Author Topic: have you ever see a pike here in michigan like this one? (Read 4706 times)

jasonmichalski · « **on:** Dec 28, 2011, 02:15 PM »

On thee last day of pike season in march of 2011 I got this fish on a homemade tip-up. I thought I looked cool, I've never seen one with this pattern before. When looking in a old book of fishes for a fish to carve for a decoy, when I discovered it has chains just like a chain pickerel, what do you think?

P3050779 by jasonmichalski, on Flickr

P3050780 by jasonmichalski, on Flickr

P3050781 by jasonmichalski, on Flickr

krayfish · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 02:18 PM »

Looks like a pickeral to me......

jasonmichalski · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 02:22 PM »

maybe I'm not crazy. Dnr page said there are none in michigan, I might have to send them a picture if I find more people who think the same.

sbooy42 · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 03:00 PM »

That's a tough one. I am not expert..But most noticeable thing I see between the two is a dark vertical line under the eye of a Pickerel.. Also Pickerels seem to have more of a tiger stripe and not definitive ovals or circles...Yet it is does appear that some pickerel can have circles...

Either way very unique pattern on that fish... congrats

bigredonice · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 03:06 PM »

That is one of the biggest chain pickerel I have ever seen!!!! Congrats, thats a monster!

jasonmichalski · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 03:09 PM »

over 30" on the ice but it was moving. I gave it to my grandpa he said it was a little over 31" mark when he cleaned it.

fishybill · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 03:34 PM »

way too big to be a pickerel. Its a northern just with slightly different markings.

surflizard · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 03:39 PM »

Some info on Pikerel !
Physical description

The chain pickerel has a distinctive dark chain-like pattern on its greenish sides. Its body outline resembles that of the northern pike. May reach up to 30 inches only on rare occasions. The opercles and cheeks of the fish are entirely scaled.[1]

The average size for chain pickerel, however, is 24 inches and 3 pounds. The world record is 36 inches 9 pounds, 6 ounces.

bigredonice · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 03:40 PM »

Quote from: fishybill on Dec 28, 2011, 03:34 PM

way too big to be a pickerel. Its a northern just with slightly different markings.

we've caught pickerel up to 27.5" in this area, I wouldn't think 30" is out of the question for you guys.

this pickerel looks awefully similar, no black slash either

as does this pickerel illustration

no black slash on this large pickerel's eyes

Mr. Jitterbugger · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 03:42 PM »

Looks to be a pike with very pickerel-like pattern ( maybe a hybrid?), but ya that would be just about tooo big for a pickerel, in upstate NY I have heard of pickerel up to 27-28 inches tho ( My best is a 22.5 inch pickerel) but the tell tale sign is a black teardrop-line from the bottom of the eye whereas pike lose this teardrop as juveniles. Nice Pike!

jasonmichalski · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 03:42 PM »

This is why this site is great keep it comming boys.

Mr. Jitterbugger · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 03:49 PM »

Wow those are some great pickerel bigred! The one here certainly does look like a pickerel, good thing you to took some picks of it jasonmichalski, I've never heard of a hybrid between the two but prehaps you got one?

jasonmichalski · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 04:00 PM »

Quote

I've never heard of a hybrid between the two but prehaps you got one?

I've read it can happen, but cann't find a picture.

Incogneato · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 04:55 PM »

I believe it is a Northern Pike, they can have different markings on them. Often times people catch tiny 10-15" babies and think they are Tiger Muskie. It could be a hybrid though. Tiger muskie is from artificially mating Northerns and Muskies. At the Bass Pro Shops in Auburn Hills the female pike and male muskie mated in the tank some years back when I worked there. Eggs were eaten by the other fish though. I also agree, way too big for a chain pickeral. Very interesting fish none the less.

gbrebory · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 05:01 PM »

http://cjohn2979.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Forum&action=display&thread=6904 scroll down there are pics for comparison of pike pickeral pike and just pickeral

Incogneato · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 05:12 PM »

Another point you brought up was no chain pickeral in Michigan. I could be wrong, but pretty sure I've seen reports of that not being true. Even if it is true, who is to say someone didn't do an illegal plant? Used to know someone who lived on a small private lake in Oakland County. We ice fished for a few years before the guy moved. We never caught decent perch the first couple years but on year 3 BAM! 13 and 14 inchers with the average of 12". Found out a couple guys living on the lake had caught and transporter a lot of perch from St. Clair and illegally planted them. Also caught a small Tiger Muskie in there and a few small walleye. No records of those plants either.............

Slumpbuster · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 08:54 PM »

Quote from: Incogneato on Dec 28, 2011, 05:12 PM

Another point you brought up was no chain pickeral in Michigan. I could be wrong, but pretty sure I've seen reports of that not being true. Even if it is true, who is to say someone didn't do an illegal plant? Used to know someone who lived on a small private lake in Oakland County. We ice fished for a few years before the guy moved. We never caught decent perch the first couple years but on year 3 BAM! 13 and 14 inchers with the average of 12". Found out a couple guys living on the lake had caught and transporter a lot of perch from St. Clair and illegally planted them. Also caught a small Tiger Muskie in there and a few small walleye. No records of those plants either.............

I used to catch quite a few pickerel here in sw mi...never got any that big tho!

Incogneato · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 08:56 PM »

Quote from: Slumpbuster on Dec 28, 2011, 08:54 PM

I used to catch quite a few pickerel here in sw mi...never got any that big tho!

Maybe the DNR secretly started making triploid pickerals like they do trout in California?

Skipper · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 09:05 PM »

Pike can get some pretty distinguishing markings for no real good reason. There are no pickerel here in MN, and I have seen a few like that. I have also seen some with the markings so faint, you could barely make them out. I even caught a couple that had a bronze tone to them, and a couple that were nearly black.

Slumpbuster · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 09:06 PM »

Some of the river pike around here get intense markings

carver1 · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 28, 2011, 09:35 PM »

either way great catch,, I would make a nice framed picture and hang on the wall... Very good pic, should be proud.

jasonmichalski · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 29, 2011, 07:19 AM »

I liked the colors thats why I decided to show it to you guys. I like the comments and the facts I learned alot. Thanks for taking a look.

pzoch · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 29, 2011, 09:34 AM »

Cool fish!!! Definately a Pickeral.

StabinCabin · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 29, 2011, 10:52 AM »

pickerel for sure

rickasha · « **Reply #24 on:** Dec 30, 2011, 06:14 PM »

Just because the Mich, DNR says there are none in Mich. doesn't mean there not here, They said we don't have cougars ether.......LOL

Diehard_fisherman · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 30, 2011, 11:26 PM »

i agree with slump, i caught a 28" river pike and it had wicked markings, maybe its just a product of its environment. Also, pike are like snowflakes..yada yada yada

pikemaster789 · « **Reply #26 on:** Dec 31, 2011, 08:06 AM »

Im still going with pike on this, have caught several like this out of one lake here in SE michigan. Some of my favorite coloring on fish. I have rarely if ever heard of pickeral being caught in michigan. And for one to be that size. As someone posted pics before, def a pike.

Slumpbuster · « **Reply #27 on:** Jan 01, 2012, 10:10 PM »

Quote from: pikemaster789 on Dec 31, 2011, 08:06 AM

Im still going with pike on this, have caught several like this out of one lake here in SE michigan. Some of my favorite coloring on fish. I have rarely if ever heard of pickeral being caught in michigan. And for one to be that size. As someone posted pics before, def a pike.

For sure a pike, pickerel have a black mark under their eye..almost makes it look like they are crying or something

Slumpbuster · « **Reply #28 on:** Jan 01, 2012, 10:48 PM »

also, pickerel have solid color fins..markings on the tail fin are dead giveaway as a pike....still an awesome looking fish!

Icefisher40 · « **Reply #29 on:** Jan 02, 2012, 02:06 AM »

Have had pickeral in my pond for as long as I can remember. Have never see:/caught one over 12".Like previously stated the fins are all solid color, and there typically is a black dot under their eyes. If and when we get safe Ice, I will try my hardest to post some pics of some.

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Author Topic: have you ever see a pike here in michigan like this one? (Read 4706 times)

surflizard