I’m still grinning and picturing my trip out yesterday day
Well I made it out to a Metro lake yesterday that I had been trying to get to for about 2 weeks now. we headed out in the morning and fished from 7-12:30 in that time we had some of the best pike fishing my buddy and I had seen since we started chasing them about a year ago.
After spending some time looking at the lake map we thought we had found a few spots that would be holding a few good size fish. well we were right, on our way to the 1st spot we picked up a 22″ trolling. which for us is about average size. ( keep in mind neither of us HAD ever caught one above 25″) So we were excited that with in 5 minutes the 1st one was landed. little did we know that that would be the smallest and easiest catch of the day.
We hit the 1st spot and on the 4th cast I felt something. If I wouldn’t have been in 25′ of water I would have swore I hooked a log. but then the log shook it’s head. and my line peeled off. after about 2 minute fight I had it to the boat. it was the largest pike I had caught pushing the ruler to 29″ did I mention we didn’t have a net? we never expected to catch fish that a net would actually be useful for. well after attempting to grab the fish it decided that it wasn’t ready for it’s photo op. and there goes the line. ( This step repeated about 2 more times, on every fish) the fish surfaces at the boat finally and decides she’s ready for a picture. 2 quick snaps and a quick weight check of 8.5 lbs, and she’s back in the water swimming around. celebratory hi fives and back to fishing.
about 10 minutes later another thrashing log I start reeling in the line and it goes slack, my heart stops as this one felt bigger than the last 
…. then the line peels off again. She is still on 
sure enough after the new ritual the fish have started of making me get them back to the boat 3 or more times. we are back taking pictures of my 1st 30″ pike little did I know again that I was going to land a 33” in about 30 minutes we let her go and after releasing her he both look up after washing our hands in the lake to suddenly find 3 other boats with in casting distance. 
so we head to another spot. but that doesn’t stop us for the next 4 hours we pull in a total of 12 landed fish all but two above 28″ with another two off at the side of the boat. ( Now I know why I need a net) 
the largest of our fish this day was caught by my fishing partner. he managed to hook in to a great looking 36″ trolling back to the launch cruising the deep pat of the lake. the 1st time se saw this fish it surfaced about 10 yards away from the boat, which we both thought was odd. Again the fish had another idea. It takes off at full speed at the top of the water in the opposite direction, at about 30 yards from the boat he decides it wants to be a marlin, and jumps and gets it’s full body about 6″ out of the water. possibly the coolest thing I have ever seen.
Talk about a great day on the lake. Now that we have broke that 30″ marks we both are craving bigger.
Not the biggest fish I know, but I’m working my way to them, and this was by far my best day on the lake for pike.
By the way all of the fish we successfully released to be caught again at a later time when they become mountable. 
Ryan
