Invasive predator alarmingly close to critical salmon habitat on Columbia River

[wolfbait]

Invasive predator alarmingly close to critical salmon habitat on Columbia River

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/invasive-predator-alarmingly-close-to-critical-salmon-habitat-on-columbia-river/281-613908061

[Huntin Hounds]

The Spokesman Review article has some pictures showing a 16" rainbow pulled from the belly of a 10lbs pike. Just imagine how much the 27lbs pike eats! No wonder the walleye fishing has seemed slow the last couple years. I think I am gonna start running 1 rod with a big spoon or rapala  on steel leader when I trout fish.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/nov/15/invasive-northern-pike-found-10-miles-from-grand-c/

[Woodchuck]

So how is it that back in MN there more bodies of water than I can count that contain pike, walleye, trout, bluegill, bass etc and the pike haven't killed them all off?

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Sounds like the Wolf of the water killing everything it finds. Why can people accept to kill all Pikes and not the actual Wolf eating all our big game animals?  Double edged sword............

[Huntin Hounds]

They certainly can exist together but with a similar relationship that wolves have with elk and deer. The other species will still exist just at lower densities. Some find that acceptable and some don't. The problem with Pike is that we already have major restrictions on salmon fishing because some runs are not doing well. We can have a great run headed to the upper Columbia but a crappy run headed to the Snake and if they are in the lower river at the same time the fishing will be limited to conserve the snake run. Why would anyone want another variable that will negatively affect already depleted fish runs?

[Angry Perch]

So how is it that back in MN there more bodies of water than I can count that contain pike, walleye, trout, bluegill, bass etc and the pike haven't killed them all off?

I imagine salmon are more vulnerable due to there life cycle. Juvenile spiny rays have some protection by staying in weeds/ structure. Juvenile salmon are in open water for sometimes hundreds of miles. They're running a gauntlet. But man are northerns fun to catch!

[JimmyHoffa]

So how is it that back in MN there more bodies of water than I can count that contain pike, walleye, trout, bluegill, bass etc and the pike haven't killed them all off?

The salmon and steelhead that were transplanted to the Great Lakes (and Chile, too) are doing great from what I hear.  Many thought they'd never survive that area, in part due to pike and muskie.

[huntnnw]

funny how there is a bounty on the native "pike minnow" yet smallies and walleye are a non native specie

[buckcanyonlodge]

Caught 25 this year. Never in the 20 years I have fished on Lake Roosevelt had I caught a pike before 2018. Three 10 pounders had trout in their bellies. They will never keep them out of the lower Columbia. The last pic is of a tribal net boat. I watched from the bank through binos and saw only one pike caught but they tossed at least a dozen walleye (dead) back into the lake.

[whitey]

BuckCanyon what do you use to catch them? I hear they are good to eat?
Nice fish and its good to keep them in check.

[buckcanyonlodge]

Mostly spoons and crankbaits. They are very good eating ...that is once I figured out how to fillet them. Big line of Y-bones to contend with.

[whitey]

I will swing by and talk to you the next time Im over that way.
I will have a spot in my boat if you have free time. If nothing else have a cold one.

[buckcanyonlodge]

 

[KFhunter]

This is my pike slayer lure




I fish it extremely slow on the surface so the back end just does a little   tik    tik   tik  back and forth, not even wagging back and forth but a pause when it hits each side...tik to the right, pause, tik to the left, pause...not a constant wagging back and forth...make since?  I use braided line for doing this with no stretch.

It never dives below the surface or those trebles will grab every weed in the lake 


It started as my laker trout for Idaho troller, but on some pike trips none of my "pike" gear was working nor was any of my friends.  They were soaking smelt, trolling spinner, tossing spoons..nothing was working.  Out of desperation I brought out my salmon/trout box and tossed this thing on and did a stupid slow retrive and bam!  then another and another and another!

It's so scarred up now it's hardly silver anymore.


good luck slaying pike 

[Gearnut]

Thanks for posting....I learned a lot.

[Night goat]

I'm going pike fishing this year. Its been a bucket list fish of.mine for years....do my part to kill a couple. EXCELLENT eating. Smoked and pickled pike is great too.

Just wish it were different circumstances.... Thats messed up, those fish are vicious.... Its like a fresh water barricuda with an appetite like a lingcod...

[banishd]

When I was up there last time the Colvilles were offering $5/head up to $500 per year