Personal best?

[dutchboy II 61]

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What is your personal best Minnesota Pike? Were you targeting Pike when you caught it?

 

Mine is 42" from a shallow lake North of me. It was very skinny for a 42" fish. I caught it while fishing for Bass on a spinnerbait. Water was very warm and unfortunately I wasn't able to revive it. I contrast that to a 42" Pike caught in Canada trolling. That fish absolutely stopped the bait on the strike.

 

Learned a very good lesson that day. Always have a decent size net in the boat, the fish don't know what species you are after.

[whateverisbiting 63]

Mine in MN is only 35" and caught at least 3 that big targeting pike, though I don't intentionally target large pike and am not a fan of musky fishing.  I've netted up to 38" for others in MN.  In Canada it is 45".  Talk about not a big enough net!  My younger brother was the net man and when he saw it coming up with the mouth open he turned around and handed the net to my other brother.  Net did not work anyway we had to grab it almost swamped the boat.  Happily let it go unharmed fortunately.

[eyeguy 54 3,333]

Two at 41 inches. Red lake and mille lacs. First one when fishing for eyes. Second one chasing northern with tip up. 17 pounds from Red. Didn’t weigh the one from mille lacs. 

[eyeguy 54 3,333]

Yes thats a fake background.

[IceHawk 1,715]

My two personal best from MN all caught accidently walleye fishing. Never personally Target pike in  MN. Only place I have is Canada. First one was a 42 inch CPR on the Horseshoe chain of lakes right around 20lbs in OCT pitching Husky jerks up on a shallow sand flat targeting eyes, That one stopped it felt like I hooked a tree . Second personal MN best came up on Rainy River Spring 41 3/4 never weighed it, pitching a 3/8 ounce jig and  B-fish-N pulse R for eyes. Didn't hit as hard but fought hard especially in the river current. 

[dutchboy II 61]

Your Mille Lacs fish is a chunk!

Your Red Lake fish looks like the 42" I got in Minnesota. That one also was around 17#.

[dutchboy II 61]

Hawk, 20# in Minnesota really is a trophy! I always thought there were good Pike in the Horseshoe chain when I fished it but never really got into any. Thanks for replying.

[eyeguy 54 3,333]

40 minutes ago, dutchboy II said:

Your Mille Lacs fish is a chunk!

Your Red Lake fish looks like the 42" I got in Minnesota. That one also was around 17#.

We estimated between 20 and 21 but will never know. May as well add a musky pic. Never did catch one while targeting them. Lol. Got this one on Leech. 8 feet of water. 8 pound test. 1/8 oz jig with fathead. 48 incher. Lol. A day of 8’s. 

[IceHawk 1,715]

Thread Hi-jacking didn't we just have this discussion   And to believe you were the one who brought it up last night!  

Edited April 5 by IceHawk

[eyeguy 54 3,333]

This is related material. .

[MinnowBuckets 47]

10 years ago (almost to the current date), in April, I landed this pike on Lake of the Woods. 40 inches on a deadbait setup fishing intentionally for pike. It was my first time pike fishing on Lake of the Woods and the fish was caught within the first 20 minutes of fishing. It ended up being the biggest of the weekend and a new PB. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to line up a trip to get back there again for pike but look forward to the day that I can.

[ANYFISH2 749]

Can not seem to find my old 35mm picture.  

My personal best was just shy of 41". On Basswood lake, fishing tip-ups with frozen Cisco.  Fun trips back in the day.

[eyeguy 54 3,333]

1 hour ago, IceHawk said:

Thread Hi-jacking didn't we just have this discussion   And to believe you were the one who brought it up last night!  

ha!

[Wanderer 1,672]

Nice pikes!

 

41 inches for me.  Caught on a buck tail on East Rush Lake casting for muskies.  On another day I got a 41 inch muskie from the same spot on a Rapala fishing for pike.   Pics are on an SD card.  Somewhere...

[IceHawk 1,715]

4 hours ago, dutchboy II said:

.

 

What is your personal best Minnesota Pike? Were you targeting Pike when you caught it?

 

 

Royce - Doesn't look like SKI to me or am I wrong  You been caught LOL!

Edited April 5 by IceHawk

[IceHawk 1,715]

5 minutes ago, eyeguy 54 said:

ha!

Read his post again HA!!!!!!!!

Edited April 5 by IceHawk

[dutchboy II 61]

4 minutes ago, IceHawk said:

Doesn't look like SKI to me or am I wrong  You been caught LOL!

 

 

I'm new here and having a hard time figuring out how to navigate this site.  I this directed to me? If so, I'm not sure what I been caught at.  

Edited April 5 by dutchboy II

[IceHawk 1,715]

5 minutes ago, dutchboy II said:

 

 

I'm new here and having a hard time figuring out how to navigate this site.  I this directed to me? If so, I'm not sure what I been caught at.  

Not at all Dutch just giving Royce some crap for posting a ski pick in your Topic best MN Pike? Few of us had a little discussion last night in the kayak section 

Edited April 5 by IceHawk

[eyeguy 54 3,333]

Yep. We have more fun . I cant read or type very well so i get off topic at times. Welcome aboard dbII

[smalliehunter 97]

no length, no weight.  Thought I had caught a new state record smallmouth lol.  Have never caught another northern or any other type of fish other than smallmouth off that spot still to this day.

[ANYFISH2 749]

This is not my fish, just wish I could someday catch one like it!!

Caught this past ice fishing season, by friends group.  Absolute slob 45" long 27" girth.

I did not ask to post the guys likeness so covered his face.  Congrats to him though.

 

[Wanderer 1,672]

 Yowza, what a fatty!  What model Buick was inside???

[gimruis 406]

43 inches out of Mille Lacs in the year 2000.  Was muskie fishing with my family.  I was disappointed that it wasn't a muskie.

 

Its become more difficult to crack the 35 inch barrier every year around here, however.  Especially within a reasonable distance of my house in the west metro.  About once a year I get one that's in the mid 30 inch range.  I never specifically target them but almost always run into at least a few when I'm bass or muskie fishing, most of which are the skinny 20 inch snakes that wreck lures and trim lines.

[dutchboy II 61]

Thanks guys, hopefully we have the opportunity to catch more personal bests this year.  

[IceHawk 1,715]

Agree looking forward to it! 

[PRO-V 460]

My biggest in Minnesota was a nice 42" on LotW bottom bouncer and spinner for walleye. Biggest ever was in the Quetico canoe area in Ontario in 1988, 43 1/2". Fishing alone in a canoe below a waterfall. One leg hanging out of canoe on a rock to hold me in place. #7 crawdad shad rap which it shredded. Still have the rap. 

[Rick 1,021]

My best was a 41" 18lb bruiser out of French lake ice fishing.