Big girl territory?

[OutwardBound]

Ok I have a question for ya'll with more knowledge in this dept. Please forgive me if it's dumb!

Background info may be helpful. Quick and dirty of it is that I caught a monster while fishing travers last yr with my step dad and family friend. Both are accustomed to just tossing pike back and not really getting excited about em bc we all come from north western ontario where walleyes rule our world. They freaked and friend wouldn't even help to try and bring her in - I had to troll to her bc she wasn't coming in no matter how damn hard I reeled.

I caught a freakin brute last yr. No word of a lie from my own picture comparision, measurements and attempts to get this big girl in the boat, she was as tall as me (my arm span finger tip to tip (5'3")) and fat fat fat. I really think she was in the 35lb possibly more. After dropping a camera in the lake and multiple attempts to get her fat azz in our big azz net that only her tail or head would fit in, and not having any luck, and my heart going a billion million miles an hour and my ulitmate fear of killing her - I sent her on her way with only my armspan measurement, a very terrified and adament Dave who would have jumped overboard had I brought her in, and my stepDad who couldn't wipe the smile off his face but is not experienced in big pred fishing.

Anywho, my question is do these big fish 'patrol' an area so to speak? If so, what's the norm for the approx size? Would she hang out there all seasons? Are your chances of catching one of these beasts better on open water or ice fishing?

I kinda kick myself every time I see a beast like that bc I'm pretty sure I let a fish of a lifetime just slip away. Tho at the time I could've cared less bc we were much more pre-occupied with my terminally ill Mom and enjoying the day on the lake as an escape. But I think I want to try and chase this girl again and turn my 'ultimate fish tale' into at least picture evidence!

Danni

[Deano]

First of all it didn't get away. It sounds like you have a great memory and you all really enjoyed the experience. I think that is what pics are for; you look at them and show them off to buddies, and when you do you get that awesome feeling back. the fact you got to see the monster and share it with your step dad and some buddies is even better. There has been a ouple of times I have thought had a big fish on to only find out I foul hooked it. I have hooked a 12lb Pike in the back and thought I had a monster. If it would of got off before I had a chance to see it I would of been thinking "what if".
I am by no means an expert but in my opininion the best time to catch the "fish of a lifetime" would be (in order) 1) autumn 2) spring) 3) winter 4) summer. I think most people have success in the ice season because that is the easiest time to target them. Set up a tip-up 6-12" of bottom and have at 'er. I like the fall but most people don't like to fish when it is around 0 degrees celcius. Most of the boats are packed up and put away and people are waiting for the hard water. I think that time of year the big girls are eating alot and moving into shallower water to do it. Summer would be the hardest in my opinion to find the big ones.
I also believe big predators are teritorial, but the definitely change depths throughout the year.
I hope this helps, but agaian i am far from an expert.

Deano

[packhuntr]

I beleive there are two separate species of pike in our lakes, wandering pred's and territorial pred's. Some are hard wired to be home bodies, staking out home turf areas where all the basics of survival are met or close at hand. Basically, they are camping out at the refridgerator, calling it home, and fighting to keep it, pushing intruding predators off the desired home turf. There is structure that will consistently hold large predatory fish, be it strategic inside bends, prominent ouside bend type structure. Those are extremes in the world of ambush hunting. There is alot of ground that constitutes structure, and most wouldnt even recognize a change from surrounding and adjoining habitat, but it provides advantage to the hunter, and absolutely can be consistently held by a large territorial predator. There is a WHOLE BUNCH that could be discussed here.
I also have read and beleive that there are large wandering, cruising predators, almost a seperate species. In summer when metabolisms are high, ALL LARGE predatory species are in deeper water. Pike have low tolerances to heat than muskie and walleye, but will leave their comfort zone to feed durring productive times. These are fish that instinctually relate to shore line structure. But there are pike that hunt and feed completely differently. They arguably could contain the absolute largest fish in the system durring open, and warm weather months. They are pike, much like big cousin the muskie, that run the thermocline, or close to it all summer long hunting whitefish and other deep open water species. Theres a bunch that could be discussed on that subject Danni, and it would take a long time to try to bumble it around. Best bet for an educating in this stuff is to chase down Musky Hunter Mag, and Esox Angler mag (the next bite.com). Go to checking these guys out, the info you can and will obtain from folks like this is staggering. I have a stack of older mags (afew) by both outfits if your interested. All are packed with great info. All the best in your quest for another take from that fish! Sounds like a quite a sloughie.! Worst case scenario is that you find another smasher on your quest for redemption!!

[dodger]

From what I have read over the years the bigger they are the lazier. Big Pike do not want to chase down a meal but nail it as it passes by or pick up a dead fish off the bottom. If they have a good feeding area they will hang tough, I have read where the smaller Pike will put on miles while there out feeding. Great advice from packhuntr about " nextbite.com".
My $0.02 worth.
Dodger.

[fish-man]

I think big pike tend to be hardest to catch in the summer, because they don't like warm water and go deep. Winter and spring work well.

[KyleM]

I spent my life up until a year and a half ago fishing the waters of Georgian Bay chasing toothy critters. Quite possibly where the next Muskie and Northern record will come from.

A couple little fairy tales that go around is that pike and muskie go shallow when the temp heads down toward the freezing mark. Water temp is not really what the fish are after, its the Oxygen content in the water.
When Fall rolls around, the foreage dies off which robs the water of Oxygen.
More often then not, 90% of your plants are located in shallow waters close to shore. Pike will be found on the depth transitions a fair ways from shallow water. If your nailing pike in the fall, hit your rockpiles, depth transitions and points.

I have caught my largest smallie, pike and muskie all in the heat of summer....but fishing the summer months has more to do with moon phases and weather conditions which is a whole nother can of worms.

There are 100's of variables if your going after these fish, its impossible to cover them all :D

Chances are if that fish you caught survived, it will be back in that area.
I strongly preach C&R but I would have kept that fish if I could have gotten it in the boat.

[trainerdave]

Some information from the "Pike anglers club of Great Britain". A 53" pike has a general weight range of 41-61 lbs. Depending on time of year -i.e. mature ripe eggs, forage base ,have I just eaten a 8lb. Whitefish, etc. That is as big as the chart goes.......otherwise......for pike..weight = length x girth x girth divided by 800* (from the book by FRED BULLER "pike" *) In other words you probably had one of the largest pike in Alberta's recorded history on the end of your line. Not actually landing it is probably more common than you think. There is no person here here that will have the joy of the day you spent out there and even seeing this beast would have made anyone here lucky. Wow indeed.

[OutwardBound]

Thanks everyone...holy crapola I really didn't know what I had at the end of my line and am slightly kicking myself right now!!! Maybe karma will be nice to me.....Appreciate the advice though!

Danni