaff...they definitely help. But I personally like to release any pike I get over about 34", so no gaff for me. But if you are fishing light line and you know you are going to kill any size legal pike...gaff away! Then again, if you are using a 6" pan fish hole, there isn't a lot of room for a big pike's head and a gaff. If you can get their nose started, it's pretty easy to slip the fingers under the gill and slide them out. If you got them that far/close on light line, they are probably pretty whipped at that point.

I do the same thing. If I do use the gaff its to gently lift under the lower jaw and slide them out rather than lift. Years ago I pulled a 43" 24lb. northern thru a 6" hole with a pair of pliers. The large body just reduced itself around the hole and the thing slid out remarkably easy. That was on a tip up on Gull.

 

[Go Lions!!!!]

I do the same thing. If I do use the gaff its to gently lift under the lower jaw and slide them out rather than lift. Years ago I pulled a 43" 24lb. northern thru a 6" hole with a pair of pliers. The large body just reduced itself around the hole and the thing slid out remarkably easy. That was on a tip up on Gull.

That's a HOG!!! I've never pike fished Gull through the ice but have done well in the open water. I know there are some giants in there!!!

 

[Flag Up]

That's a HOG!!! I've never pike fished Gull through the ice but have done well in the open water. I know there are some giants in there!!!

Back in the 80's thru early 00's you never pulled a shorty. Now your lucky if you get one over 24". Landed three 40"ers in the 90's.

 

[Jiw275]

Agreed. I have one....of course not with me at the time. Typical me move.

The hook on your ice skimmer slid under the Gill plate will lift a pike out of the hole.

 

[Go Lions!!!!]

The hook on your ice skimmer slid under the Gill plate will lift a pike out of the hole.

That's actually pretty darn smart!!! Can't believe I never thought of that! Probably because I'm not all that sharp

 

[throughtheice88]

Not to do the fisherman one-up thing lol, but a few years ago my dad hooked a pike on an old schooley spring bobber rod. Worked that fish for about 20 minutes hand pulling the line, letting it take some line when it fought and bringing it up slowly. Ended up landing thay sucker, 32 inches. That was on 3 pound test. He even got that fish mounted more or less because how it was caught. Cool stuff.

 

[Plumbgranny]

Not to do the fisherman one-up thing lol, but a few years ago my dad hooked a pike on an old schooley spring bobber rod. Worked that fish for about 20 minutes hand pulling the line, letting it take some line when it fought and bringing it up slowly. Ended up landing thay sucker, 32 inches. That was on 3 pound test. He even got that fish mounted more or less because how it was caught. Cool stuff.

Edit!!!!! I meant to say 33" pike! It was on 2.9lb line and I fought it for 21 minutes.

JK. Any Idea what that 32" monster weighed? Let me know so I can look back at my notes and reply with the weight of the fish in the OP.

 

[throughtheice88]

I'll have to check on that!!

 

[CatfishKurt]

Awsome