Hi All,
The Dnr has place a slot limit on Northern Pike this year, all fish 24″ to 36″ must go back. 
They did interviews with anglers all last summer and the feedback was very positive regarding the new slot.
What are your thoughts on this, pro or con? 
Hey Ace, this is something I for one am in favor of.
Great to see more Big fish in a already great system in a few years.
I felt really good when I first heard about this.
Might urine off a few old timers, but it will be very interesting to see what the results will be in say five years?
Hook some face and let her go!
Musky Tom Wehler
The other half of “Team Grunge”!!
Maybe it is just me…but I didnt think that the northern population was that significant in Vermilion. I am OK w/ the new regs-but I dont see it as a major issue.
I would rather see a 15″ minimum on eyes.
Hi Dave,You are right, the nothern population is below the average. That is why the slot will affect the size and quality of the population. The MDNR is looking to buid a trophy pike population, not to increase the numbers.
i’m definitely in favor. think the slot will payoff in a few years. saw some dandy pike last 2 summers when i was chasing musky. be cool to see lots of big ones.
dannyboy
Hey Coach,
I have averaged about 10 40″ers a season with a good number of high 30’s thrown in. Most of them have been caught when Muskie fishing, however the largest pike I ever caught (44.5), came while I was crappie fishing in Wolf bay. 
She hit a fathead minnow in the cabbage and I had an ultralight, with 4lb test, I was very lucky to to boat her.
I never did get a weight because I wanted to get her back in the water, but I did get a photo to hang in my living room. As a matter of fact, I’m looking at it right now.
Bonnie got a nice 44″ last Spring!
She always seems to get a few over 40″.
Big Gator heads.
Go Bonnie!
I will try to attach it here some how?
LOL
T.
Very Cool MT,
I like them almost as much as Muskies! 
The new slot should really help to develope the Big V’s potential, as a Moster Pike fishery.
This one is better to view!
T.
ace,
big northern on a crappie jig. man i bet that was a blast.
i saw 2 – 40 plus inch northern during muskie challenge. one hit and missed and the other one followed twice. if the darn phone didn’t wring i might have been able to coax the 2nd one into biting. gotta remember not to have phone on during tourney. oooops scratch that, wife is pregnant, phones gonna have to be on alot this summer.
i can see it already- a dandy muskie follows on day of tourney-phone wrings-guess what labor time. i gotta go. to heck with the musky. partner (john) will have to chase her by himself.
dannyboy
Hey Lazzzzzz.
Make’en babies dose have it’s down side?
LOL
Five years from now Ace, we will be having to beat them off with my New Secret Musky / Pike Lure.
The GREEN, BJ Hawgcaller!
Coming to a bait shop in your area very soon!
Maybe we can put together a BIG Pike contest for the area and have some fun.
Winners get to have lunch and there photo taken with us, loosers buy it, cook it, serve it up?
I too have caught a 40″ plus Pike while Crappie fishing a few times.
One sweet, wide shoulder babe comes to mind on 4 LB Berkley Slecet line and a 1/8 Whistler jig and grub out of a small Bull rush patch two years ago.
NO crappies, but a bunch of nice pike?
No leader made it even more fun.
5′ cherrywood rod and ultra light reel.
Sweet.
Went back later with a Jitter bug and had a blast.
Might have photo to share tonight.
Trying to sell boat today.
Big Pike Rock!
T.
I’m curious about all these northerns now. It seems with the large amount forage fish in Vermilion, why don’t the northerns have the same success rate as the muskie fisherie?
I know some northerns are kept to be eaten, but I can’t believe it is that many. I would really like to see larger northerns roaming around. A 40″ northern is also exciting to catch.
On Dumbell Lake, I’ve caught many muskies while jigging for walleyes. Now I hear you guys catching big northerns out crappie fishing. HHMMM, maybe I need to concentrate on a new crappie and walleye rig to entice the big fish. 
(“Maybe we can put together a BIG Pike contest for the area and have some fun.
Winners get to have lunch and there photo taken with us, loosers buy it, cook it, serve it up?”)
I’m game, heck, I may even stay back and slowly work those sirloins over hot coals and oak woodchips! MM-MMM
big new pike lure eh? gotta see this. only for pike or muskie too. ???
when do we get to see it at the baitshops? you gonna stick us for another $20 or less?
im in on this contest when im up there. sounds kinda fun.
what are the rules?
dannyboy 
LOL
We can work on the RULES!
Always fun to be by the Grill.
Most improtant would be to RELEASE ALL BIG Pike.
Then make sure Me and Ace get fed!
Entry fee goes to Kids on the Range and provied meat for the Grill for us fishers in the contest and a few pops?
LOL
Keep it all really simple.
Barbless hooks also.
New lure will be cheap and very effective.
Watch out, were going to most likely going to be taking the Pike and Musky world by storm!
Check Attachment for more Vermilion Pike?
T.
No sposors.
Just My Bonnie’s love.
musky tom,
was this one bonnie caught on your new prototype lure? caught by your island.?
let me know when the pike deal is. if the ice is out , i will be up on may 10th.
small flowage( real shallow) behind my house here in ne wisconsin is starting to open where the creek flows through.
couple weeks and my guess is lakes will open. However mother nature looks to bring snow and cold here starting friday. this will slow the meltdown.
dannyboy
as stated earlier ive had some luck on the west end too. same strategy as east end. work rocks or rock ledges on points and islands adjacent to deep water. some days it doesn’t work but it does when they’re biting.seems to work during warmer months of july and august for me.
good luck, wish our weather would go back to warm. not so nice here in ne , wi since last thursday march 27.
need to melt more ice. my boats ready
dannyboy 
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