"Pike attacking human" myths

[fishnut]

I was fishing on Tobin Lake a few years ago, and couldn't help but wonder how big the biggest fish was in the lake and how long it was.  I'm guessing about 30 pounds and maybe 3-4 feet long.  My question is this...

Have there ever been any reports anywhere of a Pike ever attacking a human being?  I read on another website somewhere of a Pike attacking a Jack russell terrier a while ago, but it wasn't confirmed I don't think.  I know Pike have been known to attack other fish thier own size so a big pike that is 4 feet long would probably be likely to attack a person that is 4 feet tall.  Expert scubadivers say Pike are shy creatures, but Iv'e heard so many stories over my lifetime, that make me think otherwise.

What do you guys think?

[iceintheveins]

I have learned in aquatic biology that it is uncommon for a pike to attack something greater than 1/3 their body length and rare for them to attack something half their length or more. On occasion they will attempt to take prey 1/2 there length but the most common result of that is a fatality, they will usually choke.

Pike prefer prey 1/4 - 1/3 their body length. A 50" pike has no problem taking a 15 - 20" baitfish as long as it's not too fat. But 50" pike aren't exactly abundant.
I have seen pike take ducks and frogs. The biggest pike I ever saw, over 50", was laying dead on the shoreline, having choked to death trying to swallow a 3 pound rainbow trout.
There is much lore surrounding pike. When they are feeding they are aggressive, perhaps as aggressive as just about any freshwater fish. However when they are not feeding, they are picky, sluggish fish. Even when pike are aggressive in Colorado, Trout are almost always more aggressive than pike.

[minnow1]

I'd be afraid to  go in the water after I read the posts on the string about pike eating hot dogs.  Keep your shorts on boys.

[lake snake]

 
   One of my friends told me about a pike attacking a guys foot. "SUPPOSED" to of happened at Spofford Lake in N.H. A couple was out in a canoe. He dangled his foot in the water when a pike latched on to his big toe. They couldn't get the pike to release his toe.He had to go to the hospital to get the pike unlatched from his foot. While at the hospital, Fish & Game show up to issue him a " ticket" for fishing without a license.

[iceintheveins]

I'd be afraid to  go in the water after I read the posts on the string about pike eating hot dogs.  Keep your shorts on boys.

Anytime you have pike, walleye, musky, or trout in the waters your swimming in, you have to swim on your back. 

[fishnut]

"I have learned in aquatic biology that it is uncommon for a pike to attack something greater than 1/3 their body length and rare for them to attack something half their length or more. On occasion they will attempt to take prey 1/2 there length but the most common result of that is a fatality, they will usually choke."

That's not nessesarly true, because I once caught a pike the size of a bannana on a jig that was 3/4 the size of the fish!

[iceintheveins]

"I have learned in aquatic biology that it is uncommon for a pike to attack something greater than 1/3 their body length and rare for them to attack something half their length or more. On occasion they will attempt to take prey 1/2 there length but the most common result of that is a fatality, they will usually choke."

That's not nessesarly true, because I once caught a pike the size of a bannana on a jig that was 3/4 the size of the fish!

I didn't say they don't attack things 1/2 their length but its not common.

[ice rambler]

I know a dude that really got hurt by a pike ...if you know what I mean.

[fishnut]

No, I don't know what you mean.

What happened?

[Muskie Matt]

I read an article this past summer about a tiger "attacking" a swimmer at a local lake in upsate NY.

[ice rambler]

seen one eat a rocking chair one time.

[fishingonly2002]

I almost drowned in 1 1/2 foot of water. I was wading nere a spillway, and I was going for Gar, Bass, Bowfin, Carp. well I found a bowfin ( mudfish, dogfish, death, whatever you call them )

I found him garding his nest, and I would drop a worm near the nest, he would dart at it, grab it, and swim off and spit it out. I guess I got a little two close to this guy, and he started making darts at my ankle, he gnawed the $#!t out of me. as I was stumbling around I tripped over...... myself......... and fell on my back, I was so hectic affraid the guy might come towards my face, my waiders filled ( in deeper water my wiaders float ) and then I had troubles standing up. thank god zach was there, and once he refrained from pissing himself from laughter, ahe helped me up.

funny stuf

~Neal

[walleyechaser]

I have to disagree about the 1/3 size thing.  I use a 20" decoy when spearing pike and all size pike come in to try to eat it.  Including pike that are smaller than the decoy.  This happens every time I'm out spearing.
I have to chase a hammer handle away by sticking the spear in the water. 

I think its total BS that a pike or a musky would ever attack a person.  We aren't talking about sharks here.
The only way you are ever going to get bit by an esox is if you are dumb enough to stick your fingers in its mouth.  We tried stocking a private lake once with Tiger musky and the association stopped it because they were afraid the fish would attack swimmers.  I think some of those people who stopped are on here.

Catfish and bullheads are more dangerous with their stingers than pike or musky are.

[Water Wolf]

I have heard of 2 cases where a pike has attacked a person, but both cases were in self defense.

The first case I heard about was a spear angler who was swimming along the bottom and shot a large pike. It turned and went for the diver several times.

The second time was an angler who was fishing along the banks of the Saskatchewan river, he apparently lost his footing and slid into the water and on a large pike. The pike reacted by grabbing the angler, it's recurved teeth dug into his arm and he was dragged quite away downstream and almost droned before he was rescued.

I did read once in a magazine of a young girl being attacked by a musky as she splashed her hands in the water off a dock. The musky came up from under the dock and grabbed her hand, the girl received several cuts to her hand.


WW

[sphynx_000]

I live in North Dakota near lake Sakakawea,


From time to time divers are sent to the dam for inspections and stuff, a number of people have reported seeing "man sized pike" down around 100+ feet. As I remember, some people estimated them around 7 feet or more, and over 100 lbs.


Not sure if I believe it or not, but it sure caught my attention,

[Skipper]

Every couple of years, you hear of a musky grabbing a swimmer in the Twin Cities. It only seems to happen on hot, dry, summers like this one. I remember hearing about it on the news, so its not B.S. I don't know why they do it, perhaps they are protecting their turf.

[Lindz]

I've heard stories of both Pike and Musky biting poeple - and one point would make it very plasable to do so.

Golfers Tan

If I pull my socks off in the summer the tan stops and my foot is pure white (guess I should fish like Slipbob in the summer ), so now you have a 12" foot, treading water and it's light in color, and could resemble prey to a Musky. 

The darting motion of treading water - clarity of the water - time of day, could = stiches in the foot. 

[Skipper]

That is a reasonable idea, who is gonna test it out?

[Borion2]

   One of my friends told me about a pike attacking a guys foot. "SUPPOSED" to of happened at Spofford Lake in N.H. A couple was out in a canoe. He dangled his foot in the water when a pike latched on to his big toe. They couldn't get the pike to release his toe.He had to go to the hospital to get the pike unlatched from his foot. While at the hospital, Fish & Game show up to issue him a " ticket" for fishing without a license.

The same thing happened a couple of years ago at Gov. Dodge State Park here in Wisconsin.  The newspapers had pictures of the guy, his foot and a @24" pike that he kept.  The rumor was that he received a ticket for illegally taking a gamefish (not hook and line, etc.).

[BAZOOKAJOE]

Im sure it's happened...most likely an instance of "mistaken identity"...just like in most shark attacks.  I know a girl that was bitten on the foot while swimming under a floating swim platform.

[littlepike]

Catfish and bullheads are more dangerous with their stingers than pike or musky are.

Ya I think bullhead are more dangerous or is it just because their babies were near by. 

[reubenpa]

bullheads don't have STINGERS... just thorns   

[grumpymoe]

exactly....looks more like a decent cat got a mouthfull of inside knee..I presume your leg was near fully extended when it decided it liked you!! Grump 

[pike hound]

I've seen a few articles on it but mostly the reports are stories or exaggerations and probably just a hand or foot mistaken for a bait fish. Imagine one one of those european 40-70 pound pike grabbing a hold of your foot! They couldn't kill you but I guarantee you would need new underwear. I would love to see a 40 pound pike but on my line not my hand!

[jacksmelt71]

we had a incident here in n. maine of a 8yr. old girl getting her foot bit by a muskie while dangling it in the water off a dock. story was in the local paper in early summer. apparently it released immediatly after bitting but caused alot of damage nonetheless. i landed about a doz. muskie over 12lbs this summer and boy they can tear you up prettty nasty if a finger slips in thier mouth. i can imagine acctually getting bit!

[Meatro14]

I'm pretty sure it's a myth, but don't take my word on it, I just think the stories you hear are true fisherman tales

[njsimonson]

A saw a newspaper article two kids swimming it was a pike or muskie grabbed kids fingers needed stiches.(rare case)

Two summers ago a muskie attacked the hand of a neighbor girl in the water in front of our neighbor's cabin.  She needed 8 stitches.  It was on Big Detroit Lake, MN just in front of where Sucker's Creek meets the lake, we see many muskies there and my brother caught his first there this year, a 43" fish on a Mepps Big Muskie Killer bucktail.  But that's just an average fish.  I held a 49" this summer, and our neighbor caught a 52" in June last year. 

I've never heard of pike attacking anyone tho. 

[ski]

Last summer my brothers son was washing his hands over side of boat ,just as he pulled hand out of water a pike  jumped out of water and missed his hand by inches,I have had them jump out of water right at boat going for hook that was just pulled from water

[pikeie]

one of my old nabhours was at there cottage, while out swimming a muskie  grabbed her foot. they estimated the muskie at around 45" inches. when she got back from the hospital she couldn't walk for about a month. the muskie sliced right through one of the tendons and needed a whole lot of stitches.

the bite pattern on her foot was about 8" .

so yes muskie (and probably a pike will too) will bite a person but it is very rare.

[AirManCam]

I too have heard stories from divers diving in dams. They said there were pike down there as big as them, so I'm assuming 5-6 feet, and probably 30-60 lbs. It wouldn't supprise me to tell you the truth..