2 Northeren Pike caught in Roosevelt same day

[WALLEYEGUY]

Caught one and a buddy in another boat caugt a northern in lake roosevelt this weekend.  Guess the tribes/states efforts to net them out of the PO is not working.  Can't wait to see what they do when they show in the lower Columbia.  Maybe the walleyes will be ignored again.

[baldopepper]

Where on the lake were you fishing?  My brother pulled a dolly varden out over the weekend, I didn't know they were in there either.

[Woodchuck]

Caught one and a buddy in another boat caugt a northern in lake roosevelt this weekend.  Guess the tribes/states efforts to net them out of the PO is not working.  Can't wait to see what they do when they show in the lower Columbia.  Maybe the walleyes will be ignored again.

Talk about a predator that will damage a smolt population....

[WALLEYEGUY]

Both were caught above Kettle falls in Singar Bay

[benhuntin]

Seen a pic of a 14 pounder out of there the other day.


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[KFhunter]

I think a state record -if not bigger- will come from the Roosevelt a few years down the road.

[Mr Mykiss]

Nice try. Everyone knows that walleye are the only predator that eats smolts...

[splitshot]

   hope you guys are keeping them.    mike w

[Russ McDonald]

Sorry they are resilient (sp?) fish.  They are there to stay.  The ecosystem will work itself out.  I grew up in a state with both fish along with trout in lakes and rivers.  Great lakes has salmon in it along the pike and walleye.

[teal101]

Caught one and a buddy in another boat caugt a northern in lake roosevelt this weekend.  Guess the tribes/states efforts to net them out of the PO is not working.  Can't wait to see what they do when they show in the lower Columbia.  Maybe the walleyes will be ignored again.

Talk about a predator that will damage a smolt population....

Pike will for the most part stay shallow (littoral zone) in the warmest water possible.  There is not a lot of suitable habitat for them on the Columbia until you hit Tri Cities.  The mouth of the Okanogan and Crescent bar are a few areas I could see some popping up.  Salmon and Steelhead will prefer the cooler water and generally not be in the same part of the water column as the Pike.  Studies on Curlew Lake have shown that the Tiger Musky (Pike x Musky Hybrid) seldom feed on trout or trout fry in the spring, summer, and fall.  In the winter when they retreat to deeper depths their diet increases to approximately 40% trout because they are now occupying the same water level.  Pike will chase the the largest meal they can as well.  Will they impact the Salmon and Steelhead, yes.  Will it be the end all, no.

I'd rather they not be in the Columbia, but they are here to stay.

[Jburke]

Caught one and a buddy in another boat caugt a northern in lake roosevelt this weekend.  Guess the tribes/states efforts to net them out of the PO is not working.  Can't wait to see what they do when they show in the lower Columbia.  Maybe the walleyes will be ignored again.

Talk about a predator that will damage a smolt population....

Pike will for the most part stay shallow (littoral zone) in the warmest water possible.  There is not a lot of suitable habitat for them on the Columbia until you hit Tri Cities.  The mouth of the Okanogan and Crescent bar are a few areas I could see some popping up.  Salmon and Steelhead will prefer the cooler water and generally not be in the same part of the water column as the Pike.  Studies on Curlew Lake have shown that the Tiger Musky (Pike x Musky Hybrid) seldom feed on trout or trout fry in the spring, summer, and fall.  In the winter when they retreat to deeper depths their diet increases to approximately 40% trout because they are now occupying the same water level.  Pike will chase the the largest meal they can as well.  Will they impact the Salmon and Steelhead, yes.  Will it be the end all, no.

I'd rather they not be in the Columbia, but they are here to stay.

 

[Mr Mykiss]

Comparing depth in a lake and depth in a river is apples to oranges.

Pike habitat in the Tri-Cities?
Like where the largest tributary of the Columbia River dumps in?
Like where giant caspian tern and cormorant colonies are for good reason?
Like where the water temp gets optimal for warm water spp right when subyearlings are migrating?
Like the time of year the highest levels of predation occur?
Like any of that stuff?

Wait you're right I'm sure pike will be kegged up and hugging the bottom in 50' of water in mid-August. Sorry I don't know what I was thinking...

[Jburke]

Pike won't reproduce in the Columbia like they have in the Pend Orielle.  The food sources will be there but the habitat isn't there for that kind of population growth to make much of a dent in the Salmon population, at least nothing noticable.   

[AWS]

I think northerns are better table fare than salmon, I like them better than walleye once they get around the 30" size or larger.  Firm white flesh much like a halibut.  A few quick knife cuts and the fillets are boneless.  I live right on the coast and go back to WI every year for northern fishing and have enough fillets for fish fries in hunting camp.

[Jburke]

Also this is nothing new really.  Iv'e been hearing of a pike or two out of Roosevelt every year for a few years now.

[teal101]

Comparing depth in a lake and depth in a river is apples to oranges.

Pike habitat in the Tri-Cities?
Like where the largest tributary of the Columbia River dumps in?
Like where giant caspian tern and cormorant colonies are for good reason?
Like where the water temp gets optimal for warm water spp right when subyearlings are migrating?
Like the time of year the highest levels of predation occur?
Like any of that stuff?

Wait you're right I'm sure pike will be kegged up and hugging the bottom in 50' of water in mid-August. Sorry I don't know what I was thinking...

They're going to occupy the same depths, river or lake.  Look at the Pend Orielle, they are caught in the shallow water areas just like lakes.

I guess you didnt get my point or I dont get yours?  Yes the Tri-Cities are of the Columbia and down river from there has suitable shallow warmer habitat for Pike, hence why I said Tri-Cities.  If it holds Largemouth Bass, it will hold Pike.  Yes they will eat some young of the year Salmonids running through the area.  I doubt they will impact it anymore than the Smallmouth have, if even that much.  Pike grow large and wont be chasing fry very long.  They can consume fish 1/3 their size and will do so over smaller offerings.  It's expenditure of energy vs energy consumption.  I see a lot of Carp, Tench, Squaws, Chubs, Suckers, and Daces in their diet along with Bass, Walleye, and Salmonids.  The young pike will be the worst on the Salmonids.

Not sure how you got that out of what I said, last I checked mid August is not winter

[Mr Mykiss]

No August isn't winter. Are you saying that juvenile salmonids are migrating in winter in 40' of water and that's when pike will feed on them?

I'm no expert but I thought juvenile salmonids migrate April-September when the water is warming, especially on the surface and predators like...I don't know... Pike would be at the top of the water column where I coulda sworn I heard juvenile salmonids migrate. Maybe I'm getting misinformation.

[teal101]

No August isn't winter. Are you saying that juvenile salmonids are migrating in winter in 40' of water and that's when pike will feed on them?

I'm no expert but I thought juvenile salmonids migrate April-September when the water is warming, especially on the surface and predators like...I don't know... Pike would be at the top of the water column where I coulda sworn I heard juvenile salmonids migrate. Maybe I'm getting misinformation.

My point was to show that the Esox family preys on what is available in their water column.  If Salmonids are present, they will feed on them IF they are worth the energy expenditure.  A 20lb pike is not going to be chasing 2" Parr all over the place.  You also have a huge variety of other prey species that will be a larger food source than the Salmon.  Carp are much easier to catch and eat than a Salmon Parr and will most likely be larger.

The Terns will continue to have a bigger impact than any piscivorous fish in the system.

[Mr Mykiss]

Good points...most of the juvenile fish out migrating in the Columbia are about 2"... and they're usually referred to as "parr".