Northern Pike in lake Roosevelt

[St.Clair5x5]

Broke off on a 25 + incher and managed to this one today smallmouth bass fishing.... Around Kettle falls thought  everyone would like the heads up

[ribka]

Fry it up
pike eats as well as walleye in cold water. just take out y bones

[Mfowl]

Did you report that to the WDFW? You should, they are actively trying to erradicate them from the Pend Orielle River.

[Russ McDonald]

Fry it up
pike eats as well as walleye in cold water. just take out y bones

love eating pike.

[lewy]

  didnt know roosevelt had em, better report it

[Russ McDonald]

If I have read reports right.  Since I moved here Rosevelt has had Northerns which has been almost 3 years.

[Mfowl]

Pend Oreille River has them, Roosevelt has always had northern pikeminnows (squawfish) but this is the first I've heard of pike in Roosevelt. I haven't searched reports in the past so there could easily be others but I know the state doesn't want them in the Columbia, just another smolt eater.

[Russ McDonald]

Maybe that is where I was confused pikeminnow and pike.  Doesn't Roosevelt have Walleye?  Not much of a difference in fish there.  Both are predator fish.

[Mfowl]

Yeah, tons of walleye in Roosevelt, they just upped the limit and took off the size restrictions recently to curb their population as well.

[Panic Minnow]

Just another toothy critter to catch over there. They sure are a lot of fun to target, but seems they act like most of the Tiger Musky when hooked, they want to roll instead of run.

[Skillet]

Maybe that is where I was confused pikeminnow and pike.  Doesn't Roosevelt have Walleye?  Not much of a difference in fish there.  Both are predator fish.

Nope, you got it right.  They've been catching northerns for a few years in Lake Roosevelt now, the WDFW is well aware of it, and it was a topic of discussion well before they started the netting them in the PO River.  These "water wolves" have been in the system for years (check out the Northern Pike state records - all come from the Spokane River, fed by Lake Coeur D'Alene).  It looks like, unfortunately, that they are getting a "fin-hold" in that reservoir now, though.

[7mmfan]

Not a good thing! Many people view them as another opportunity, but these things will take over if given a chance. I was told that they may have a hard time establishing solid populations in Roosevelt due to the huge variance in water levels throughout the year, but the last thing we need is them getting down into the lower reservoirs where we have steelhead and salmon smolt migrations. Those reservoirs tend to be more stable in water level as well. It'd be game over.

[Skillet]

Not a good thing! Many people view them as another opportunity, but these things will take over if given a chance. I was told that they may have a hard time establishing solid populations in Roosevelt due to the huge variance in water levels throughout the year, but the last thing we need is them getting down into the lower reservoirs where we have steelhead and salmon smolt migrations. Those reservoirs tend to be more stable in water level as well. It'd be game over.

It's only a matter of time.  They'll be catching them in the lower river sloughs in 15-20 years at the latest, I'd bet.

[St.Clair5x5]

Yep yep I reported it. Not the first one that I've heard or see. My buddy caught one 5 years ago when we were fishing. When I reported it then it was the second one ever reported in the river. I was able to participate in research with the wdfw on the Ponderay river ( prolly spelt wrong haha) taking population surveys through electrofishing and gill netting. Lots and lots of them for sure. Thought I'd pass along the info along for those people who didn't know.

[Mfowl]

Thanks for sharing!

[jollyskwala]

BTW- Northern Pike and Walleye are not the same thing.....or are Nothern Pike and Pike Minnows!!!!! Yea Northerns and Walleye are toothy critters but Northerns are in there own class, which is why various agencies have paid or pay anglers to kill them.  Northerns, while fun to fish and good to eat, wreak havoc on many fisheries. Please whack em and stack em, as allowed by law. Thanks!

[7mmfan]