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Vermont => Ice Fishing Vermont => Topic started by: rbobby on Feb 10, 2017, 08:08 PM

Title: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: rbobby on Feb 10, 2017, 08:08 PM
We were set up for trout today on the res. Caught a 14" northern pike?
Never knew they were in there?
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: perch bait on Feb 10, 2017, 08:16 PM
Uh-Oh. They're not supposed to be in there according to the VT rule book. Hopefully they won't go eating all of the trout and smelt in there. Sounds like it was finally starting to make a come back.  :(
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: Registered Kayak on Feb 10, 2017, 08:39 PM
Hope everyone enjoyed pre pike era trout fishing
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: Troutmagnet on Feb 10, 2017, 08:39 PM
Uh-Oh. They're not supposed to be in there according to the VT rule book. Hopefully they won't go eating all of the trout and smelt in there. Sounds like it was finally starting to make a come back.  :(
X2.  >:(
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: ice fiend on Feb 10, 2017, 08:42 PM
Well goodbye trout another case of bucket stocking
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: Light liner on Feb 10, 2017, 08:46 PM
There's one on the master Angler from there.
Guess it's true?
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: cbice on Feb 10, 2017, 08:55 PM
Boy that really sucks.   Another trough fishery screwed over by redneck biology.   What sucks if you catch them under the length limit then you have to release them.  So they can reproduce 😨
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: MadflyfishingVT on Feb 10, 2017, 09:10 PM
Oh hell no! This better not be real! If I catch one I don't think it going down the hole either way....
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: troutcrazy on Feb 10, 2017, 09:15 PM
crap.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: TRT on Feb 11, 2017, 06:43 AM
I think Bobby knows  a pike from a pic.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: thefishingweatherman on Feb 11, 2017, 07:03 AM
Yep, there's one on the master angler page from there this year... Sorry guys, someone didn't want to travel far to catch big fish, so you all can just stomp the ground...  >:(

Guess now the debate is on whether to put walleye in there... That's how this works, right?
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: spot on Feb 11, 2017, 07:06 AM
Yep, there's one on the master angler page from there this year... Sorry guys, someone didn't want to travel far to catch big fish, so you all can just stomp the ground...  >:(

Guess now the debate is on whether to put walleye in there... That's how this works, right?


Knew someone was going to try that one.

***

Those who take it upon themselves to put their own stamp on our waters and resources should be found and punished in a way that makes medieval times seem tender and kind.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: MadflyfishingVT on Feb 11, 2017, 07:25 AM
I am 90% sure that the pike on Master Angalers Program is not from the Waterbury Reservoir, and is a typo... I know the guy, and he is one of our biologist sons and I don't think he caught it there... that said if rbobby caught one then that is not good at all. State better do something! So sick of every lake that has trout being contaminated by bass or pike!
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: pokholes on Feb 11, 2017, 07:46 AM
We were set up for trout today on the res. Caught a 14" northern pike?
Never knew they were in there?
WHAT ??? ???
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: pokholes on Feb 11, 2017, 07:50 AM
Yep, there's one on the master angler page from there this year... Sorry guys, someone didn't want to travel far to catch big fish, so you all can just stomp the ground...  >:(

Guess now the debate is on whether to put walleye in there... That's how this works, right?
Should STOMP the ice hole that put them in there! Pure BS right there
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: spot on Feb 11, 2017, 07:56 AM
Unfortunately if there are 14" specimen in there it means they've been breeding, and we're seeing the first generation starting to make its presence known... and unfortunately they will most likely thrive there.

the punishment that should be visited upon the perpetrators cannot be accurately described in the words provided by the English language.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: thefishingweatherman on Feb 11, 2017, 08:07 AM
I am 90% sure that the pike on Master Angalers Program is not from the Waterbury Reservoir, and is a typo... I know the guy, and he is one of our biologist sons and I don't think he caught it there... that said if rbobby caught one then that is not good at all. State better do something! So sick of every lake that has trout being contaminated by bass or pike!

Let's hope that is the case here, and that rbobby's fish was a pickerel!
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: MadflyfishingVT on Feb 11, 2017, 08:31 AM
Let's hope that is the case here, and that rbobby's fish was a pickerel!

Hope it was a pickeral!? Hope those are not in there now also!
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: thefishingweatherman on Feb 11, 2017, 08:36 AM
Hope it was a pickeral!? Hope those are not in there now also!

Would much rather have it turn out to be a pickerel than a pike!
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: dickbaker on Feb 11, 2017, 09:44 AM
Yep, there's one on the master angler page from there this year... Sorry guys, someone didn't want to travel far to catch big fish, so you all can just stomp the ground...  >:(

Guess now the debate is on whether to put walleye in there... That's how this works, right?
[/quot

  I don't think "that's how it works"?   Vt. biologists will make that decision.   I don't want to think that "bucket biologists" will make that decision??   
Dick
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: rbobby on Feb 11, 2017, 01:07 PM
Sure it was a pike and not a pickerel ?  @)

Definitely a pike.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: shiveringjoe on Feb 11, 2017, 03:20 PM
Definitely a pike.
That sucks. I'll send an email to shawn good, would be nice to know if F&W wants us to kill anything that is obviously bucket introduced.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: Pikefisher802 on Feb 14, 2017, 05:03 AM
Anyone confirm this yet????
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: spot on Feb 14, 2017, 05:38 AM
here's hoping that it was something that got too big in somebody's fish tank as a pet and they let it go, making it the only one.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: LittleFishin on Feb 16, 2017, 10:36 AM
Waterbury res has been getting worse by the year- Last winter I saw multiple people with red snake like parasites in their perch. I wouldn't eat any fish from there after that.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: pokholes on Feb 16, 2017, 05:46 PM
Never had any wormy perch from there.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: JMailbox8 on Feb 16, 2017, 06:53 PM
I pulled a lake trout out of Seymour once that had long red worms in its abdominal cavity. It also had rubber bass worms in its stomach and I think it was awful anemic because its flesh was white instead of that orangish color. It was pretty gross.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: Registered Kayak on Feb 16, 2017, 07:37 PM
I had a perch carcass I just filleted from Colchester pond that was slowly moving...... Couple tapeworms. And white worms in the flesh..... It all went into the trash. Never again!!
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: wmhunts on Feb 17, 2017, 05:47 AM
Is it possible pike found there way in there naturally.
They are a more "native" species than trout. And before we came along stocked themselves all over.
Pike heard about all the spineless softflesh trout in Waterbury and came down on the Mayflower!
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: spot on Feb 17, 2017, 07:16 AM
Is it possible pike found there way in there naturally.


They do exist in the Winooski, at least I've caught pike near Bolton, but I don't think they can get to Waterbury by themselves... I don't think any fish can get there by itself with two dams to cross.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: Registered Kayak on Feb 17, 2017, 08:18 AM
Unless an eagle dropped it in there, which... Is a possibility.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: Afv on Feb 17, 2017, 09:30 AM
 Maybe Bigfoot put it in there ?
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: FlyPredatorVT on Feb 17, 2017, 10:08 AM
Bait bucket biology by bigfoot... silly  sasquatch, stick with berries...
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: Crayfish2 on Feb 17, 2017, 11:17 AM
I had a perch carcass I just filleted from Colchester pond that was slowly moving...... Couple tapeworms. And white worms in the flesh..... It all went into the trash. Never again!!

Agreed!  I'll never keep anything out of Colchester Pond.  I remember "Perch Bait's" first big smallmouth.  We had the canoe on Colchester Pond drowning some worms when his "Snoopy Pole" slammed down against the side of the boat and he started screaming for help (he was probably 12 at the time ;D).  He pulled it together and ended up landing the biggest smallie I'd seen in a LONG time!  We decided to keep it.  What a mistake ... so full of white worms in the meat that we had to throw the whole thing away.  Made me sick for killing that fish for nothing.  There and Arrowhead Lake, pretty much everything gets thrown back for that reason.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: Light liner on Feb 17, 2017, 04:58 PM
I've been hearing that pike get caught every now end then at the reservoir.
It's been like that last couple years.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: lowaccord66 on Feb 21, 2017, 07:12 PM
They do exist in the Winooski, at least I've caught pike near Bolton, but I don't think they can get to Waterbury by themselves... I don't think any fish can get there by itself with two dams to cross.

Everyone automatically assumes it was a person who did it...the mob mentality on that front is rediculous.  Who knows how they got in there?  Does that part really matter to the fishery?  I'm sure the tank scrubbers that are stocked there don't know any different.  I will make note of the location though because pike that eat trout grow fast! 
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: troutcrazy on Feb 21, 2017, 09:51 PM
Everyone automatically assumes it was a person who did it...the mob mentality on that front is rediculous.  Who knows how they got in there?  Does that part really matter to the fishery?  I'm sure the tank scrubbers that are stocked there don't know any different.  I will make note of the location though because pike that eat trout grow fast! 
Do you have a different theory as to how they got there?  Because I can't think of another likely scenario, other than human activity.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: rbobby on Feb 22, 2017, 09:27 AM
I guess they've been they're a while, just not a huge population of fish.
That's why there's not much trout!
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: lowaccord66 on Feb 22, 2017, 10:37 AM
Do you have a different theory as to how they got there?  Because I can't think of another likely scenario, other than human activity.

I am not one to make a baseless speculation but if you talk to a fish bio or do a Google search there are plenty of other ways a species can setup in a different body of water including flooding which your state has seen a bit of in the past. 
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: shiveringjoe on Feb 22, 2017, 10:46 AM
I am not one to make a baseless speculation but if you talk to a fish bio or do a Google search there are plenty of other ways a species can setup in a different body of water.
Yes there are many natural ways for fish to move, but Waterbury reservoir is at least 15 miles from the closest water with established pike populations and there is a big dam between it and the winooski.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: lowaccord66 on Feb 22, 2017, 10:57 AM
"From August 28 to 29, 2011, Tropical Storm Irene delivered rainfall ranging from approximately 4 to more than 7 inches in the Winooski River Basin in Vermont. The rainfall resulted in severe fooding throughout the basin and signifcant damage along the Winooski River. In response to the fooding, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, conducted a new food study to aid in food recovery and restoration and to assist in food forecasting. The study resulted in two sets of food maps that depict the fooding for an 8.3-mile reach of the Winooski River from about 1,000 feet downstream of the Waterbury-Bolton, Vermont, town line upstream to about 2,000 feet upstream of the Waterbury-Middlesex, Vt., town line."

Point being I'd think flooding moved some pike into the res. Before blindly jumping on the all so popular bucket biologist track....
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: VTMatt on Feb 22, 2017, 11:00 AM
"From August 28 to 29, 2011, Tropical Storm Irene delivered rainfall ranging from approximately 4 to more than 7 inches in the Winooski River Basin in Vermont. The rainfall resulted in severe fooding throughout the basin and signifcant damage along the Winooski River. In response to the fooding, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, conducted a new food study to aid in food recovery and restoration and to assist in food forecasting. The study resulted in two sets of food maps that depict the fooding for an 8.3-mile reach of the Winooski River from about 1,000 feet downstream of the Waterbury-Bolton, Vermont, town line upstream to about 2,000 feet upstream of the Waterbury-Middlesex, Vt., town line."

Point being I'd think flooding moved some pike into the res. Before blindly jumping on the all so popular bucket biologist track....

More chance of a pike growing wings and flying into the res than it migrating flooded water, lol.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: lowaccord66 on Feb 22, 2017, 11:02 AM
More chance of a pike growing wings and flying into the res than it migrating flooded water, lol.
 

Ha!  I expected a logical retort from you!  Nice work!   ;D
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: VTMatt on Feb 22, 2017, 11:03 AM
 

Ha!  I expected a logical retort from you!  Nice work!   ;D

The logical response was posted just before your last one, so no need to explain anything.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: shiveringjoe on Feb 22, 2017, 11:11 AM
Just for your information, the dam is over 100' tall with a near vertical spillway and there is a really steep gorge on the little river before you get to the winooski. I also doubt there are any pike on that section of the winooski. Yes Irene caused some big flows in that area but there is nothing in the watershed that "should" have pike.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: rbobby on Feb 22, 2017, 11:13 AM
Just for your information, the dam is over 100' tall with a near vertical spillway and there is a really steep gorge on the little river before you get to the winooski. I also doubt there are any pike on that section of the winooski. Yes Irene caused some big flows in that area but there is nothing in the watershed that "should" have pike.

Oooooh hit a nerve!
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: shiveringjoe on Feb 22, 2017, 11:17 AM
I'm not usually one to argue on the internet with strangers but I am definitely annoyed that you found a pike in there.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: rbobby on Feb 22, 2017, 11:21 AM
That makes 2 of us.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: spot on Feb 22, 2017, 11:29 AM
Just for your information, the dam is over 100' tall with a near vertical spillway and there is a really steep gorge on the little river before you get to the winooski. I also doubt there are any pike on that section of the winooski. Yes Irene caused some big flows in that area but there is nothing in the watershed that "should" have pike.

There's another, smaller concrete dam at the head of that gorge, which makes two impassable barriers fish would need to fly over.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: thefishingweatherman on Feb 22, 2017, 12:19 PM
I gotta agree with shiveringjoe and vtmatt on the flooding thing. While Irene did produce astounding amounts of rain across the area, the dam at waterbury res is far too tall and steep for any fish to swim past, even if water was being discharged on the spillway, which drops 140 feet over a distance of 770 feet of exposed bedrock. I can't really imagine a pike getting up that, especially during the extremely high and dirty discharge that would have happened there with Irene. Most of the time, the spillway is not even operational - all the water goes through the turbine. Upstream of the res are mostly mountain brooks and one mid sized river, none of which drain any pike water, that I am aware of anyways.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: lowaccord66 on Feb 22, 2017, 12:27 PM
Just for your information, the dam is over 100' tall with a near vertical spillway and there is a really steep gorge on the little river before you get to the winooski. I also doubt there are any pike on that section of the winooski. Yes Irene caused some big flows in that area but there is nothing in the watershed that "should" have pike.

I am now informed.  I could very well be wrong in making my point and that's fine.  This has been better reading than:

"Dang bucket biologists let's get them"  which is a defeatist attitude that casts a black cloud on all fishermen with any anti's.  We keep beating that drum and the next thing you know water bodies will be closed "to prevent the man made introduction of non native species" 
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: thefishingweatherman on Feb 22, 2017, 02:07 PM
"Dang bucket biologists let's get them"  which is a defeatist attitude that casts a black cloud on all fishermen with any anti's.  We keep beating that drum and the next thing you know water bodies will be closed "to prevent the man made introduction of non native species"

You seem to be suggesting that we ought to ignore the fact that stocking fish into new waterbodies is illegal, lest some cabal of anti-fishing folks get some extra ammo? Can't really buy into that idea. Fact is, the evidence points to illegal stocking in this case, and whoever did it should be held accountable if and when they are caught, however unlikely that may be. If we all just sit silent on the sidelines, next thing you know we'll all only have asian carp to catch someday.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: peteinvermont on Feb 22, 2017, 02:26 PM
I know the odds are long, but would it be possible that the pike was introduced to the res by way of bait buckets?  Meaning, a very small pike is caught in a minnow trap, and the bait was (illegally) used then the remaining bait dumped? 

Not that it matters at all, but I was trying to be optimistic and think of a way pike might have been unintentionally into'd there. 
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: Crayfish2 on Feb 22, 2017, 02:41 PM
I know the odds are long, but would it be possible that the pike was introduced to the res by way of bait buckets?  Meaning, a very small pike is caught in a minnow trap, and the bait was (illegally) used then the remaining bait dumped? 

Not that it matters at all, but I was trying to be optimistic and think of a way pike might have been unintentionally into'd there.

I was thinking along those same lines.  Seems highly possible.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: thefishingweatherman on Feb 22, 2017, 04:48 PM
I know the odds are long, but would it be possible that the pike was introduced to the res by way of bait buckets?  Meaning, a very small pike is caught in a minnow trap, and the bait was (illegally) used then the remaining bait dumped? 

Definitely possible, but this is why the state has rules about transporting bait you caught yourself from one waterbody to another. If you are catching your own bait, you're only supposed to use it on the same waterbody. Otherwise, you purchase it from a licensed vendor, and I don't know any of those that sell baby pike. Unless birds dropped at least 2 pike in there, seems pretty likely this is the result of lawbreaking, given the watershed.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: lowaccord66 on Feb 22, 2017, 05:36 PM
You seem to be suggesting that we ought to ignore the fact that stocking fish into new waterbodies is illegal, lest some cabal of anti-fishing folks get some extra ammo? Can't really buy into that idea. Fact is, the evidence points to illegal stocking in this case, and whoever did it should be held accountable if and when they are caught, however unlikely that may be. If we all just sit silent on the sidelines, next thing you know we'll all only have asian carp to catch someday.

I can see how it comes off that way and can appreciate the thoughtfulness.  Unfortunately it's difficult to get things across the line 100% with typed words.  Anyways, I am not suggesting that. What I am suggesting is, that it's the default answer posed in a number of these cases, oftentimes without warrant.  In this case maybe not and again I do understand and am happy to be wrong for the sake of discussion.  I think we can all do a better job of being vocal about these things without providing fodder for those that wish to prevent us from fishing.  Birds and the fish thing is interesting. 

I agree with you we can't be silent.  Self policing is very important.  Avoiding the mob mentality and not being perceived as a bunch of beer drinking idiots is also important. 

However, I do laugh over the irony. Our government can decide to shove tank scrubbers where ever they wish.  Anyone ever read about what's happening to the Pacific Salmon with all the supplemental stocking from the feds...of the same species...it's an angle I think should be understood if this topic is to be discussed.

You should google up Kingfisher moving fish and read about it...neat stuff. 



Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: thefishingweatherman on Feb 22, 2017, 06:23 PM
I can see how it comes off that way and can appreciate the thoughtfulness.  Unfortunately it's difficult to get things across the line 100% with typed words.  Anyways, I am not suggesting that. What I am suggesting is, that it's the default answer posed in a number of these cases, oftentimes without warrant.  In this case maybe not and again I do understand and am happy to be wrong for the sake of discussion.  I think we can all do a better job of being vocal about these things without providing fodder for those that wish to prevent us from fishing.  Birds and the fish thing is interesting. 

I agree with you we can't be silent.  Self policing is very important.  Avoiding the mob mentality and not being perceived as a bunch of beer drinking idiots is also important. 

However, I do laugh over the irony. Our government can decide to shove tank scrubbers where ever they wish.  Anyone ever read about what's happening to the Pacific Salmon with all the supplemental stocking from the feds...of the same species...it's an angle I think should be understood if this topic is to be discussed.

You should google up Kingfisher moving fish and read about it...neat stuff.

I appreciate the thoughtful response! I agree that self-policing is the key, or even better, adhering to the law. While I agree that the govt doesn't always get it right, at least science is used to inform decisions these days. Too many people think they know more than anyone else, and decide to take matters into their own hands, like I suspect happened here at the Res with an illegal stocking of pike. Just takes one bad apple with big, grandiose ideas to screw over a whole waterway.

I am reading a book right now called "Totem Salmon" which goes into the history of Pacific Salmon from the time of Native American's arrival to present. It also goes into the decline of the fish's once mind boggling numbers, once the white man arrived, and saw the fish as nothing more than food. The need for regulations became clear, and the government started programs to manage the fish. Initially, not much science was behind these programs, so there was a lot of experimenting happening. Eastern salmon and trout were transplanted out west, and pacific trout and salmon transplanted back east, screwing up fisheries in both places. Today, more science is used, which leads to more well studied approaches, and more conservative programs, which isn't a bad thing. The government is not immune to bad ideas though, which is why we all must keep a watchful eye. Even so, it still beats someone taking matters into their own hands, like is what I think happened with the Res, hence the need for these discussions, and vigilance. In Maine, where fishing regs are more strict than here in VT, pike are spreading to such a degree that in some waterbodies, you are legally REQUIRED to kill them when you catch them... Might not be a bad idea in this case, in my opinion...
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: ice fiend on Feb 22, 2017, 07:24 PM
Anybody wonder how pike ended up In the lamoille river  somebody dumped a ton of em into lake lamoille and after Irene they got pushed down stream into the river itself I've seen huge pike in the lamoille in Johnson
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: spot on Feb 22, 2017, 07:25 PM
I think that requiring fishermen to kill any species of a NEWLY invasive nature is a good idea. It might not get rid of the threat but it might slow its growth. If indeed pike are breeding in Waterbury, allowing them to reach legal size before keeping them gives them at least one breeding season.

I'm not suggesting the elimination of non-native species everywhere, just to be clear. This line of thought is entirely for the new infestations, because those are the ones where it has a chance of working as intended.

The state has quite a lot of pike water which is not a bad thing, but pike don't need to be everywhere and shouldn't be.

Not too long ago pickerel appeared in my favorite little brook trout pond that's out in the middle of nowhere. Someone had to carry them in quite a long way, because the nearest road is several miles away.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: EyERipLip on Feb 22, 2017, 08:08 PM
man there's a lot of pike haters out there!!!
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: thefishingweatherman on Feb 22, 2017, 08:13 PM
man there's a lot of pike haters out there!!!

Given their tendency to take over whatever waterbody they end up in, to the detriment of most other species, containing them is not such a bad thing, I would say?
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: spot on Feb 22, 2017, 08:28 PM
man there's a lot of pike haters out there!!!

Pike are one of my favorite fish- I enjoy fishing for them, but we don't need every water-body in the state to be pike water. A bit of diversity is a good thing. I'm not entirely sure that pike in Waterbury would be the doomsday scenario a lot of people seem to be seeing, but we really do already have a lot of good pike water around.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: lowaccord66 on Feb 23, 2017, 06:44 AM
man there's a lot of pike haters out there!!!

I think it's a general hate of invasives being spread more so than a pike thing...just so happens that's the species in this discussion.  I personally love them!
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: peteinvermont on Feb 23, 2017, 07:05 AM
I love pike too - but its getting harder and harder to find good trout waters, while good pike fishing is everywhere.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: EyERipLip on Feb 23, 2017, 07:39 PM
Given their tendency to take over whatever waterbody they end up in, to the detriment of most other species, containing them is not such a bad thing, I would say?
The detriment of most other species??? Seriously I fish for trout in the same rivers and lakes as I do pike and find plenty of both. impo just more fun to catch a 40" pike than a 18" trout
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: pokholes on Feb 23, 2017, 10:02 PM
I love pike too - but its getting harder and harder to find good trout waters, while good pike fishing is everywhere.
X2 on that Pete!
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: VTMatt on Feb 24, 2017, 05:21 AM
The detriment of most other species??? Seriously I fish for trout in the same rivers and lakes as I do pike and find plenty of both. impo just more fun to catch a 40" pike than a 18" trout

Good analogy. Thats like saying lifting 40 lbs is harder than 18.  ???
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: wmhunts on Feb 24, 2017, 06:26 AM
Man you guys are getting fired up.
When I lived in VA I hunted illegally introduced wild boar in a small farming town
Damn that was the best hunting obsession of my life!
And I got a 440lb full body mount with 5" tusks after 4 years of killing.
Grow some monsters!! chomp on some grain fed, concrete tank, spineless bait fish!
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: shadylane on Feb 24, 2017, 06:48 AM
Man you guys are getting fired up.

Poor ice season, people are a bit touchy haha
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: spot on Feb 24, 2017, 07:19 AM
Anybody wonder how pike ended up In the lamoille river  somebody dumped a ton of em into lake lamoille and after Irene they got pushed down stream into the river itself I've seen huge pike in the lamoille in Johnson

The difference between there and Waterbury is that the pike would need to travel upstream over a formidable concrete dam near the gorge and the mammoth Waterbury Dam itself and unless they sprout wings the only way they're going to do it is to be carried. I have caught a few small ones in the flats on the Winooski near Richmond, almost in Bolton, and some further down that were bigger in Williston (near IBM), but that's still a long flight from there to Waterbury, especially for a fish.

**

I shot a wild pig two years ago for a farmer in Elmore- big, ugly, mean, nasty critter. It was tearing up his property and he was worried about his little kids so my M1 Garand came out of the rack and took care of it- not bad eating, but I'd rather VT didn't develop a larger population of them.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: thefishingweatherman on Feb 25, 2017, 04:43 PM
The detriment of most other species??? Seriously I fish for trout in the same rivers and lakes as I do pike and find plenty of both. impo just more fun to catch a 40" pike than a 18" trout

If trout and pike are in the same river where you're fishing, chances are, it's either stocked with trout, or connected to a lake with a trout population. Pike love to eat trout, and basically, anything smaller than them. I like to catch big fish too, but that doesn't mean we ought to be putting pike everywhere. Yeah, you can still catch trout in pike water, but if it's a small waterbody, the trout tend to be severely limited in terms of numbers and size by the pike. Look no farther than Norton Pond in the NEK for an example of this.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: pikeaddict on Feb 25, 2017, 08:09 PM
Look no farther than Norton Pond in the NEK for an example of this.

What does Norton produce for trout? Honest question.
I know trout and pike are in Bomo, Glenn, and Dunmore. All of which produce NICE trout. Is the problem you just end up with mature trout and that's it?
Don't pay any attention to my handle. Sound biology trumps my passion for pursuing a particular species. I don't think that we should have pike in every body of water. Well aware they have a taste for trout, and can potentially pose a threat. They are a formidable predator for sure.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: spot on Feb 26, 2017, 07:00 AM
splash your toes in the water near a hungry pike and you could very well get your foot attacked... pike will eat anything.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: JMailbox8 on Feb 26, 2017, 07:06 AM
What does Norton produce for trout? Honest question.
I know trout and pike are in Bomo, Glenn, and Dunmore. All of which produce NICE trout. Is the problem you just end up with mature trout and that's it?
Don't pay any attention to my handle. Sound biology trumps my passion for pursuing a particular species. I don't think that we should have pike in every body of water. Well aware they have a taste for trout, and can potentially pose a threat. They are a formidable predator for sure.

Norton Pond was a trout lake until someone dumped some pike into it, from what I understand.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: thefishingweatherman on Feb 26, 2017, 09:05 AM
I know trout and pike are in Bomo, Glenn, and Dunmore. All of which produce NICE trout. Is the problem you just end up with mature trout and that's it?

I think Pike tend to take over most effectively in shallow lakes like Norton. In deeper lakes, I suspect that the trout can find refuge from the pike in deeper water, which might explain Bomo, Glenn, and Dunmore. Spawning areas for pike might also be a limiting factor on them. But, in shallow brook trout ponds and lakes, the pike seem to go hog-wild.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: rbobby on Feb 26, 2017, 09:37 AM
There's 2 different types of pike.
Common shallow water predator pike.
And there's your deep water "lake pike"
These are harder to target in winter months and there are not
As many.
These tend to get much bigger.
My guess that's what's going on there they've adapted to survive
In the deeper water feeding on smelt, perch and trout.
I like fishing there for trout in the winter ive always have done well.
So Im bummed there's pike in there.
You can't fish that lake during the summer months because it's getting destroyed by ski boats and Jet skis.
Nobody ever monitored the boats coming in and out of there so there's vegetation growth from other bodies of water already taking over.
They need to restrict large boats and Jet skis from that
 Lake it's destroying it.
But the state does not care because they make a lot of revenue off the state Park and water skiers camping there.
That's just my 2 cents.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: spot on Feb 26, 2017, 09:41 AM
I think Pike tend to take over most effectively in shallow lakes like Norton. In deeper lakes, I suspect that the trout can find refuge from the pike in deeper water, which might explain Bomo, Glenn, and Dunmore. Spawning areas for pike might also be a limiting factor on them. But, in shallow brook trout ponds and lakes, the pike seem to go hog-wild.

I've caught pike down to 35-40 feet, but that's about it, and the norm is 5-30 feet, so I'd have to agree with the above. I think that Waterbury, being considerably deeper than that is probably safe from total trout wipe out, but places like Norton are less safe.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: TRT on Feb 26, 2017, 12:33 PM
Pike love all soft spined fish: smelt, trout, young of the perch.
 I fish for pike extensively, glad they are widely available. I truly hope guys
are not playing bait bucket biologists.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: varmonter on Feb 26, 2017, 06:26 PM
Hmm i agree..i also caught a beaver there once.
It too bit me in the butt and took off with my oar.
I am thinking this was an isolated incident.probably
Needed a "pair" of oars...so watch for a beaver in a rowboat
At the rez.... ::)
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: wmhunts on Feb 26, 2017, 08:04 PM
How long does it take for a 14" pike to reach 40"+ and over 20 lbs in a reservoir with a good food supply?
I've got a spot on my wall for such a fish, and now know where to go, just need to know what year I should start the pursuit
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: pikeaddict on Feb 27, 2017, 06:20 AM
How long does it take for a 14" pike to reach 40"+ and over 20 lbs in a reservoir with a good food supply?
I've got a spot on my wall for such a fish, and now know where to go, just need to know what year I should start the pursuit

A 14in Pike would be about 2 years old. 
You can use this as a reference.  Pike in Champlain in the 36-38 inch range are 9-10 years old, and 40-42 inch pike are an additional 3-4 years.  Pike in Champlain grow fast, other lakes/ponds may take them longer to reach those lengths.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: spot on Feb 27, 2017, 06:32 AM
With the abundance of smelt and perch in handy snack-sizes, they would likely grow pretty well in Waterbury, just like the bass do.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: TRT on Feb 27, 2017, 01:33 PM
Magog - pike are going crazy in Magog. Eight years ago a real rarity and now a regular catch.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: Light liner on Feb 27, 2017, 02:46 PM
Yes now catching them on the main lake every depth. I also noticed perch got bigger too.
But that's a big Lake probably much different.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: EyERipLip on Mar 08, 2017, 04:08 PM
Go pike!!
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: rbobby on Mar 08, 2017, 04:10 PM
Any more been caught?
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: woodab17 on Mar 16, 2017, 09:11 AM
How long does it take for a 14" pike to reach 40"+ and over 20 lbs in a reservoir with a good food supply?
I've got a spot on my wall for such a fish, and now know where to go, just need to know what year I should start the pursuit

Usually somewhere around 20 years for a 40'' 20 lb fish.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: TRT on Mar 17, 2017, 08:40 AM
Pike growth rates also depend on climate all food being equal. Growing season North of 50 or even more extreme North of 55 parallel  in Canada take a lot longer to grow to 40 inches than fish below US border.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: EyERipLip on Mar 20, 2017, 09:37 AM
Usually somewhere around 20 years for a 40'' 20 lb fish.
Actually the average life span for a pike is only about 7 years. Carp live to be 20 but fish from the esox family rarely get to that age in the wild.  The males tend to mature within the first 2 years to about 16/18" where as the females grow a bit faster on length usually reaching the 20+" size in about 3 years. On average a 35-40" pike is 7 years or older. In very rare cases pike  pushing high teens and 20 years old have been caught in the wild but not very common. They have been know to live upwards of 70 years in captivity
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: rbobby on Mar 20, 2017, 12:02 PM
Biologist looked over a big pike I entered in a derby he said he guessed the pike I had was 10-12 years old. It was a female.
10-12 years was about the longest they lived on the average.
Walleye on the other hand grow much slower.
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: TRT on Mar 20, 2017, 01:33 PM
Check this out as I mentioned in an earlier post - life span varies on climate.
  http://www.wildernessisland.com/WalleyePikeAgeSize.php#.WNAfWmVIh2s

I caught a 45 inch pike 2 years ago on a fly in Northern Ontario. Province of Ontario estimates
the age of the pike at 23-24 years old.   
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: fishingidjit on Mar 22, 2017, 04:28 AM
Check this out as I mentioned in an earlier post - life span varies on climate.
  http://www.wildernessisland.com/WalleyePikeAgeSize.php#.WNAfWmVIh2s

I caught a 45 inch pike 2 years ago on a fly in Northern Ontario. Province of Ontario estimates
the age of the pike at 23-24 years old.

TRT,Thanks for the chart, it makes an interesting read !
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: TRT on Mar 22, 2017, 12:56 PM
My buddy raised walleyes for a living once upon a time. We were going
back an forth over which fish was older a trophy pike or walleye.
I found the above mentioned chart and fish were approximately the same age. 
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: rbobby on Mar 25, 2017, 07:05 AM
http://www.wildernessisland.com/WalleyePikeAgeSize.php#.WNZcy_cpDqA
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: EyERipLip on Mar 29, 2017, 04:07 PM
http://www.wildernessisland.com/WalleyePikeAgeSize.php#.WNZcy_cpDqA
Measured in centimeters?!? Speak anglish damn it!
Title: Re: There's pike in the Waterbury reservoir?
Post by: Light liner on Dec 05, 2017, 03:45 PM
How's the reservoir looking for Ice? I've heard there's been some good sized pike pulled out of there this summer.