Northern pike. The easiest way to tell the difference between pike and chain pickerel is by the fins. Pike, like the one above, have patterns on their fins. Chain pickerel do not have patterns on their fins.
Not knowing what your gonna be eating ain't a good start tho!!
Some random dead fish " what's this I'm gonna be eating?"
I get the feeling alot of these fish ain't getting eaten tbh, its not a good start if they have no idea what the fish are to begin with!
So many pics on this sub of people doing this. I don’t understand how this isn’t the first thing someone tells a new angler when they are showing them how to fish.
Seriously, the amount of abuse posted on here is ridiculous. I can’t believe how some people go fishing and feel confident treating fish this way without knowing what species it is
I can only agree with you. I'd betcha that most of the people who post this don't damage the fishies content are either trout flyfishermen, or they don't fish at all.
Good question. Fish have a mucus coat over their scales as a part of their immune system and once you wipe it off and get them dirty they are much more prone to getting infected. Pike are very slimy and in reality they need it to be healthy. When I go shore fishing I still bring a net so I don't have to lay them on the bank like this and can handle them in the water more. Handling them over water also means if they flop after the hook is out you can just toss them right back in.
Edit: if I want to release a pike if possible I'll just grab the bend of the hook in its mouth with pliers while its still in the water, and turn the point in while giving it a jerk- you can easily get them to pop off without touching them. If I'm fishing where pike are present I don't cast until my pliers are out and ready.
I can agree once caught a pike that got off the hook with large pieces of gills still on the hook it didn't die during the whole summer as I could spot it many times with gills hanging
That's highly dependent on the waters. When I fish pike in provincial parks (Algonquin) I have to revive them for 10-15 minutes or they go belly up after a short fight. In my local lake that's highly polluted, they swim off like a bat out of hell with blood squirting out everywhere
https://preview.redd.it/jywg4gtgivvc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce74074811a32a9dc07b18f1e2b855e059d8b5d7
It’s pike if it’s not that then it’s a musky
Please learn what game fish there are in the water and what regulations are in place before fishing. This is a northern pike, one of the most common game fish in Canada. You would have known if you had made the smallest of efforts to learn beforehand. Hunters don't shoot animals unless they're certain of the species, this should apply to fishing as well.
I’ve never kept one actually. We just always use the keep limits as a benchmark for a good catch when we head up North. Like “I caught 3 while I was out, only one keeper tho”.
Last year I only caught one “keeper” when I was in WI (it was a whopping 27 inches).
OP has 716 in his name so I assume he’s in or around WNY fishing and states regs are Northern pike are a minimum is 18 inches. And the season to keep them starts in May.
I don’t see that anywhere, as op hasn’t commented on this post at all. He’s wearing bills gear and posts in the Buffalo sub. He could be fishing Lake Ontario which is also accessible from NYS.
A dead pike thanks to your great handling! If you’re gonna pull fish out of water, you should at the very least learn the different species and handling techniques.
Northern Pike, no mistaken it...
They call those small skinny Pike " Hammer Handles"
It means there is a huge population of them where you are fishing, not enough baitfish for food. Those Pike should be harvested, they are actually the best eating Pike after taking out the Y bone. They destroy the Perch and Walleye populations if present. Having hammer handles stunts the growth of your fishery. The only thing that eats them are bigger Pike or Muskies. They are a lot of fun though, they will smack anything, 30-40 fish days are common in small lakes or gravel pits. You just will have a very hard time finding anything bigger though, most are 24-20 inches and smaller, very skinny fish.
Start harvesting them responsibly if you want trophy Pike in your favorite fishing spot.
Pike - despite looking fearsome - are extremely delicate and prone to mis-handling on the bank. "But they always swim off" - maybe, then die a slow and nasty death from damaged skin infections/swallowed hooks/damaged spines etc. Please invest in an unhooking mat OP, or at least keep them in the landing net in the water (or even soft grass in a pinch) rather than the ground.
The laying a fish on the ground thing is completely being thrown out of proportion. For a quick picture is perfectly fine. It’s when they start to dry off when their health is in question. People lay them on measuring boards all the time. Don’t see anyone complaining about that.
I have seen a shitload of pike in my life. That is infact a Northern Pike. Its definitely not a muskie or Southern pike. Couldn't be an Amur pike. You could argue its a chain pickerel bit the patterns don't match fully.
Therefore in my opinion its a Northern Pike
Variations are huge in fish. Alot of Americans think European Northern Pike and even Southern Pike are Muskellunge. So its ok. In my opinion its a Nordy. If not, what harm 🤷♂️
had a week long canadian fishing trip with the guys in a cabin on Lake Nipissing.....gorgeous! caught and ate walleye ("fresh water lobster") few small bass and a 36 inch monster, my first pike...little fishy meat and bony but hell yes I filleted and cooked him!!! Delicious, fresh fish all week! (strip clubs were pretty good too!) ;-)
Look up 5 boneless fillets for pike. Quick, easy, and boneless. I have never heard walleye called freshwater lobster, but burbot is called the poor man's lobster up here.
Aahh, gotcha! That was quite a few years ago and one of the first fish I fileted So I know I butchered it quite a bit. As for the walleye it was delicious but not a burbot. Maybe I got 2 of the guys stories combined after a few cold one and long days on the water! Good fun!!!🙄
Northern pike. The easiest way to tell the difference between pike and chain pickerel is by the fins. Pike, like the one above, have patterns on their fins. Chain pickerel do not have patterns on their fins.
Damn thats easier than the method I’ve used which is black line under the eye and scales on top and bottom of gill cover
From a certain size that’s useful. But baby pike and muskie have em too. They eventually grow out of it, but idk when
the black line right? from what i understand the scales on the top and bottom of gill cover plate is unique to chain pickerel
Oh didn’t read it fully. I only meant the black line. Baby esox all have em, but not picks keep em through adulthood
Pike
Pike
If you are unaware of the species, try not tossing it on the sticks and dirt next time.
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Not knowing what your gonna be eating ain't a good start tho!! Some random dead fish " what's this I'm gonna be eating?" I get the feeling alot of these fish ain't getting eaten tbh, its not a good start if they have no idea what the fish are to begin with!
So long as the local regulations permit retention. Either way, rules are don’t abuse fish if you don’t know the species.
That's what she said
So many pics on this sub of people doing this. I don’t understand how this isn’t the first thing someone tells a new angler when they are showing them how to fish.
Ok.
It's a northern pike and please learn to identify the species to handle them correctly
Dont lay it in the dirt if its alive.
Seriously, the amount of abuse posted on here is ridiculous. I can’t believe how some people go fishing and feel confident treating fish this way without knowing what species it is
I can only agree with you. I'd betcha that most of the people who post this don't damage the fishies content are either trout flyfishermen, or they don't fish at all.
It’s so common too.
Thats now a dead pike as u trashed his coat
Could you (or someone) go into more detail on this, please?
Good question. Fish have a mucus coat over their scales as a part of their immune system and once you wipe it off and get them dirty they are much more prone to getting infected. Pike are very slimy and in reality they need it to be healthy. When I go shore fishing I still bring a net so I don't have to lay them on the bank like this and can handle them in the water more. Handling them over water also means if they flop after the hook is out you can just toss them right back in. Edit: if I want to release a pike if possible I'll just grab the bend of the hook in its mouth with pliers while its still in the water, and turn the point in while giving it a jerk- you can easily get them to pop off without touching them. If I'm fishing where pike are present I don't cast until my pliers are out and ready.
Abother rule here in Germany is: Only touch fish with wet hands (to not hurt the muscus coat).
Also important, thanks for adding!
Sorry about that. That is some good information that I didn't know. I also watched a couple videos after reading this, on how to properly handel fish.
All good, we are all still learning every day! Good luck on your next pike.
Not likely. Pike are only surpassed by catfish in toughness
I can agree once caught a pike that got off the hook with large pieces of gills still on the hook it didn't die during the whole summer as I could spot it many times with gills hanging
That is not a statistically robust study.
Yeah that is very true
That's highly dependent on the waters. When I fish pike in provincial parks (Algonquin) I have to revive them for 10-15 minutes or they go belly up after a short fight. In my local lake that's highly polluted, they swim off like a bat out of hell with blood squirting out everywhere
My experience is Minnesota lakes and the kuskoquim River
Very true
It's a pike.
Northern pike
Northern pike
Pike!?
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https://preview.redd.it/jywg4gtgivvc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce74074811a32a9dc07b18f1e2b855e059d8b5d7 It’s pike if it’s not that then it’s a musky
Please learn what game fish there are in the water and what regulations are in place before fishing. This is a northern pike, one of the most common game fish in Canada. You would have known if you had made the smallest of efforts to learn beforehand. Hunters don't shoot animals unless they're certain of the species, this should apply to fishing as well.
I hope you threw him back. Usually need to be over 30” if I remember correctly to keep in most states.
24” in Illinois 26” in Wisconsin Those are the only two states I’ve ever caught a pike
That’s right now I remember. I grew up on the state line. I was born n the ballpark tho!
Ahh I remember the days of ice fishing on rock lake and a John boat on Ripley in the summer
Isn’t it spawning right now in Northern states? We could never take pike or muskie in WI until mid June (90’s)
I’ve never kept one actually. We just always use the keep limits as a benchmark for a good catch when we head up North. Like “I caught 3 while I was out, only one keeper tho”. Last year I only caught one “keeper” when I was in WI (it was a whopping 27 inches).
Yeah, we never kept them either but the fish and wildlife officers always reminded us (we were using our non-resident fishing licenses).
I think it varies a LOT. In, I think most of, Ontario we can keep any size pike, no problem.
Depending on the zone. For me (zone 2) is no keepers between 28-38” Edit: 36”
Was just about to say I fish up at red lake every summer. No pike in between 28" and 36" there. 3 under, 1 over on a sport license.
Er yes you’re right on the sizes. My mistake.
Copy that. Way more resources up there. Makes sense
more fuckin pike than we know what to do with tbh
lol I wish
The 1 pounders get annoying sometimes but yeah its nice
Wayyyyy too many little pickles out there. But I can’t complain about not getting skunked…
especially when they will literally eat anything
OP has 716 in his name so I assume he’s in or around WNY fishing and states regs are Northern pike are a minimum is 18 inches. And the season to keep them starts in May.
He said Ontario
I don’t see that anywhere, as op hasn’t commented on this post at all. He’s wearing bills gear and posts in the Buffalo sub. He could be fishing Lake Ontario which is also accessible from NYS.
My bad it was wasn’t OP that said that
Northern Pike
Pike
Pike
Pike
Can you eat pike ?
Yes they are delicious and definitely recommended
yup, not recommended though.
Treat the fish with a modicum of respect next time.
It looks like a Pike
100% Esox lucius, aka northern pike...
Northern Pike Esox Lucius
A dead pike thanks to your great handling! If you’re gonna pull fish out of water, you should at the very least learn the different species and handling techniques.
Ahh my mistake
Pike
Thou hast committed a grievous pike sin. The pike gods on here have forever banned you from catching another one. Nice catch!
Щука ж
The most iconic fish of the northern hemisphere. Nothern Pike.
Pike
Northern Pike
Pike
Pike!
Northern pike
esox lucius
Northern Pike, no mistaken it... They call those small skinny Pike " Hammer Handles" It means there is a huge population of them where you are fishing, not enough baitfish for food. Those Pike should be harvested, they are actually the best eating Pike after taking out the Y bone. They destroy the Perch and Walleye populations if present. Having hammer handles stunts the growth of your fishery. The only thing that eats them are bigger Pike or Muskies. They are a lot of fun though, they will smack anything, 30-40 fish days are common in small lakes or gravel pits. You just will have a very hard time finding anything bigger though, most are 24-20 inches and smaller, very skinny fish. Start harvesting them responsibly if you want trophy Pike in your favorite fishing spot.
A fish
Those are the slimy pikes I don't let in my bass boat
Legless land lizard
Triple almost quadruple alliterative, gnarly
Northern pike
northern pike
Northern Pike, even though it's in the Perch Family!
Not in the perch family
It’s a fish
Fish
Identify? That’s Mike.
Pike
Damn y’all gotta stop handling fish like this if you don’t even know what it is. Take a picture of it in your net and let it go..
Can of paint
pick
Why are you asking for id when you have posted several pikes on this sub?
It's was a different color. I thought it might be a different fish.
small pike
Small northern pike
Northern pike
Issa knife
Bull trout
Damn near every new phone comes with the lense app...you take a picture of the object, and it tells you what it is...
Pike - despite looking fearsome - are extremely delicate and prone to mis-handling on the bank. "But they always swim off" - maybe, then die a slow and nasty death from damaged skin infections/swallowed hooks/damaged spines etc. Please invest in an unhooking mat OP, or at least keep them in the landing net in the water (or even soft grass in a pinch) rather than the ground.
Hammerhandle pike
Ima say a City Guy that doesn’t go fishing often…. And other correct answers “Northern Pike”
Pencil Pike.
Good ol' prairie slough shark, jackfish, devourer of all things.
The ole Slough Shark.
Jack fish
We call them snot rockets.
This is a northern timberbass
The laying a fish on the ground thing is completely being thrown out of proportion. For a quick picture is perfectly fine. It’s when they start to dry off when their health is in question. People lay them on measuring boards all the time. Don’t see anyone complaining about that.
That what some videos said, too.
"You sir are a fish"
Northern Pike. A jack pike to be exact I would say
Not a northern. Jawline doesn't seem right.
Definitely a northern pike
I have seen a shitload of pike in my life. That is infact a Northern Pike. Its definitely not a muskie or Southern pike. Couldn't be an Amur pike. You could argue its a chain pickerel bit the patterns don't match fully. Therefore in my opinion its a Northern Pike
At least you stated it as an opinion
Variations are huge in fish. Alot of Americans think European Northern Pike and even Southern Pike are Muskellunge. So its ok. In my opinion its a Nordy. If not, what harm 🤷♂️
Why where you down voted
People in disagreement
Fish
Fish
Pickerel
Throw it back stupid.
had a week long canadian fishing trip with the guys in a cabin on Lake Nipissing.....gorgeous! caught and ate walleye ("fresh water lobster") few small bass and a 36 inch monster, my first pike...little fishy meat and bony but hell yes I filleted and cooked him!!! Delicious, fresh fish all week! (strip clubs were pretty good too!) ;-)
Look up 5 boneless fillets for pike. Quick, easy, and boneless. I have never heard walleye called freshwater lobster, but burbot is called the poor man's lobster up here.
Aahh, gotcha! That was quite a few years ago and one of the first fish I fileted So I know I butchered it quite a bit. As for the walleye it was delicious but not a burbot. Maybe I got 2 of the guys stories combined after a few cold one and long days on the water! Good fun!!!🙄
I was gonna say gar I would've been wrong
Gar have a snout that looks like they are gonna say noot noot
That is the best fish identification tip I have received my entire life dood.
Happy to help :)
That is a fish.
Fish
Dead baby
Barracuda
Chain pickeral don’t know what others call it.Pike
Fish
blue whale.
Chain pickerel?
That theres a rainbow trout
Chain Pickerel / I read all the pike comments. I would have said chain due to the color and size might be wrong though.
Chain pickerel dont have patterns on their fins.
Yeah, I knew I was wrong. I was just highlighting what my initial impression was due to the dinker size.
It happens to the best of us mate 😁 especially when it comes down to small details. Dont’t sweat it :)
Looks like a pike or hybrid walleye
Chain pickerel
No teardrop, it’s a pike
Do people eat pickerel? How are they?
Covered in slimy dick juice, as my buddy Kyle would say…
Fish
It’s a dickfur
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Yea, but it's not.
It is a northern pike, so cool! There, I corrected all of your mistakes.
why is everyone so mean here :(
chain pickerel, not pike.
No it's definitely a pike.