Surprise pike

[FreshwaterPhil]

Landed good numbers of perch with a customer today, bonus was this chunky pike caught jigging perch in 22 feet. Never seen one come from that deep in winter.

[adkRoy]

That had to be a good fight!

[FreshwaterPhil]

That had to be a good fight!

Yes, medium light rod with 6 lb flouro. Made the drag sing nice.

[PikeKing23]

Nice fish!

[Crappie 1]

Wow!! Beautiful fish, good goi'n.

[jedhead]

Nice one! Were you close to a spring ?

[VDueslerIV]

Wow nice pike especially on a jig rod. Musta been one hell of a fight.

[FreshwaterPhil]

Nice one! Were you close to a spring ?

Nowhere near any springs. Suspended jigging in 16 over 22 feet, all the perch on flasher disappeared, and I saw the big mark dart up for my lure. Set the hook and handed rod to my customer that was jigging the adjacent hole. I was sure it was a laker until I saw it.

[FreshwaterPhil]

Wow nice pike especially on a jig rod. Musta been one hell of a fight.

Made 2 really nice runs.

[zcm_82]

Holy cow  Did you measure that beast?

[FreshwaterPhil]

Holy cow  Did you measure that beast?

No, wasn't that big, just very nice girth. Probably 5 lbs range, looks a lot bigger the way he's holding it.

[river_scum]

congrats on the nice fish. 

I set pike baits in 30 sometimes.  the true monsters roam the deep and eat big baits.  next time (if legal) put some 4" perch on tip ups.  they love to eat them.  cut the tail so they bleed.  pike use smell a lot more than other fish to scavenge.