Pike Derby

[Jacob]

A few years ago pike were accidentally introdused into the lake that my families cottage is on, when a dam to a small stocked lake gave and pike spilled into the lake. Starting this year a resturant on the lake is holding an all season pike derby to control the population of pike, (because some people have been saying that the bass fishing is declining) and they are going to kill all of the pike that people catch.

 

First I have been fishing the lake since I was 5 years old and I have seen no decline in the bass population, I think that last season was MY best season yet. One thing that I picked up on is that there are a lot of small perch (4-6") since the pike were introduced and I think that the lake that the pike came from also had perch (because I did not see perch before). Because most of the year pike and perch can live in the same areas I think the pike are thriving off of the perch, staying away from the areas that bass live most of the year. I think that they should focuse more on the rock bass population, because rock bass and smallmouth bass live in the same areas, compete for the same food, rock bass are more prone to eating bass eggs, and because they spawn at about the same time it's an easy meal if the bass leaves the nest.

 

I would like your opinions on the topic.

 

Thanks

 

 

Jacob

[irishfield]

I'd be happy for the dam breach! I've never seen a lake where bass population declined.... they breed like rabbits!

[Garry2Rs]

Rockbass are a curse that compete heavily with SMBass and eat all the small crayfish in the shallow water.

 

Perch IMO are a shallow water, weed oriented species that compete with LMBass.

 

Pike spend most of the year in deep water. Pike compete with Lake Trout, but probably don't compete much with Bass.

[misfish]

.... they breed like rabbits!

 

Wish the darn turkeys did. Sry for interuption.

[BillM]

I could see if there were muskie in that lake, but pike aren't going to affect the bass population much.

 

Hell, let's have a bass tournament in Algonquin to get rid of all the smallmouth!!!

[Dutch]

Pike don't compete with bass IMO.

 

What lake is this that you are talking about?

 

I don't support killing fish based on locals' opinion. However, if all the fish killed are going to be eaten, then I wouldn't see a problem with it. Not eaten with no scientific back-up, there's a problem with that.

[bigugli]

Unless the fish are being kept for consumption, catch and kill of gamefish is a big no no! In which case the local MNR office should be getting involved.

[crossover]

You would need to get the MNR involved to get rid of the pike. Ken Whillans CA had introduced pike, and 3 years ago they had eliminated most of them (but I doubt they got all of them). As mentioned, it's illegal to waste game fish.

[rfmcrx]

the lake he is talking about is kushog lake in haliburton, i think! all the pike from kushog are in boshkong and twelve mile and so on....Some old guy was stocking a pond full of pike for his grandchildren, and the mnr blew up the beaver damn causing all the pike to pour into st.noras lake, then koshog, then boshkong,then tweleve mile,mountian,horseshoe.

i went to my pike spot tonight and was catching oos smallmouth on huge pike lures!! and all the fish in the spot were huge bass, no pike to be seen!

[BUSTER]

Wish the darn turkeys did. Sry for interuption.

HERE, HERE

[Rizzo]

pike and bass in our lake and lots of them, seem to exist well together

[33825]

I am not a fisheries biologist but I would have to agree that bass and pike don't compete all that much.

 

They won't eradicate the Pike with that approach, but it would be fun to try.

 

Pike are very tasty, I hope at least a fish fry is on the menu.

 

 

Keep your hooks sharp!

[Jacob]

Yes it is Kushog lake, yes they are eating the fish, sorry for not saying that in the begining.

 

I love having the pike they fight great and it's a nice surprise to catch a big pike when i'm trolling for lakers, and if you ask any fisherman that I know that fishes Lake Kushog they will tell you that they love the pike.

 

 

 

 

[Dave Bailey]

Good eating, despite what some say. I've had pickled pike too, not bad.

[Michael_Brown]

This Pike Kill tournament will have little to no effect on the pike populations in the lake. They might catch 20-30 fish and if they are within the limits, it unfortunately is legal. Not really a great idea but whatever makes them happy I guess.

Once an invasive species has established a population it is almost impossible to get rid of them and certainly not by angling.

 

 

Remember the vast majority of pike in the lake are 3 inches long not 3 feet. Good luck catching, cleaning and eating those.

 

 

The bass will probably eat more young pike than the other way around.

Edited May 26, 2011 by Michael Brown

[Jacob]

"Michael Brown" the problem is that it's an all season derby and they are keeping ALL of the fish, so you could bring in 10 fish in a day (way more then the limit) and they would kill them all.

 

 

[johnnyb]

Well bringing in 10 a day (per angler) is a problem....that's blatantly breaking the law.

Edited May 26, 2011 by johnnyb

[otter649]

"Michael Brown" the problem is that it's an all season derby and they are keeping ALL of the fish, so you could bring in 10 fish in a day (way more then the limit) and they would kill them all.

 

 

It is against the law to kill sportsfish such as pike or rockbass. Back in the mid90s The Lake of Bays

had serious problem with the over population of rock bass & a summer long derby was held - Originally Tower Hill

Marine in Dorset offered a pit to put the rockbass in but were not allowed too as it was against the law to

dispose of ganmefish this way. So the caught rockbass were given to a game sancuary were black bears were cared

for. I believe well over thirty thousand rock bass were disposed of this way. A couple of young anglers caught

over 10,000 rockbass each as there were prizes given out for the most fish caught & brought in.Freezers were used until the fish were transported in the game sancuary.