Does anyone keep their Pike & Muskie?

[digitalkreation]

Hi all,

 

Just a question from a noob, since I see so many posts about people releasing large Pike & Muskie..

 

Does anyone keep em? Are they good eating?

[BillM]

My oldman will keep the old 3-4lb pike to eat, he says they are almost better then pickerel. Other then that all pike go back.

 

Any muskie we catch are 100% catch and release.

[MCTFisher9120]

I caught 2 little pike last summer and we kept them...most likely won't keep them if there over 30" long. As for musky, We might keep a little guy if the regulations approve of it's size.

[Terry]

I keep one or 2 small pike cause my wife likes to eat them

 

but large ones no , I don't keep any big fish to eat, I don't think they taste as good as small ones

the big ones have has many more years to acquire toxics in them, so small ones are safer

 

plus big fish are more likely to breed big fish

 

as for muskie, small ones are under the slot size so you can only keep big ones, but they taste like crap so unless you are getting it mounted I see no reason to keep one, but that's just me

[smokin joe]

I'll keep the odd smaller pike say 6-8 lbs anything big goes back as I consider them to be breeders. Even when I do catch a really big muskie it will go back. There are so many places that can make a replica of the fish that I feel it's a waste not to live release it Just be sure to get plenty of pics and good measurements and you're all set

[Pigeontroller]

I really don't see any reason to keep a Muskie! If you want a mount, get a replica. A 42" fish was kept and cleaned by somone at our Trailer park 2 years ago, apparently it was so full of worms the guy dumped it!

[spinnerbaitking]

I keep the odd pike or walleye from cold water for an older lady I know, she will start asking me after the season opens about a fish or 2, Musky need to be released as far as I'm concerned unless they are bleeding bad, I would rather get a replica made then a stuffed mount, my father had a bass and a walleye done in the early 70's and after a couple year didn't look very good, replicas look good forever

Richard

My 2 cents

[pike slayer]

i think pike is one of the best eating fish out there especially in nice cold water with hardly any weeds. i think it tastes alot better then walleye and bass. im pretty upset about the poor pike slot sizes with keeping 4 pike under 24", they arent worth keeping that size, i keep pike 3lb+, the biggest i've kept and ate was a 15lb pike and it still tasted fine. ive never kept a musky but i would like to keep just one to eat, just to see what it tastes like and to say i did. alot of ppl wont keep pike cause they dont know how to clean them but they are quite easy to fillet and thats what youtube is for!

[Joeytier]

Agreed. I prefer 5-7 lb pike for eating. They are very delicious fish.

[jediangler]

Nope

[Joeytier]

Agreed. I prefer 5-7 lb pike for eating. They are very delicious fish.

...keeping in mind that I keep maybe 2-3 pike a year MAX. Typically less.

[danbouck]

I usually keep a pike or two. Taste Great!

[steve barrett]

Yep. Keep the odd one for eating. Nice summer fish. No worms like bass.

[cram]

Legal-to-keep muskies are also very old and probably toxic.......besides, i doubt they taste very good.

 

Pike on the other hand taste fantastic. I still wouldn't eat a big one though (taste, toxicity, plus just like to throw the big ones back)

[Joeytier]

Yep. Keep the odd one for eating. Nice summer fish. No worms like bass.

I've kept plenty of 1-2 lb pound smallies and always thought they tasted amazing? Did you just try eating big bass or something?

[bigugli]

Love pike fillets. My keepers are in the 24-30" range. Any smaller than the 24 and there isn't enough meat to carve. I keep the small ones, if damaged to make "fish head soup" according to old Finnish recipe.

[steve barrett]

We catch lots of Bass up here during the summer months.But most are returned to the water.Don't care for bass But Pike, Walleye and trout are the favourite keepers .

[Fishnwire]

I keep a couple (maybe a few) pike in the 22"-28" range each summer. My father-in-law will take them home from camp and eat them with my mother-in-law. They don't mind the bones.

 

I'm aware there are ways to clean a pike boneless, but I haven't bothered to learn. I really should.

 

Does anyone have a link to a really good how-to vid?

[nancur373]

smaller pike from cold waters are good.

[Rizzo]

Only pike I'll keep are the one's that will win me back the crayola cup this summer at lakair. I'm sure they'll taste pretty sweet

[irishfield]

Only pike I'll keep are the one's that will win me back the crayola cup this summer at lakair. I'm sure they'll taste pretty sweet

 

LOL Roger... they'll taste exactly the same as the pickeral fryin right beside them !!!

[BassAsin]

ate a 43 incher last year tasted great and fed a pile of us!

[OhioFisherman]

I kept a pike, around 30 years ago, about a 40-41 incher that died on me. LOL had a picture of it around here somewhere, buddy insisted we had to run back to camp and get his camera, I don`t carry one, just never had the interest. Fish didn`t recover after about a half hour of me trying so I had it mounted, LOL what a waste. Cost about as much as a week of cabin rental at the time, another week up north would have meant more to me than than that fish did.

 

Muskies? don`t even go there, my jinx fish.

 

Just not into keeping fish much, a walleye or steelhead a year for the wife and kids was enough.

[bushart]

This is as close as I get to putting the ole snot rocket in my boat.

 

We have a love hate thing going on---20 lber puts up a good fight (Our subject here is only bout a 10) but I truly believe I've been bitten off a CaJillion Times while fishing for other species.

 

Bushart

 

 

[solopaddler]

Pike are delicious, I eat lots of them every year.