# PIKE sizes need to change !



## TopGunner22 (Dec 17, 2005)

Michigan really needs to lower the pike size limit back down to at least 20 inches. The pike ratio is about 1 pike over 24 inches per 20 you catch ! In every single lake i've fished.. That's rediculous and those little pike are nothing but sharks.. all they do is eat and injure the pan fish and even bass, most of the time a pike will just take a swipe at a fish and leave it to die... ever sence the size limit went up to 24 inches the number and size of pan fish have gone down. Setting the limit to a lower size will not deplete the population, sence the posesoin limit is 2 fish. They're not like pan fish where they have alot of enimies, infact their only enimie is themselves and us.. Also i've caught a hand full of 18-20 inch pike with scars all up their sides from other pike. 
It seemed like there were larger numbers of Trophy sized pike when the size limit was 20. Now it forces people to keep larger size pike when they would typiclly keep the smaller pike to eat. I have NO idea what the department of fisheries is thinking??? ....
If somebody has an answer to why they've done this.. please let me know!


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## icefishermanmark (Mar 2, 2005)

Quite the contrary. If we lower the size limit, more fish will be kept, many which will never spawn. the populations will decrease dramatically. This is gonna be a touchy subject...


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

The biggest predator of small pike is larger pike. I think they should set a slot limit to protect all the bigger pike too.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

...


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## RichP (Jan 13, 2003)

Slot limit sounds like a good idea


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## dinoday (Feb 22, 2004)

I agree with a slot limit. 
I would like to see more like 18-22 inches at limit and 1 over 35.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

I'm willing to compromise. 2 fish 24-35" or 1 over 35". 
All 36" and larger must be released.


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## dinoday (Feb 22, 2004)

ESOX said:


> I'm willing to compromise. 2 fish 24-35" or 1 over 35".
> All 36" and larger must be released.


 I'll agree...just let me get my 40 incher for the wall first,I've been stuck at 39" for a looooooong time


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Dino,
I'll take you to several over 40" you can get on a flyrod this spring if you get a reproduction mount. All it would take you is a ride east on M-59 to the end and a couple mile boat ride.


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## HuRon (May 11, 2002)

Saw an article several years ago about the subject. Can't remember where, In Fisherman maybe(probably), about the virtues of slot limits for pike. The point being, the way the size limit is set up now mostly protects the smaller males, whose size averages are way smaller. Instead of protecting the larger females that are more important to a healthy population & a trophy fishery. I have to agree with the slot limit, too.


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## dinoday (Feb 22, 2004)

ESOX said:


> Dino,
> I'll take you to several over 40" you can get on a flyrod this spring if you get a reproduction mount. All it would take you is a ride east on M-59 to the end and a couple mile boat ride.


 Deal


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## 9mmruger1 (Apr 3, 2002)

I'd go with the slot limit as well. There's hardly enough meat on a 18"er to mess with after you remove the Y bones.


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## skulldugary (Apr 12, 2003)

Something needs to be done......On St.Helen 5 a day and no size limit and you still have people throwing hammer handles on the ice to rot(shame) because there are so many of them.


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## WALLEYE MIKE (Jan 7, 2001)

Hate catching those smelly things!!!!:lol:


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## HuRon (May 11, 2002)

dinoday said:


> I agree with a slot limit.
> I would like to see more like 18-22 inches at limit and 1 over 35.


 I like your idea. Althogh I was thinking more 2 under 24-28 or 1 over 38" (so you can still keep your 39 inchers):lol: . Maybe somebody should start a poll!


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

A Poll?
Please, NOOOOOOOOOOOOO


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## dinoday (Feb 22, 2004)

ESOX said:


> A Poll?
> Please, NOOOOOOOOOOOOO


 Welcome back ESOX:lol:


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## n.pike (Aug 23, 2002)

A slot limit is the best way to go. Ontario has a great fishery because of it. Protect the spawning size females.

I also believe season on pike should close Jan 1 because of the amount of pike taken through the ice with a belly full of eggs. If only the small males were kept, we would have a realistic shot at a trophy pike in Michigan.


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## redneckman (Dec 7, 2005)

Slot limit sounds great. As long as you could keep ONLY one pike over 38" a year. 22-26inches sounds good to me for the slot.

Redneckman


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## explodingvarmints (Jul 1, 2004)

houghton lake needs a year or two of no limits on 18" to 22" pike! first they killed the weeds - taking all of the cover away from the panfish! and now the hammer-handle pike are having a field day! i don't think i've ever not caught hammer-handles out there even if i was out for an hour or less.


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## RichP (Jan 13, 2003)

redneckman said:


> As long as you could keep ONLY one pike over 38" a year.


A kill tag for a big pike? Hmmm....


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## TopGunner22 (Dec 17, 2005)

The average fisherman or greenhorn will be more than satisfied catching and keeping a 20-24 inch pike. This means he will give his or her daily limit of 2 fish to a smaller size leaving larger pike which are the predominate producers of larger fish to stay in the waters. Slot limits provide to much control over sportsman, and they limit the average fisherman who may concider a 32 inch pike a trophy that would want to mount. So my solution on the smaller fish is the only way realisticly to produce larger number of bigger pike which has already been proven through history. We have several lakes that we have proved this theory in for the pike and bass species. We have less numbers of trophy fish, and hudge numbers of under sized fish where as before we had hudge number of keeper fish and much larger numbers of trophy fish.... learn from history!!!!!!


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## fire-tiger (Mar 15, 2005)

Pike have been chased around by me in one form or another for nearly 50 years. I remember going out on Big Muscamoot in the sixties with my Dad and two Uncles and coming back in with 40-50 fish. That was (and still is) a great winter spot. 

Like Esox said, there are trophy fish around, you just have to know where to look. A slot would help out, But I think it would almost have to be a lake to lake decision. There are plenty of lakes around that need no control on pike sizes at all and some that need it desperately. When you find a lake that has good pike balance, you will also find no stunting problems with the panfish. The pike is the top predator and since they are cannibals, they keep control of thier own numbers as long as the 30"+ pike are not overfished. 

My favorite pastime along with bowhunting is pike spearing. I have seen first hand what can happen when you over fish a medium sized pike lake. Once I became selective on the pike I harvest on my home lake I watched the smaller pike disappear, they were either eaten by the larger pike or just grew up. Now I will only take maybe half a dozen out of my lake in any ice season and release all of them on the soft water.

By the way, we have some terrific bluegill fishing now.


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## jeremy L (Sep 19, 2002)

n.pike said:


> I also believe season on pike should close Jan 1


That would mean spearing would be a tradition that could no longer occur, plus all those who target pike in winter for the meat would be done before things even got going. 

I say, 2 pike between 15-25 inches, and one over 40inches for those who want a wallhanger. The only problem is the people who spear would have a hard time getting fish because of having to be careful what is too big.


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## TopGunner22 (Dec 17, 2005)

How about we keep things simple and just lower the pike size limit back down to 20 !


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## Overdraw (Jan 12, 2006)

I agree Gunner. Lower it to 20", and when all those suckers are dead we'll shave it down to 16".

I think the fack that guys are pissed that all the fish they catch are just under the limit is because they kill everything that's over the limit. I know I'm on the extreme end of this point, but I find it hard to believe that any fish and game law should stay in place for very long. Numbers of animals, or fish are not constant and can not possibly be controlled unilaterally with one set of guidelines. What do our conservation officers do? 

I'm not sure a pike or musky that's over 30" is all that healthy for someone anyway. That's an old fish, that has been eating contaminated little fish for over 10 years. Don't let your pregnant wife eat that puppy. You want a 15 year old fish for you family room wall. Measure it, potograph it, weigh it, release it, and have your mount made. Then the next time you go out you might not be upset that you couldn't catch anything over 23".

Protect what we all love to do, protect the future of our sports. -Overdraw


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## TopGunner22 (Dec 17, 2005)

I'm with you on that Overdraw!


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## fishing addict (Mar 15, 2003)

ESOX said:


> The biggest predator of small pike is larger pike. I think they should set a slot limit to protect all the bigger pike too.


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## Will Schultz (Aug 4, 2004)

First off, I can assure you that this is being monitored and there are some interesting things happening within the DNR to review how Michigan manages Esocids (Pike and Muskies). When the change in the Pike regualtion was first brought up, there was much discussion on the change and the effect it would have. I'm on a DNR committee that reviews/recommends coolwater regulations, trust me no change in regulations is done without consideration for it's impact on all species. Most fisheries will benefit from this change but it can hardly be evaluated after only a couple years. That said, if you have concerns about a specific water I would encourage you to contact your district biologist, they are more than happy to listen. 

Managing Esocids is not like managing other species, their longer lifespan and slower growth means it takes longer for regulation changes to make an impact. Minnesota has been trying some different regulations, including slot limits on Pike. Slot lmits have had mixed results but some of the best results they have seen is when there is a maximum limit and not a slot limit or minimum limit.

Warning, rant coming...

Be aware that unlike the wildlife division that has direct control over bag limits the fisheries division has to work through the legislature when regulations need to be adjusted. I don't know about you but something just isn't right about a bunch of politicians having the ultimate control of our fisheries. In my opinion we, as sportsmen, would be justified to ask our elected officials to give control of sportfishing regulations to our fisheries biologists. Then and only then would we be able to see our water managed as it should be. The reason we see statewide size limits and very few lake by lake limits is becasue we're dealing with this handicap.


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## RichP (Jan 13, 2003)

Will Schultz said:


> In my opinion we, as sportsmen, would be justified to ask our elected officials to give control of sportfishing regulations to our fisheries biologists.


 Sounds like a good plan


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## woodie slayer (Feb 25, 2006)

pike with a 24 inch limit is a good idea. i used to fish fletchersyears ago and there was no size limit and all we caught was little hammer heads. now after changing to 24 inch we catch all our pike around 30 inches. you need them little pike to keep pan fish populations under control.


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## fire-tiger (Mar 15, 2005)

(quote Will Schultz) Managing Esocids is not like managing other species, their longer lifespan and slower growth means it takes longer for regulation changes to make an impact. Minnesota has been trying some different regulations, including slot limits on Pike. Slot lmits have had mixed results but some of the best results they have seen is when there is a maximum limit and not a slot limit or minimum limit. (quote)

Agreed, the length of time it would take to adjust the pike population on any body of water would take a minimum of five years before you would really notice a difference. Those who think that lowering the size limit is the answer may be in for a surprise. I believe a maximum size is more in order, let's say 30" only on lakes where it is needed.


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## Krull (Mar 29, 2005)

ESOX said:


> The biggest predator of small pike is larger pike. I think they should set a slot limit to protect all the bigger pike too.


 
I agree 100%. I release all pike anyway, but I have no problem with others keeping some of the hammer handles. A slot limit would be very beneficial, but would probably have to be on a lake by lake basis or through local ordinance. Large populations of Pike can really destroy all other fishing on small inland lakes, plus it limits the quality of the pike itself due to too much competetion. Since the reduction in size limits, it is amazing how many small pike I catch to get one decent one, and the bass population has plummeted.


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## BFTrout (Sep 27, 2002)

Don't confuse the life history of a Pike with a Musky. Pike grow like weeds where as muskies are quite slow growing and reach sexual maturity quite a bit later than pike do. 17" pike are spawners, 2.5 to 3.5 years old. 

I'd love to see a more liberal bag limit on pike and a larger minimum size on muskies. Then again I'm all for the ski's and not the snot rockets. Just waiting for them to establish a population in the Bay's de Noc. 

BFTrout


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## D-Fresh (Feb 8, 2005)

I think that the increase to 24" has been great! We see a lot more fish (spearing), not to mention a lot more big fish! But we fish the big water, that is lake huron and the saginaw bay, so it is a lot different than the inland lakes you guys are talking about. I don't think a slot limit is necessary for the big bodies of water, but I know where you are coming from on the inland lakes so I think lowering the size limit may help.


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## CubanFisherman (Mar 28, 2005)

Every body of water is different. Certainly, a set limit cannot satisfy the best interests of every single lake in Michigan. One lake might be devastated by a no-minimum limit. Others might flourish. I think the DNR is doing well by designating certain lakes that would benefit from such a regulation. Obviously they cannot monitor all of the 11,000+ lakes, and they have much work to do, but thinking realistically, statewide considerations and exceptions must be made in order to best fit the variety of lake type and respective pike populations.


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## fire-tiger (Mar 15, 2005)

Although I hate to bring up theses two inland lakes in this forum, they are both very good examples of PUBLIC inland lakes that have been well managed by the DNR. Heron and Tipsico both in Oakland County have been managed for pike and Tiger Muskie for at least ten years. Although there is no spearing allowed in either lake ( public access ) I am all for the way these waters have been managed. With a little know-how and of course some decent luck, your average joe can go to either one of these lakes and easily catch pike in excess of 30". There are no excessive #'s of small pike, and the forage for the predators consists of some very good populations of large panfish.

In this forum I have read alot of posts about an over-abundance of hammerhandles and so on. In my world of pike I do not have those problems. Get out and explore different bodies of water if you want to increase the size of the pike you catch. There are plenty of lakes large and small statewide that have well balanced pike populations.

Pike are a very wide ranging prolific fish, in fact, the northern pike is the most widely distributed freshwater fish in the world the last time I checked.
I dream of fishing for them in a remote lake in Siberia, but thats another story.


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## Mtnman198 (Jan 5, 2001)

It seems that if we had a slot limit, spearing would take another hit. That would be too bad, I can't think of anyone who cares for the Pike's well-being more than a spearfisherman.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

HUH?


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## TopGunner22 (Dec 17, 2005)

Fellow fisherman thank you for all the imput, I understand that everyone has an oppinion, but we're all like the Indians if we don't stick together we're going to be a dying breed. Let me give you my perspective: 75% of what my family eats is from the wild. Our favorite fish to eat are yellow perch, largemouth bass, steelhead, pike, brook trout, and brown trout. Notice i din't say walleye because we like our fish to taste like fish. Just the other day on the ice a gentleman caught a 38 inch pike with a belly the size of a football. Previous to this he caught a 26 inch pike and numberous 22-23 3/4 inch pike. Guess what he brought home with him to eat, a 26 inch and a 38 inch pike, now i know there's hardly any meat on a 20 inch slim pike, but i guarantee he would have walked home with a 23 inch and a 26 inch pike if he was allowed to, and that 38 inch pike full of eggs could have survived to spawn. My point is that this is what i'm faced with when i go pike fishing, instead of keeping that 23 3/4 inch pike and that 24 1/2 inch pike for food, i go home with that 24 inch pike and that 36 inch pike. My father has caught and realeased 500 bass over 5 lbs in his life. Our slot limit on bass to catch and eat is 14 to 18 inches, anything over 18 goes back. We prefure to have the slot limit at 12 to 16 inches, becuase these fish are younger and healthier for everyone to eat, without question. It takes a bass 10 years in michigan to reach 5 lbs this cannot be disputed, it takes a bass 20 years to reach 10 lbs. Good luck catching that state record! For sportsman who live off the land by fishing and hunting to provide sustenance for their families, we prefer to keep the smaller slot limit and let the 18 inch bass go because we also consider ourselves conservationists, and would like to catch that 12lbs bass just like the next guy. P.S. another recomendation would be that the pike season be put back to may 15 to allow the larger females to complete their spawning task, before they are caught and disturbed by fisherman. 2 pike limit is a good idea because there seems to be an over abundance of tip-up fisherman and for the averege retired guy spearing pike with a few guys bragging about taking over 180 pike through out the winter and giving most all of them away because they don't like eating them and they do it for the sport. This 2 pike limit keeps them in-check. Thank You


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