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Author Topic: Lake Erie Blue Pike  (Read 3086 times)

Offline Bear Lake Bob

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Lake Erie Blue Pike
« on: Feb 27, 2018, 08:21 PM »
Thought I would share this with you. I did these mounts  for the New York State DEC  for display in some of their fishery offices. Sorta neat, and quite the conversation piece especially here along the Lake Erie shoreline.  Well over 60 years ago I fished for these critters off Sturgeon Point with my Dad. We rented a 14 or 16 ft aluminum boat from Glenn Serenna, the owner/ operator of the Sturgeon Point Hotel, once located right on the harbor shoreline, the now site of the  Town of Evans marina. Glenn rented out the boats, and of course nobody had motors, so rowing out on the lake was what they did. A big Blue Pike measured just short of 20 inches, most smaller. They had a rainbow hue to them when taken out of the water. Fishing was quite simple then, a dropline and a spreader line baited with Emeralds.

I can still remember the Coleman lights in both oar locks, the bait coming uo to the surface, the pungent smell of Mayflies sticking to the hot lanterns, but I mostly remember the many fish we caught each trip. Blue Pike were rampant with some Ciscoes mixed in. I was surely blessed to have been into it for just a few short years.

I remember going to Friday Night Fish Fries. One place in particular, a bar called Sargents, located on Ferry street leading to the Foot Of Ferry. The exact location was just above the Black Rock lift bridge. This was way before Rich Products, and urban Renewal. Sargents was very well known for Blue Pike, along with most every bar in Western New York at that time.

What really stages the fish mount, is the wrapper from a 1 lb box of Blue Pike Fillets. Years ago you bought frozen fish which were sold in 1 lb packages. The fillets were placed in  a waterproof wrapper stating contents and frozen. The copy of such a label is affixed to the pannel below the mount.I have been selling these wrapers mounted in a frame for years.

Sorry to go on and on, but I am sure I brought back memories for many out there who lived this era, and perhaps gave a new insite into this famous and  now quite extinct fish to many of our older, as well as new fishermen.

Bear Lake Bob :tipup:





 






Offline Mossy10

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #1 on: Feb 27, 2018, 08:25 PM »
Great read thanks for sharing.

Offline icebites

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #2 on: Feb 27, 2018, 10:18 PM »
Rowboat on Erie had to be sketchy at times.  Great story.    I know this fish is not a blue pike but do you think it is a blue walleye.  I seemed to notice a difference in color the day we caught them.




Offline Bear Lake Bob

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #3 on: Feb 27, 2018, 10:29 PM »
Looks like one of the blue phase Walleye  typical to Northern  Ontario Lakes.
I am still fighting the process of posting  my picture. Hope to soon get it done.

Offline Game Hog

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #4 on: Feb 28, 2018, 04:48 AM »
Thanks for sharing Bob. Icebites I did find a bunch of eyes in the14-16” range that were quite silver with a blue tint. Wonder if the dec stocked them and or they are apart of an Ontario strain. Hopefully they are trained to eat 4-6” perch.

Offline ICE-ADDICT

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #5 on: Feb 28, 2018, 08:38 AM »
Great post Bob, thank you.
   
Before I was born,  I'm 49 now, my Dad and his blind fishing partner used to rent boats from Bogart's marina on Furmann Blvd.  My Mom bought him a brand new Evinrude 7.5 Fleetwin from Sears and Robuck back in 58' , ( which I still have) and they used to put that on the rental boats.   I also still have what my Dad referred to as a " Boat pole", it was short like an ice rod  and they used to just hang them over the side of the boat rigged up just as you said and basically fill the boat up with Blues.   I think it's so strange how they completely went away, and I do not believe in the "over harvesting" theories.
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Offline perch chacer

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #6 on: Feb 28, 2018, 01:03 PM »
I agree the fishermen did not hurt the blue pike but I am certain the US and Canadian fishing industries and decline in water quality did a major hurt on the blue pike.  If you even saw a troller come into Dunkirk Harbor years ago and un-load the fish you would know what I mean.  This went on at all the US and Canadian ports.

Offline perch chacer

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #7 on: Feb 28, 2018, 01:41 PM »
Here is another thread about the blue pike, good reading.
https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=208241.msg2055879#msg2055879

Offline Dirtyhooker

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #8 on: Feb 28, 2018, 04:53 PM »
 As far as I understand Blue pike have been near extinct or extinct for 50 years my father grew up in Erie and would catch them as a kid with my grandfather I am 55 and remember being told at a young age the blue pike where gone I shared this thread with my father who grew up bicycle distance from Walnut Creek he said the smell of burnt Mayflys brought back a lot of memories

Offline waltman

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #9 on: Feb 28, 2018, 06:27 PM »
great post bear lake bob

Offline whalerman

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #10 on: Feb 28, 2018, 07:06 PM »
I was born in Niagara Falls 71 years ago and can still remember Friday night fish frys at Ted's Grill featuring blue pike.
Best tasting fish fry ever. My next door neighbor used to fish for them in the lower Niagara River with his father.
He said they would throw back yellow pike (walleyes) and only keep the blues. The good old days!

Offline Game Hog

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #11 on: Feb 28, 2018, 08:33 PM »
Great photo Bob. I know the blue pike is considered extinct but have also herd stories of them being caught. The most recent was last summer while working in a small town along the Erie Canal. Is there any documentation out there as to when they were last found and/or considered extinct ?

Offline Bear Lake Bob

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #12 on: Feb 28, 2018, 08:46 PM »
I don't have a date, just fond memories. I have been on certain lakes in Northern Ontario and have seen socalled Blue Phase Walleye. DNA studies have been conducted, znd show fheze Ontario fish are not Blue Pike!

Bear Lske Bob

Offline buckduck

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #13 on: Mar 02, 2018, 05:26 PM »
I knew my mom and dad did well on blue pike out of Buffalo back when. So while mom was still alive I tried to find out how they caught them. I asked if they trolled and had to explain what trolling was. Answer was no. Similar response for drifting. I then learned they threw out the anchor, hung the light and dropped the spreaders.
Those are the conversations you never forget.
Great mount with label.

Offline Bear Lake Bob

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #14 on: Mar 02, 2018, 08:47 PM »
Thank you, much appreciated. I have bee selling these Blue Pike Fillet Labels framed for hanging on the walls of man caves. What a conversation piece!  i am fortunate that I also am a Taxidermist now for over 60 yrs

One day we will all know exactly what happened to the beloved Blue Pike, so very abundant,and how a complete fish species could become extinct over night as it did!

Tight Lines,

Bob Setlock,
Bear Lake Bob :tipup:

Offline seanc25

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #15 on: Mar 12, 2018, 07:42 PM »
I caught this one on Lake Delta a number of years back.  Not sure if this is a blue pike or just a color variation.

https://postimg.cc/image/fh2ev1259/6ed7b49d/

[img]https://postimg.cc/image/fh2ev1259/6ed7b49d//[img]

Offline perch chacer

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #16 on: Mar 12, 2018, 10:02 PM »
Thought I would share this with you. I did these mounts  for the New York State DEC  for display in some of their fishery offices. A big Blue Pike measured just short of 20 inches, most smaller.  What really stages the fish mount, is the wrapper from a 1 lb box of Blue Pike Fillets.  The copy of such a label is affixed to the panel below the mount.  I have been selling these wrappers mounted in a frame for years.

Bear Lake Bob, do you have an original Blue Pike Fillet wrapper from which you made the copies or did you get a copy from someone else and copy that? Very interesting topic.  I heard quit a few of the stories from my dad.  Bushels full at night.

Offline bills25

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #17 on: Mar 12, 2018, 11:41 PM »
I caught this one on Lake Delta a number of years back.  Not sure if this is a blue pike or just a color variation.

https://postimg.cc/image/fh2ev1259/6ed7b49d/

[img]https://postimg.cc/image/fh2ev1259/6ed7b49d//[img]


It could be the poor picture quality but I've caught blue phase walleye up north and have seen pictures of blue phase walleye.  But this looks different wonder if it was a blue pike to bad you didn't get it checked out. 

But as well like I said it could be the poor picture quality that makes it look different from the others.  Very interesting though!!!

Offline H2O-32

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #18 on: Mar 13, 2018, 11:57 AM »
I read somewhere that the blue phase walleyes, the ones that aren't blue pike, get that from their diet. I believe it said when they eat crayfish is when it occurred.

Offline trapper2000

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #19 on: Mar 13, 2018, 02:45 PM »
I can remember  blue pike in Oswego harbor when I was a little kid  ,cahils fish market  even netted them and sold them that was in the 60's ....I believe  blue pike are gone due to over market harvesting

Offline bigredonice

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #20 on: Mar 14, 2018, 12:34 PM »
its funny, because champlain used to be full of sauger back in the 70's and they seem to be gone too

Offline mooch

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #21 on: Mar 14, 2018, 04:56 PM »


caught this last month - had lots of blue in it. First one i have ever caught fish was released. caught whitney point ny. first pic i posted hope it works

Offline jghunter

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #22 on: Mar 14, 2018, 07:43 PM »
For some Reason all the fish in Whitney Point look like that. Almost all washed out pale looking?? Walleyes blugill and crappies where all blueish white in color!! Somebody told me it's due to lack of vegetation in Lake not sure?? Jeff

Offline dave_p.

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Re: Lake Erie Blue Pike
« Reply #23 on: Mar 18, 2018, 06:33 PM »
Good story Bob. I was talking to my Dad, and I think he worked with you, or your Dad. Were you guys ironworkers for local 6? Your inbox was full.

 



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