Rough Pike Numbers

[Lucius]

I got permission from the members performing the study to post the ball park numbers they have thus far. The formal number will be out later this summer.

550 pike have been netted thus far. The nets were spread from Newport to Ione as compared to last year they only netted as far north as river bend. Again nothing official but it appears the nets are averaging 4 pike per net higher between newport and riverbend than they were last year. the biggest pike netted thus far has been around 20lbs but nothing bigger. Few pictures below.

[YJ Guide Service]

Thanks for the numbers I knew youd come through LOL.....

[Lucius]

Thanks for the numbers I knew youd come through LOL.....

Ha ha I knew you guys still needed me for something. Now you and nate have to come through for me and catch a true trophy of 20+ lbs this weekend while the river is at it's sexiest!!

[Lucius]

Also, to go along with the population study, they have also been conducting a feasibility study on the mechanical removal of NP in sloughs through the spring. This netting occurs weekly in two locations, one on and one off the reservation. Two nets are set in each location over one night per week. Catch rates have been consistently high from ice off in march through this week. A few hundred individuals have been removed through that effort.

That is a lot of pike. Oh and they are donating the pike meat to food banks when possible.

[YJ Guide Service]

Lucius correct me if I'm wrong but didnt they take out 755 fish last year. So if they have taken 550 during the Pike Index Study and another 300 through the feasibility study then they have removed more fish this year than last year. Plus arent they doing the feasibility study for another couple weeks? Seems to me if the purpose of the Pike Index Study netting was to see if numbers were up or down why wouldnt they do the study exactly the same as last year. They performed the study last year from Newport to Rivers bend with additional netts dropped at a diffrent time past there to get their numbers...This year it was was from Newprt to Ione....Have you heard anything why it changed? Seems like the study numbers wouldnt be comparable...

[sparky1doug]

I'm curious, how many fish would be needed to conduct these studies? Perhaps someone from WDFW could chime in and lets know if there is a target number of cut off point. If this is a series of studies and not a measure of population control then one would assume only a certain number of fish would required to be taken to achieve a representitive sample.

[yooper_fisher]

I'm not familiar with this waterway so I don't know the feasibility of this, but have trap nets ever been used for this study instead of what I'm guessing are gill nets? With trap nets the biologists could still get length/weight and scale samples and most fish would be able to be released.

[YJ Guide Service]

The problem is their trying to reduce the numbers of fish on the river. The Spring Gill netting surveys are to see if they can reduce numbers by this method and if its even a viable method as far as cost and manpower......

[Lucius]

Lucius correct me if I'm wrong but didnt they take out 755 fish last year. So if they have taken 550 during the Pike Index Study and another 300 through the feasibility study then they have removed more fish this year than last year. Plus arent they doing the feasibility study for another couple weeks? Seems to me if the purpose of the Pike Index Study netting was to see if numbers were up or down why wouldnt they do the study exactly the same as last year. They performed the study last year from Newport to Rivers bend with additional netts dropped at a diffrent time past there to get their numbers...This year it was was from Newprt to Ione....Have you heard anything why it changed? Seems like the study numbers wouldnt be comparable...

I don't know if they are going to compare the two studies together when it comes to final number crunch time. It would seem to me that they would keep them seperate in order to have some consistency. I will ask to verify. I will also ask as to why they decided to move the nets farther down stream but I am fairly confindent the reason for that is to see if the population is as dense down stream as it is upstream and if the overall population density is spreading. Since they got a good idea of the pike population last year, reducing the number of nets in the same sampling portion of the river as last year to move them further down stream really doesn't change much if they continue to get the same pike per net average they were last year.

From these numbers and from what they are telling me the overall size structure of pike is declining. I think this is something that will need to be addressed.

Yooper-fish, Where did you catch that pike in your avatar. That is one heck of a fish!!

[YJ Guide Service]

The fish in the pic came from Gardner Slough. Fished with Nate and we caught 10 fish biggest being 30". I can personally tell you the number of fish on the river has been dropping as of late with everyone keeping everything the catch. We released everything we caught today hoping that maybe we can catch them again in the future and they will be much bigger. We need to remember if we keep all these 24-25" fish were not going to have any bigger fish in the near future. People need to keep a few each trip but this keeping 10-20 fish per trip will put a hurting on the river in the future. We are already seeing the number of fish in cedrtain areas going down...Lets all try to preserve what we all love to catch...Big Fish...

[Lucius]

The fish in the pic came from Gardner Slough. Fished with Nate and we caught 10 fish biggest being 30". I can personally tell you the number of fish on the river has been dropping as of late with everyone keeping everything the catch. We released everything we caught today hoping that maybe we can catch them again in the future and they will be much bigger. We need to remember if we keep all these 24-25" fish were not going to have any bigger fish in the near future. People need to keep a few each trip but this keeping 10-20 fish per trip will put a hurting on the river in the future. We are already seeing the number of fish in cedrtain areas going down...Lets all try to preserve what we all love to catch...Big Fish...

Are you talking about yooper-fisher avatar in terms of the fish in the pic coming from gardner slough?

[YJ Guide Service]

Sorry misread the end of the post lol Lucius.....

[Natebg1]

I will certainly agree with Craig,

The numbers are certainly showing signs of a decline as far as Size is concerned. After fishing at the good ole Pend Oreille yesterday the quality of fish is speaking volumes with regards to the averages. I am glad to say that Craig and I were both able to release some really good quality fish back into the River to live another day. I hope that they have a chance for the future and that we can come back later down the road and catch them again when they hit the 40 + inch mark, now that would feel like an accomplishment!!! Well I will say it was a great day out on the River, besides the high levels, current, and water temp, I think we did pretty good considering!!! I also am proud to say that Big Beefa was good to me yesterday and definitely gives me a whole lot of confidence going forward!!! Of course Craig has his own tricks up his sleeves too, so it was good to see some things working. I will say that White and Chartruese seem to be the hot ticket items right now. Well, I have to say THANKS again Craig and Mel for everything, it was a blast, if I can get back over that way in the near future I will certainly let you guys know and hopefully we can lure Sparky and Lucius onto the wagon too!!! Have a good one and keep us in the loop as the river starts to subside and the catching picks up!!!

Nate

[yooper_fisher]

@Lucious
Sorry for the late reply. That pike came from when I lived in the Upper Peninsula of MI. It was 40" on the nose, never got it weighed unfortunately (but I figure about 18 lbs). I got it ice fishing on a tip up with a dead smelt in Chassle Bay (aka, pike bay)

[Natebg1]

Hey There Yooper,

That is a Nice Size Pike!!! I take it that one is proudly mounted on your wall for viewing and remembering the moment. So you are from the UP? I come from Hayward, Wisconsin where I grew up on the Chippewa Flowage AKA "The Big Chip." Are you an Avid ESOX Angler? Well congrats on a great ice tip up Pike!!! How is the education of Pike growing in your home area? Talk with you later, I am sure you are getting pumped for the kickoff of fishing season!!!

Nate

[yooper_fisher]

Nate,
I'm def from the U.P. Grew up on the east side, and spent my adult life on the west side before moving here. I actually spent one summer working just south of Hayward and spent some time in the giant musky . I always preferred pike through the ice, I never targeted them in the summer, but always caught TONS walleye fishing.

Unfortunately that pike in the pic ended up in my stomach (good eating though). I was in college at the time, and when I brought it to the local taxidermist I just couldn't afford to get it mounted. I figure I'll get one bigger one of these days, but until than, I have vowed that anything over 28" goes back in the water.

[Natebg1]

Hey Yooper,

Very Cool!!! I know the Good Old Giant Muskie Well!!! As a matter of fact my cousin and I just went there last fall sort of as a reunion type deal to at least see it again together since it may be a while before we get another chance to get up on the Good Ole "Chip" together. We used to fish together every single year all summer and fall, but now that we are grown up and both have careers it can sometimes be very challenging to meet up at the "Chip" at the same time. Of course this never stops us from making an appearance back in Hayward every now and again!!! Just wish I could make more time to go visit and do more fishing back home!!! Well I guess that is life, so I consider myself very fortunate to be in Washington where I can still hit the Pend Oreille River for Pike and the local lakes for Tiger Muskie!!! and as a bonus go to Roosevelt or the Columbia for some great Walleye, now that makes it all worth it!!! Well good to hear that you are letting the 28 + inchers go, that is always a plus for the future! How was the taste of the 40 incher? I have never eaten any Pike over 28 inches so I am curious... Well if you are ever near Seattle, hit me up and maybe we can go hit one of the local lakes such as Tapps or Mayfield for some Tiger Muskie. If you ever get a chance hit up Yankin Jaw Guide Service over in Eastern Washington for a Great Day of either Pike, Walleye, or Bass Fishing. Just ask for Craig, He is Great and is very knowledgable on the waters on the East side of Washington. You won't find a better guide and easy going angler than Craig. Have a good one.

Nate