killing northans

[bud-fish-er]

i have been fishing northans for a couple of years now.  i have noticed a decline in amount and weight.  i am not the guy saying don't kill them but if we keep on killing them there will be no more to catch.  i asked a local, in northan Vermont where the northans were, and he said "you cant catch them after you have skinned them".  now once again i am not saying to stop feeding your family, but we all know that alot of the fish taken off the lake are just thrown out or get freezer burn.  lets all think ahead 10 years.  do you still want to have as much fun catching northans as we do today?  i hope this post does not piss anyone off by lets think of the future of northans

thanks
bud-fish-er

[razzledazzle]

I see pics all over the Internet of nice northerns taken from Champlain and other inland lakes.  I don't fish them... but don't see a crisis either.

[freaknasty7]

i would have to say im behind razzle on this one

[freaknasty7]

except i do fish for them

[nhpikeking]

i fish for them and consistently and catch them 35 inches + champlains pike are healthy just gotta work for the big ones

[whitetail05401]

I like to think i fish for them... I give it hell and sometime i get lucky. I do take most of what i do get but never let it go to waste. I like eating it and my daughter loves cleaning and helping me ea them.......jim s

[rawrightII]

put them back down the hole. there too much fun to catch. there are some pike ponds in the north that everyone keeps everything they catch and those giants are now harder to come by. i know of alot of people who keep fish with great intentions, but most of the time they get thrown away.  i dont want to say anything negative to those who do eat them. but lets give some of those bruisers a chance to become real monsters.

[habaneromoon]

put them back down the hole. there too much fun to catch. there are some pike ponds in the north that everyone keeps everything they catch and those giants are now harder to come by. i know of alot of people who keep fish with great intentions, but most of the time they get thrown away.  i dont want to say anything negative to those who do eat them. but lets give some of those bruisers a chance to become real monsters.

i hate to disagree, but i have seen more northerns this year than any previous year, and...they are the best fresh water fish ive ever eaten!!!!

[woodyvt]

Well my theory is only keep what you will eat that night.  I personally throw them all back.  Everyones situation is different.

[whitetail05401]

I dont really think we need to worry about killing off pike. Have you cleaned one and seen how many damn eggs they have. OMG. 1 pike will produce more then i could ever get in one life time.......jim s

[dend54]

Pete are you fishing the derby?

[grasspikerel]

If you want big pike, you can try Massachusetts or Connecticut.  Vermont still has some lakes such as Champlian that produce many young pike.  When I say loaded I mean beyond the Vermont definition which tends to refer to one fish every week or so.  Some pike ponds can produce 6 or more with some consistency. Granted a bunch of lakes are about out of pike and that does kind of suck. 

[FondoFishin]

I'm from CT, going to school up here in VT, and can say with confidence that I prefer the pike fishery in CT. I dont know if its directly because of catch and release, but there are lots of catch and release minded pike anglers down there. Not to say that keeping one here or there is bad, but in general I find that I don't have to wait as long in CT for a shot at a big fish. Toss em back I'd say, fish walleye if you want a real good eater.

[grasspikerel]

Actually if you know the history of walleye in Vermont, you probably want to eat your words. 

[FondoFishin]

Posted by: grasspikerel
Actually if you know the history of walleye in Vermont, you probably want to eat your words

I don't know the history of Walleye in VT, but I'm assuming it is negative? I realize they are also a fragile fishery and my original comment might have sounded like I promoted the taking of any and all Walleye, but that's not the case. I do think they are better eating than pike though. 

[hardwateraddict]

 back in the day when i was a kid fishing Missisquoi bay northerns were considered "trash fish" to bony to eat the only people running tip-ups then were Canadians. around the early 80's fisherman in the area learned from the Canadians how to fillet the y-bone out & locals began to fish them. i remember hand cranking 9 holes with an 8 inch auger and flags going off before completely setting up. i could catch up to 20 northerns on a good day using 9 40-ups on goose bay & 10 lbs was common all season. we used to trap our shad (remember that) or buy them for.50 cents each. over time the pressure, people, & tip-ups increased & catch & quality decreased.
I'm not saying there aren't any big northens around just less then there were. remember catching buckets of big perch? stringers of walleye? same could possible be said about the water wolves.

just my personal 2 cent...

[iceman55]

I have fished Champlain for over 40 yrs, caught about every species of fish in there. Seen that lake change over the yrs. I like walleye,perch fishing the best using tip-ups. Well I'm here to tell you I have never had ANYYYY problem catching pike, I could probably own the hook com. by now. I don't keep them, and release every one of them. This yr. well over 50. The last day I fished I used over 4 dozen minnows, caught about 10 perch the rest pike. so I don't know what the problem is PS. Southern champlain if you want to know.

[beaver1080]

the pike will be fine, i have fished champlain for over 20 yrs and have never had a problem locating them. i think more people are keeping them to eat than before though. i for one do keep them now as they are a lot tastier than people think, once u know how to clean them. 

[ssinvt]

If it's over 4 lbs, it's probably going to get breaded.

[fish rascal]

I think the state of VT needs a trophy management plan for Pike. Maybe a slot? I think the first thing they can stop is, shooting pike in the spring. 

[fishermantim4]

People think of pike as bad eaters because they themselves don't understand and know how to clean them. Year in year out i've seen local panfish spots get less productive than the pike. Where im from if its legal its getting kept. If your not going to eat it someone else will.   

[BCinVT]

I fish for Northerns almost exclusively now,for the last 7-8 years.Tend to fish the lake up north mostly,and Carmi,and Fairfield Pond.I think the pike fishing has actually picked up a little over the last couple of years.Not saying they are all big fish,but the numbers seem to be up.We always seem to get a few fish over 10 every year.I did feel that all the pan fishing was hurting the pike fishing,but with the Alwives now,they seem to be making a comeback.We tend not to keep fish under 5lb.,and am planning on letting any 12+ go back as well,(that is after a pic or two).I really enjoy eating pike so I will always keep some to eat.Just my two cents.And,I really don't think shooting them in the spring hurts their pop.any.Good Fishin

[fishstalker]

We can thank the older generations for our problems today

[Bailbuster]

I dont really think we need to worry about killing off pike. Have you cleaned one and seen how many d**n eggs they have. OMG. 1 pike will produce more then i could ever get in one life time.......jim s

I read an on line where survival rate first 4 weeks is less than 40 % and only .2%  make it to trophy size fish

[Bailbuster]

We can thank the older generations for our problems today

What are you smokin??

[vtfish31]

I think the state of VT needs a trophy management plan for Pike. Maybe a slot? I think the first thing they can stop is, shooting pike in the spring. 

I couldnt agree more. I made that suggestion to the state in an online survey.

[northern nightmare]

Slot limit is the key. I think that releasing the 28"-34" would certinly help establish more "trophy" pike. I would say that more of the 22"-28" fish need to be culled. I primarily fish northerns, i havnt kept 1 in 10 years, i like perch and walleye better. I have kept 2 over 10lbs to mount and release everything else. I caught my Personal best last year (16lbs) took some pics and let her go, let other people catch her.

[mempfree]

Is there anyone on this forum, who shoots pike during the State of Vermont Season?  Just wondering?  What do they think, about stopping there sport?  Is this shooting pike, in just Lake Champlain?  Just wondering?

[Bailbuster]

lower the creel, raise the length.

As far as shooting and spearing ,just leave it alone,I have been in the back waters and have only seen a handful of people doing it,If you want to save something save Pete.BB

[whitetail05401]

from what i hear you dont really shoot he fish you shoot under it and shock it.....jim  s