Sabattus and more declined heavily

[Anomaly]

depends on what water body iam fishing as to weather they live or die

The biggest bummer in all this is the fact that pike free spawn meaning w/o nests of any kind. They just swim around in weedy areas an spread spawn. They also travel ALL OVER THE PLACE! When I used to trap, I would occassionally catch one in muskrat runs 6 - 8" wide with conibears  couple miles from the larger body of water.
They aren't going anywhere except to spread and stay part of the water bay they are in. I've heard it may be possible to knock them back some by dropping the water level in a pond/lake just after the spawn... Good luck with that!

[Bourbon and Bass]

We have to agree to disagree here. I will kill any pike I see. And I will give a pat on the back to anyone I see kill one too. They are INVASIVE and they are here because of idiots like you know-it-alls.

Are you killing every bass you see? What about brown and rainbow trout, since they are not native fish? Can't forget about splake too, you got a pile of them on the ice for the wardens to see and a song and dance to tell them when they run up on you for wasting natural resources and being above limit? Hell, let's not stop there, you killing all landlocks you catch in a place that's not Sebago/Sebec/Branch/West Grand? Stocked trout waters where no trout existed prior to IFW yeeting them in there should be a killing floor for you as well, no?

You get the point there? Absolutism is pointless. No one is arguing for the pike/bass/musky to spread. Most of us agree that bucket bios should be heavily punished, from draconian fines to being drawn and quartered. The fact remains that, in the watersheds they are already in, they are not going anywhere, so the state should hike up their big boy panties and make the best of a really crappy situation. Take those established fisheries and actually put regulations on them. The state has no problem having different rules for separate waters, so let's add an S-34: Anglers may only take 2 pike per day, must be between 18"-30". This would protect the young and the breeders, keeping an EXISTING fishery healthy. Would it be better if pike were never brought in? Absolutely yes. At this point, they are established. And to be clear, we were mainly talking about Sabbatus, which I'm sure you know is an absolute toilet and has never supported a native salmonid population, but even the Belgrades and Cobby are beyond the point of reclaiming. Like Hardwatergrampa said, the water determines if they live or die. Pushaw stream, the Penobscot, the St George, they all die and end up raccoon or bird food. Any place where they've become established and there is no hope of bringing it back? I won't the arbiter of death for a fish that I will not be consuming, or who's death serves no purpose.

[207browntrout]

I love the guys that get a hard on for catching 8" tank scrubbers but want to kill all the pike....lol. Pike aren't going anywhere no matter how many dip schitz "stack em like cord wood".    Personally I would much rather catch large northerns then stocked trout any day of the week. Now I do agree there are places we should try and keep them out of. But places like sabattus, belgrades, the andro, etc should be managed for trophy pike. 

[Linedogg104]

There wasn't a pike to be found when I bought my place in litchfield on cobbssee. That was in 1990. The large mouth and smallmouth fishing was amazing. I would argue the best in the state. But eh what heck. Now maybe I catch a few nice pike while I'm at it. There is still really good bass fishing

[nbourque]

Bourbon and 207browntrout said it best. Time to wake up guys. It is what it is. Let’s make the best of it.

[GNFISHIN]

https://u.cubeupload.com/Gnfishin/26A2B3FCC1E84B0DAFEE.jpeg

[Bourbon and Bass]

There wasn't a pike to be found when I bought my place in litchfield on cobbssee. That was in 1990. The large mouth and smallmouth fishing was amazing. I would argue the best in the state. But eh what heck. Now maybe I catch a few nice pike while I'm at it. There is still really good bass fishing

I take my canoe into Little Cobby quite often, and I still have better luck for bass (and crappie) than for pike, even when targeting pike.

[Linedogg104]

I take my canoe into Little Cobby quite often, and I still have better luck for bass (and crappie) than for pike, even when targeting pike.

Oh absolutely I agree 100%

[rhodeislander]

Personally I would much rather catch large northerns then stocked trout any day of the week

ME TOO!

[Outdoorsman70]

You guys are right the state should regulate them .

[FishinIsLife]

2 cents.  There is a difference between an invasive and just a non native put and take. However if they are here to stay and a body of water such as sabbattus and others that have nothing but invasive species that are naturally reproducing and cost $0 to keep in the lake then why not make a s34 slot limit to make a trophy pike fishery? The eagles would be sad but I'm sure they'll still get plenty.
And like stated before the pike aren't the sole reason trout and salmon fisheries have declined.   Shoreline development of the lakes and feeder streams are a big one. Trout need cold clean well oxygenated water to survive.
The state should make no littering signs that say "litter kills brookies and make pike thrive" with a picture of a pike sticking out from behind a tire with a brookie in its mouth,  and post them at every stream crossing bridge.

[nbourque]

2 cents.  There is a difference between an invasive and just a non native put and take. However if they are here to stay and a body of water such as sabbattus and others that have nothing but invasive species that are naturally reproducing and cost $0 to keep in the lake then why not make a s34 slot limit to make a trophy pike fishery? The eagles would be sad but I'm sure they'll still get plenty.
And like stated before the pike aren't the sole reason trout and salmon fisheries have declined.   Shoreline development of the lakes and feeder streams are a big one. Trout need cold clean well oxygenated water to survive.
The state should make no littering signs that say "litter kills brookies and make pike thrive" with a picture of a pike sticking out from behind a tire with a brookie in its mouth,  and post them at every stream crossing bridge.

Lol I like the sign idea

[RB]

"The state should make no littering signs that say "litter kills brookies and make pike thrive" with a picture of a pike sticking out from behind a tire with a brookie in its mouth,  and post them at every stream crossing bridge."

The state should put a bounty on the Budlight Idiot littering our state!! I spend a lot of time in the woods biking, hiking, fishing, 4 wheeling, etc.  No matter how remote you get you'll still find Budlight cans strewn all over the place!!

[woodchip]

Heard they can't tell the different between Aluminum poisoning and Alsheimer's all people that drink from cans which are coated but when you open a can your drink runs across raw metal?? that's why we have people without Knowledge all around us.....

[Linedogg104]

Put a bounty on bud light period! Drink real beer and you won't make stupid decisions.

[onecast74]

Something I never understood. . . Cans weigh A LOT LESS when they are empty.  You carried them in full.  It should be much easier to pack them out empty. .

[FishinIsLife]

I witnessed a group of young guys piling pike on the ice and talking about what a great trout water it was. This isn't sabattus, still currently stocked with non native trout species.  Went over to their area after they left to see if there were any sizable pike caught and the place was littered with cigarette butts and some other small pieces of trash.  If you use the woods and waters as a trash can don't complain about it not being what it used to be.  I've been in public deer woods and found empties at the base of a ladder stand, picked up every one and wrapped them around the rungs of the ladder. 

[woodchip]

We need more people like you around.  My pockets usually have litter in them that i pick up in the woods when i come out.

[Bourbon and Bass]

Put a bounty on bud light period! Drink real beer and you won't make stupid decisions.

I don't think I've ever had a good "light" beer. Is there even that much of a savings in calories to drink a worse tasting drink? Also, if you are drinking enough of those to catch a buzz, why not just drink a couple much stronger beers vs pounding those all day? Granted I like darker and more full bodied beers (and no shade to Lagers and Pils in general, I'll have a ice cold PBR, High Life, Presidente, or full flavored Bud when its hot), but I can drink two imperial stouts (or other imperial ale or lager) and get the same alcohol content as 5 bud lights AND my taste buds would be happier. 

I see enough bud light cans and fireball nips along most of my fishing spots that, if all collected, could be used to wall off the town of Sabattus and the lake from the rest of the state.