My. Biggest. Pike. Ever.

Submitted by Mike B on Tue, 05/31/2016 - 22:33
Sunday, May 29, 2016
  • Pike, Northern
Size: 
Kraken size: 48 inches long, with a girth too fearsome to contemplate!

Me and the boys were in pike nirvana on Sunday. After personally capturing and releasing 11 northern pike over 40 inches, including a skinny 48, a decent 47.5, and an enormously tubby 46 -- all on very heavy tackle (50 lbs test braid, 100 lbs test fluoro leader and mammoth Bulldawg baits) -- we stopped on the way back to try for pickerel (Canadian vernacular for walleye) for dinner. I rigged up a stupid little twister tail jig tipped with a salted shiner onto a four-pound test Yo-Zuri fluoro-mono hybrid leader, which was tied to some old six-pound test ice fishing braid loaded onto my trusty Okuma Stinson s20 reel. My rod was a 5' 6" Shimano pro series ultra light.

I immediately caught a fittingly-sized one-pound pickerel followed by a pike of medium farknocker size when I suggested to Gordie that we move up a bit to a narrower part of the river. As he was totally zonked from playing World of Warcraft all night and then getting up at 5 in the morning to go fishing he was slow to move. Unable to rouse him, I started casting out a bit and bouncing the jig back to the boat when a fish took.

Initially, I had no sense of how large the fish might be. The previous farknocker, which I imagine weighed about five pounds or so, managed to stay down for a few minutes and this one was staying deep too. But after 10 minutes of this I began to wonder. I had absolutely no control over this fish as it peeled line like a marlin. Occasionally, it would near the boat and bend my rod awkwardly beneath it. Then the fish surfaced and we knew it would be the largest of the day.

Gord was manning the Go Pro as I prepped Steve with the cradle. He had never cradled a fish before, never mind a monster pike. After some hair-raising false starts that caused the fish to scream line off the reel Steve closed the cradle around the pike and held it tight with a big flapping tail hanging out the side. The pike immediately spat the tiny jig out into the cradle.

I knew instantly while struggling to lift it out of the water that it was by far the largest pike I had ever encountered. It was no 50 incher but a solid 48 by the cradle stick and it was fat, fat, fat. In the scramble to get the fish photographed and back in the water I was unable to find my tape measurer but after later measuring the boat cushion we had laid it on we all agreed that the girth had to be 30 inches. I hesitate to offer a weight because I don't know for sure. Those online fish calculators propose a weight too insane to contemplate. Not crazy European pike size but pretty damn big for a North American pike. Probably my second or third heaviest fish ever landed. Number one would be a white sturgeon. I'm stiil blown away.

Check out the girth on this thing as I release it.

Here's some more fish we caught that day. An all around awesome outing.

This was Steve's first time messing with hogs

Gord gets a silvery 46

Some more pike shots

This one is a 48 too but I imagine it's only around 20 pounds

Got some bonus whities too

Comments

Corey's picture

Corey

Tue, 05/31/2016 - 23:19

Amazing. What an experience.

andy's picture

andy

Tue, 05/31/2016 - 23:31

I don't have words for that huge pike, man.  It's just incredible and makes my brain hurt...WOW!

Cast_and_Blast's picture

Cast_and_Blast

Tue, 05/31/2016 - 23:44

Wow, Mike!!!  Any ideas on weight for that big one?

Graceclaw's picture

Graceclaw

Wed, 06/01/2016 - 00:35

I was terrified when I clicked the link that said that Mike B had gotten a new PB Pike.

My terror was justified.

Gary's picture

Gary

Wed, 06/01/2016 - 01:45

That's one of the most incredible things I've ever seen. An absolute mammoth, amazing beyond words. What a fish!!!!!!

Do not meddle in the affairs of BAGMAN, for thou art crunchy and good with Old Bay seasoning...

 

Dr Flathead's picture

Dr Flathead

Wed, 06/01/2016 - 03:26

I cant look at it much more or my eyeballs will explode.  Unreal Pike for sure .And that skinny one your buddy Gord got is a very unique looking fish.  Its head is almost muskie like.  And its pattern is totally gnarly.  Very sweet dude, congrats on your p/b!

Moose439's picture

Moose439

Wed, 06/01/2016 - 04:05

Fuuuuuckkkk. Yikes man what has that big bag of poo been eating!!!
Hengelaar's picture

Hengelaar

Wed, 06/01/2016 - 05:52

That is NUTS, man! What an incredible looking Pike. No words for it. Massive. And it hasn't got a saggy belly, either. It's just MASS, all the way through. Looks super powerful. Many congrats on the PB, man. Wow. Of course you got it on that little rod, while trying for something else, too.

 

Those other Pike all look fantastic, too. The markings on your second one down are awesome, and Gord's fish does look like half a silver. And of course the surroundings don't look bad, either. Unreal stuff. Even by your standards.

 

Fantastic!


Remind me that I need to get a better rain coat before I head up there. The one I have now ain't keeping me very dry at all anymore.

Fishn sure is neat

drawer.bli's picture

drawer.bli

Wed, 06/01/2016 - 08:15

Damn. To insane to even contemplate. On a side note, that silver pike looks sick.

Waxworm

Wed, 06/01/2016 - 09:56

Couldn't happen in a more exciting way to a more deserving angler!!! Congrats to you as big as that PB pike, Mike!!! I bet there's even a bigger few still out there yet though, waiting for you to meet and introduce us daydreamers to...I bet it's been eating 30" conies for dessert, and whatever the heck it wants otherwise! @-@ Any idea what those wounds might be from (spawning love bites - its previous supper?), any estimation of age, and did it offer you three wishes to let it go? ;)
TonyS's picture

TonyS

Wed, 06/01/2016 - 10:45

So... how often do small children go missing in those parts?

Eli's picture

Eli

Wed, 06/01/2016 - 11:42


Yeah I figured it was something like this when I got your text at midnight. Intense! And a spring fish, too. Imagine her in the fall...

You deserved that fish, broseph.

I need to get my ass back up there, and soon.

 

Also, Gordo being lathargic from playling video games all night is kinda funny.

Eli

 

 

Divemaster's picture

Divemaster

Wed, 06/01/2016 - 20:28

What the eff?! Has that thing been eating 40" Pike, or just small humans? What a beast, longest and fattest Pike I've ever seen, congrats on an amazing catch! You should really consider being a a guide, man. Pike, Lakers, and Inconncu would make an awesome vacation!

Mike B's picture

Mike B

Thu, 06/02/2016 - 00:07

Thanks guys, it was as a dream come true. Gordo called it a fish of a lifetime but then I reminded him it was only our third trip to this location and we have caught massive pike each time, including Gordo's 51.5 inch pike the first trip. This itself is an incredibly high bar to attain but this I'm sure has more to offer at the right time of year.

I was lucky the fish stayed deep and didn't roll or the line go in its in mouth. I really Steve thanks for doing a solid cradle job and Gordo for documenting it. You can also watch his YouTube video of the fight here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvLE-9o4iRc

Mike, if you punch in 48 X 30 into one of this fish calculators for pike you get a ridiculous weight. Don't know about that but it was damn heavy. Over 40 lbs seems reasonable to me. I've weighed a 30 lbs pike and this one was quite a bit bigger.

Gijs, definitely bring rain gear --fleece lined.

Waxworm, I'm not 100 per cent sure but the bite marksare  a common sight on large females this time of year. I can only imagine they're caused by male pike nipping at them during the spring spawn.

Tony, you gotta wonder what the predatory/flight threshold is with animals these size. I'm sure a small dog swimming by would be in trouble.

Come, Eli, Come!

Sc rew being a guide Divemaster. Then I have to watch other people catch my monster fish.

 

 

mike b

Waxworm

Thu, 06/02/2016 - 09:24

Love the underwater shots! Even though you're long done with the guiding gig, now that this fantasy catch has been documented and publicly posted here, and on YouTube, I bet you'll soon be stalked and headhunted by the marketing dept execs at Yo-zuri, Okuma and Shimano Ironic that immediately after Gord's Go-Pro Youtube vid finished playing, a clip of Jeremy Wade on Jimmy Fallon auto loads...sorry Hollyweird - ain't nothin' like the real thing!
Mike B's picture

Mike B

Thu, 06/02/2016 - 10:10

Thanks Waxworm, if Yo-Zuri, Okuma, Shimano want to give me some free stuff I'll take it but I won't be sitting by the phone waiting, lol. I just mentioned these items specifically because I was impressed by their performance. They weren't design to hold monster pike but they did.

God has another Youtube video of the release. I'll post it when I find it.Cheers.

 

mike b

Waxworm

Thu, 06/02/2016 - 14:47

GOD has another YouTube video of you and that miraculous pike?? I wouldn't be surprised! ; ) I think you definitely earned some free gear goodies - I thought that levaithan was gonna bend that rod into a pretzel!
Mike B's picture

Mike B

Thu, 06/02/2016 - 20:01

Haha, Gord I meant but GOD may be involved somewhere along the line. I'm just waiting for Gord to upload the hi-res video.

mike b

Mike B's picture

Mike B

Thu, 06/02/2016 - 20:01

Haha, Gord I meant but GOD may be involved somewhere along the line. I'm just waiting for Gord to upload the hi-res video.

mike b

D.T.'s picture

D.T.

Thu, 06/02/2016 - 22:23

You do know that these pics will be like them other internet/email legends that we've all seen before. Your pike and your place are stuff of every anglers  dreams my man. Totally tits! Jigs you lucky sunzabeeotch!

Mike B's picture

Mike B

Fri, 06/03/2016 - 00:02

Thanks man, I'll know I've hit it big when when people start e-mailing me back my own picture asking, "Hey man did you see this record pike this guy caught in Manitoba?!"

I saw Hengelaar's pic yesterday on one of those "world's biggest fish" sites. I think it gave me a virus.

mike b

Hengelaar's picture

Hengelaar

Fri, 06/03/2016 - 06:43

My Pike gave you a virus?! Aww man. I'm sorry.

 

D-Twizzle is right, though. Your pic has the makings of becoming one of those. You know, like the one from over here that's been travelling the innerweb for like ten years now (often in combination with a pic from the BWCA of a big Pike attacking a little one), and has been a record in many countries. And caught near many resorts...

 

And just because I'm typing anyway, I'll say again how awesome these fish are. Man, that biggest one is just a railroad tie with fins.... Mindblowing stuff.

Fishn sure is neat

krazyk's picture

krazyk

Fri, 06/03/2016 - 19:49

Saw the pike on facebook and was blown away. That is a Pike of legendary status! Showed it to my buddy at work and he couldn't believe it either. The Muskies very rarely even get that big around here! Congrats, dude. I know you're gonna catch a world record one day.

Chain Pickerel: All the bad assery of a Northern Pike wrapped up in a smaller, prettier package.

Mike B's picture

Mike B

Sat, 06/04/2016 - 11:14

I know the one well Hengelaar. First time I saw it someone tried to convince me a guest of a local guide here caught it. Do you know who the real angler is?

Krazyk, we've only begun to explore this particular area. It has perfect conditions to grow big pike -- big, relatively shallow, highly productive water with massive populations of whitefish.Gordie and I have been there three times together and have pulled out incredible fish each time, including Gord's 51.5 incher which is the longest pike I've ever seen. I imagine skinny vs. heavy pike doesn't always have to do with the season and how much food they've been eating but general health and the number of parasites afflicting them. In any event, there are definitely bigger fish out there. Check out this fish in this link netted from the same general area. Gotta be 60 inches long.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fishasart/15248708366/in/album-72157645737134296/

mike b

Hengelaar's picture

Hengelaar

Sat, 06/04/2016 - 14:49

Yes, the dude who caught the Pike that's been caught in all those different countries is named Ewout Blom, and he got it on Lake Volkerak, in these netherlands, in 2004.

Hells, here's the story from the dude himself! Never found this before!

 

http://www.northernpikefishing.ca/44-pound-northern-pike.htm

 

 

Fishn sure is neat

Mike B's picture

Mike B

Sat, 06/04/2016 - 20:02

Man, I always thought his fish was around 50 lbs but I have no reason to doubt it is 44 as he states, or is it 42.9 lbs as he writes further on? Based on this I'm starting to doubt my fish hit the 40 lbs mark. Our fish have similar dimensions but his is clearly larger. The first pike weight calculator I initially put my fish through said 48 lbs. I wanted to believe this but it seemed pretty optimistic. I'd say 37 or so is more realistic. Maybe 38, 39 but 40 is a longshot.

I've never really been too concerned about records but every time I catch a big fish people ask me how much it weighs and I  usually don't know for certain because I only weigh them when they're dead. I think I might invest in some kind of mesh net thing I can hook up to a digital scale. Length + girth is obviously not very accurate and length alone is not a very good indicator of how large the fishc actually is.

mike b

Hengelaar's picture

Hengelaar

Sun, 06/05/2016 - 06:27

Yeah, I never weigh any fish. Though I am sometimes curious, especially with extra large specimens. I never guess, because I am the worst in the world at that.

I think that dutch monster is 42.9, like it says in the story. I've seen that number in another "set things straight" article, too. Maybe just a typo in the title.

 

Tough to compare. Your fish seems to have more of a "muscle weight," which would make sense, cos you got it in moving water. And yours is INSANELY wide across the back. And it looks bulky all the way through. Whereas the dutch beast, from still water, is one of those sag bellies. Your fish and my biggest are closer in length (yes, yours is 1 cm longer!), the difference in physique is pretty interesting. Mine was crazy heavy, but it's the hanging sag again. Yours looks crazy heavy, but much firmer and with more bulk, all the way towards the tail end. And yours looks so damn wide! Of course I didn't weigh mine, either, so who the heck knows.

 

Most important thing: Incredible Beast.

Fishn sure is neat

Mike B's picture

Mike B

Sun, 06/05/2016 - 14:06

And now we'll never know. I didn't consider muscle vs. fat weight but what you say makes sense. all I can say was the fish was damn heavy in my arms. I've always wondered why large European pike were so flabby. I just thought it was genetics but a lack of exercise? Get those fish a treadmill and protein shake.

I am going to fashion some sort of sack I can use to weigh these fish from now on. It's starting to bug me that I don't know.

mike b

Hengelaar's picture

Hengelaar

Sun, 06/05/2016 - 15:15

Maybe you could weigh em in the cradle? I bet ya could do that nice and quick like, too, so it shouldn't add to the out-of-water-time of the fish, really. Then just take off the weight of the cradle.

Let's weigh some in September, whaddayasay?

 

P.S. I showed your pics to my buddies here. They were pretty speechless.

 

Fishn sure is neat

Deftik's picture

Deftik

Sun, 06/05/2016 - 16:12

Mike thats insane....just insane. I've saw so many big pike from you through the years I've became desensitized, but this one is a pig. Keep living the dream man!

Eli's picture

Eli

Sun, 06/05/2016 - 21:11

Just put a bathroom scale on Gord's boat. 

Weight yourself holding the fish. Then weight yourself sans fish. The difference in the two weights is the weight of the fish.

Eli

 

 

the bearded angler's picture

the bearded angler

Mon, 06/06/2016 - 07:30

true trophies!!

http://thebeardedangler.blogspot.ca/

Daniel's picture

Daniel

Fri, 06/10/2016 - 19:45

holy what? that's a giant

I wish I caught that pike

I believe in my family

RexStPierre's picture

RexStPierre

Tue, 06/21/2016 - 19:08

a-ma-zing!!!!!!

Everyone should believe in something, I believe I'll go fishin!