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What size pike to spear and what size to watch


WalleyeSlayer21

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What is everyones recomendation for pike size, ?-? inches to spear, Just would like to see what others take and leave,

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Spear what size makes you happy. If you want to take a 36 incher for the smoker then you shouldn't feel bad about it. If you want to spear a couple of 25 inchers for the deep fryer then thats cool too. I personally like to stick a few 24 inchers for the frying pan. Anything over 30 goes in the smoker.

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I have never tried smoked pike. Do you brine them first? How long and what temp do you smoke them at? I would love to try it but I would hate to ruin a good eating pike!

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8 cups water

1 cup pickling salt

Garlic

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/3 cup soy sauce

Couple dashes of worchestire sauce

Let fish sit in brine for about twelve hours then take out and rinse and let it dry till it looks like it glazed over. Then I smoke it at 150 for two hours then I crank up the heat to 200 for two hours. You wAnt to get the IT to 140 I believe after that it's just how dry u want it

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Wow. That looks test worthy. Good recipe. Might have to try that, Thanks everyone, and Ken

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Simple what would you keep from a tip up or a hook and line its some what close to the same except that you cant measure the fish until after you have harvested it.

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When I do choose to spear a fish I try to find one in the 25-29" range. Larger fish get video/pics. Smaller fish get toyed with until they start to rip up decoys.

I use all barbless hooks and circle hooks on the tip ups. In that case every fish is released un harmed. For me tip ups are Catch and Release only.

In the end the size fish you choose to harvest is all up to you. There are some guys who will tell you 20" is perfect. Others think it's a waste if they are under 30". That's the joy of spearing, you decide to throw or not!!!

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Simple what would you keep from a tip up or a hook and line its some what close to the same except that you cant measure the fish until after you have harvested it.

+1

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I like to take fish in the mid to high 20's and usually just tease the big ones with decoys. I still take one over 30 now and then.But IMHO there is nothing wrong with taking any legal fish or game.

Mwal

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KenM1987,

I tried out your smoked pike recipe yesterday and it turned out great! Thanks for the tip! I put a picture of the fish in the photo section.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I haven't kept a pike off a tip up in awhile now. The last couple years I've gotten into spearing heavily out in ND. Coming from MN and simply not spearing a ton there, I never saw alot of fish and certainly not the size of fish that I see out in ND, its a world of difference. The first 2 years out here I was really trigger happy and that resulted in alot of pike in the fryer, oven, and pickling jars. They ranged in size from 3-16 lbs.

Now this year I am basically trophy hunting. Anything over 20lbs will probably go on the wall for my first fish mount. Other than that I will take an ocasional pike from 3-7lbs depending on how its going to be cooked/eaten.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • chaffmj
      I have gone into Basswood from Fall Lake. From Fall the first portage takes you into Newton and that is the easier of the two. The portage from Newton into Pipestone is the one with a hill. It is definitely harder! You also have to be careful when you go down the hill because the boat will pick up speed and can get away from you. Yes, you can get to Jackfish without going into Canada and there are signs letting you know where Canada is.
    • gimruis
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    • leech~~
      Dude, I already trolled that spot, nothing but slimmers!  😄 Glad I saved money by stopping smoking a while ago. It's free most of the summer now! Been calm and yellow out for days! 🤧
    • leech~~
      Bet you would enjoy a nice paddle down the Cahulawassee River, too then. 😏
    • delcecchi
      Talked to my neighbor is getting ready for a trip via fall lake.    They use small boats with like 10 to 25 hp outboards and portage wheels.   There are two portages to get into pipestone bay, with the second one being over a hill.   From pipestone they can go around to Jackfish? bay,   There is a big sign to warn about where the no motors area is.    
    • Wanderer
      Don’t go!!!   I mean, that’s what they say anyway.
    • Kettle
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      Seems like a long way to climb, to sight in a gun! 😐
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