Pike with Spawn??

I was fishing this Saturday with my father in law and we caught and kept a few northern pike. 3 of the fish we cleaned had spawn in them, this is the first time that I have seen that this time of year, is this unusual?? Anyone know why this is going on? We were fishing on Lake Pokegama in Grand Rapids.

Females start making eggs long before the spawn. Like now. Those fat female walleyes guys catch in the fall aren’t just fat from chow….they’re full of eggs. Same thing with the oversized saugers that will start appearing below the dams on the Miss once the water begins to cool in earnest.

All our lake Erie walleye had spawn in them also. That is why the females feed so heavily prior to ice up.