Idaho Pike

[Lucius]

So in the same emails as the Tiger Muskie, I asked Jim about the possiblity of enacting a protected slot for Northern Pike and this is what he sent me back:

"As far as a slot on NP, I’m interested in that idea, but the truth is that we’re not doing too badly just managing with very liberal limits. It definitely limits the number of fish that live to a large, old age, but it does keep densities down and growth rates up, so we still do get some nicenortherns every year. One thing we’ve seen over here in creel surveys is that anglers release a lot more pike than you might think – not so much the ice fishermen, but in the spring and summer, most are NOT harvested. For example, in Hayden Lake, we did a creel survey in 2010. We estimated a catch of 2,093 northerns, but a harvest of only 476. In Cd’A Lake in 2009 we estimated a catch of 1,214, but a harvest of only 228 -- so anglers are doing a lot more self-regulating than they used to. 10-15 years ago, anglers harvested the majority of what they caught."

This is good to know and I am pleased to see the trend changing. Hopefully this will continue. At least there are options!!

[AJ's Dad]

Wow, Hayden out fished CDA Lake almost 2 to 1 ??

Somethings not right there. I always manage one or two pike in a trip to Hayden but it's at least double or triple that in CDA.

Good to hear they're making their way back in to the water.

[Mark K]

Wow, Hayden out fished CDA Lake almost 2 to 1 ??

Somethings not right there. I always manage one or two pike in a trip to Hayden but it's at least double or triple that in CDA.

Good to hear they're making their way back in to the water.

But are northerns targeted as much as other species on CDA?

[AJ's Dad]

They are by me!

[Fish-N-Fool]

I think there are a lot more Pike per acre in Hayden then in CDA and that might be the reason. THe other possible reason is it gets targeted more by Pike anglers, I know that I have fished it about 95 % more then CDA for Pike not counting the chain lakes as part of it. My most targeted waters for Pike in Idaho are Hayden first, Chain lakes #2, Freeman and Blue lakes are #3 and #4, Twin at #5 and CDA #6. I actually have never caught a Pike in the main CDA lake yet. But I don't know it very well or know where the Pike hot spots are, like I do at some of the other lakes.

[Mark K]

Went out to CDA with a great "guide" last year . Some REALLY good looking water there! Looking forward to hitting it again.

[muskyhunter]

Wow, Hayden out fished CDA Lake almost 2 to 1 ??

Somethings not right there. I always manage one or two pike in a trip to Hayden but it's at least double or triple that in CDA.

Good to hear they're making their way back in to the water.

But are northerns targeted as much as other species on CDA?

I think too due to the size of CDA compared to Hayden the numbers would be better at Hayden. Plus CDA is more of a recreational lake than Hayden too right? CDA probably cannot get as much fishing pressure because of the jet skiers,boaters and whatever else it gets bombarded with. But the fish are probably bigger at CDA than Hayden no?
Kinda like comparing Lake Tapps to Curlew? Just my opinion. todd

[Mark K]

Wow, Hayden out fished CDA Lake almost 2 to 1 ??

Somethings not right there. I always manage one or two pike in a trip to Hayden but it's at least double or triple that in CDA.

Good to hear they're making their way back in to the water.

But are northerns targeted as much as other species on CDA?

I think too due to the size of CDA compared to Hayden the numbers would be better at Hayden. Plus CDA is more of a recreational lake than Hayden too right? CDA probably cannot get as much fishing pressure because of the jet skiers,boaters and whatever else it gets bombarded with. But the fish are probably bigger at CDA than Hayden no?
Kinda like comparing Lake Tapps to Curlew? Just my opinion. todd

I don't know too much about the Idaho waters and I don't pretend to but that comparison makes perfect sense Todd.

[AJ's Dad]

I would imagine that the issue was where they did their creel surveys at. It's possible that they did their surveys in an area where there are a lot of salmon fishermen. I have fished both lakes. If I was given a choice of one of these two lakes and told go where you can have the best day of pike fishing, I would head straight for CDA, no questions asked. The Lester smith PIke tourney put on by Fins and Feathers is the 28th and 29th of April this year. At this point I plan to fish it again. Hopefully this year there will be enough water to launch a boat, more than one or two days before the tourney. The last 2 years the water levels were so low getting launched was tough. That tourney has been closer to the first part of the month before and now being at the end of the month the water should be higher, warmer, and see more fish being caught. There were 59 boats in 2010 and I believe 89 in 2011. I just hope I can get on there a time or two before the tourney.

[Lucius]

Actually Hayden lake gets quite a bit of recreational boat traffic....the honeysuckle boat launch gets way over crowded in summer months sometimes. CDA probably has the biggest overall pike on any given year, but I know hayden is nothing to shake your stick at. Up until the April 2007 state record by Bob Ringer from CDA, Hayden and CDA were tied for the state record at 38lbs, 9oz. The fish on Hayden lake was caught in 2002 and the one on CDA weighing the exact same was caught in 1992.



You can't say pike don't attract anglers. 89 boats for the pike tournament in 2011. I know the pike tournament down here on Elevenmile has fetched upwards of 100 boats. I know some the pike anglers down here have stopped fishing it because it is a mandatory catch and kill tournament.

[Mark K]

Actually Hayden lake gets quite a bit of recreational boat traffic....the honeysuckle boat launch gets way over crowded in summer months sometimes. CDA probably has the biggest overall pike on any given year, but I know hayden is nothing to shake your stick at. Up until the April 2007 state record by Bob Ringer from CDA, Hayden and CDA were tied for the state record at 38lbs, 9oz. The fish on Hayden lake was caught in 2002 and the one on CDA weighing the exact same was caught in 1992.



You can't say pike don't attract anglers. 89 boats for the pike tournament in 2011. I know the pike tournament down here on Elevenmile has fetched upwards of 100 boats. I know some the pike anglers down here have stopped fishing it because it is a mandatory catch and kill tournament.

89 boats is awesome! Hopefully there are more this year. It's too bad the big tournament down there is catch and kill. I wouldn't participate either. And I encourage people to not take part in the Pike derby's on the POR that will be catch and kill. When are you going to hold your next tournament down there Buddy?

[AJ's Dad]

The Lester V. Smith Pike tourney on CDA releases every live fish that gets weighed in. Unfortunately, there is no penalty for a dead fish. Last Year I asked if they would be having someone manning the weigh in spot all day, to allow anglers to come weigh in a large fish and then release it quicker. They did not. I was concerned that myself or someone else would catch a big girl, early in the day, only to find it dead by the time the 5pm weigh in came around.
On a good note, in two years of fishing that tourney, I have not seen a dead fish yet. That doesn't mean one or two haven't died and I just didn't notice them. Last year there were two fish over 18lbs weighed in on day one if I remember right. It would be tough for me to keep a 20lb fish alive all day in the livewell of my bass boat. Heck, it would be tough for me to Get a 20lb fish in the livewell of my bass boat. I just hope I have that problem this year. Maybe I'll take a big cooler along and Mark K. can hold it on his lap all day.

If anyone is interested in fishing that tourney this year, you can go online and get the application at the Fins And Feathers Tackle shop website at http://www.fins1.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It's a team event and the last two years the entry fee has been $50 per team. There's a lot of water to fish over there.

Happy Fishing

[Mark K]

I've never really liked the way they weigh the fish in but if it gets it done without killing them then its okay with me. I would like to see a dead fish's weight not count though. And hey, if you catch that 20lber I will happily carry the cooler around all day!

[Lucius]

Yeah, it appears they have gotten better with the weight in the past couple of years. in 2007 I was at the weight in and the biggest fish weighted in was 19lbs 15oz, but he caught it early in the day and it died. Nice fish but I was bummed to see it dead. The pike tourney I just hosted was a catch and keep for all fish smaller than 26" (5 fish limit) and catch and release for all fish over 26". The team had to take a picture demonstrating the full, readable length with the tournament card and it went off without any problems. Well almost. a 29" pike swallowed a bait hole and they couldn't revive so it died. Since the fish was over 26" and died that fishes length (1point per inch) was deducted from their overall point total. They would have been in 2nd place if the fish didn't die, it dropped down to 2nd to last (just above the people that didn't catch any fish). I will actually change the rules around for the march 10th and 11th tournament in the fact that instead of the length being deducted, I will deduct the weight. That weight it is still a penalty but nothing that is too dramatic. 1.5 weeks and counting until I go pike fishing again

[Mark K]

You're lucky. I thought we were close, and then we got 4+ inches of snow on Saturday and are expecting a lot more tonight through the rest of the week. I think out night time temps have been low teens too. Harsh reminder that it is still February.

[nicco1]

I don't have a boat, but i would love to catch some pike, where would the best place for me to do that be in Idaho?

[Lucius]

there is quite a bit of shore access to both CDA and Hayden lake. For hayden lake I say go to sportmans' access on the north end. CDA also on the north end whereever you can find a spot but the better ones are Cougar Bay and Wolf Lodge. Hopefully the water is warm enough, so they should be chasing lures pretty consistently!!

[Natebg1]

Well I figured since I am fresh off coming back from Idaho fishing for the Amazing Northern Pike I would give some pointers. If you go to the Wolf Lodge Bay area there is plenty of road access to park and get to shoreline to fish the banks. Not sure how the fishing is in that area but it is certainly a good looking Bay. I am hoping to find out sometime this fall how the fishing is in that area.

Since I am on the topic, figured I would post some pictures from our trip this past weekend. These pictures are certainly worth a thousand words especially being they are First's for both my Little Man and one of my good buddies.

[nicco1]

Thanks for the tips! I ended up going to killarney lake idaho. Had a lot of bites and caught one at about 4lb on a swimbait.

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