Agree with the above posts. Mille Lacs has better than average quality pike. DNR classifies a pike over 30 inches nowadays as a “large” pike.
Glenn, I do keep some of them. I should keep more. I would like to be more proficient at cleaning and filleting them and removing the y bones. I usually do a batch of pickled pike in the fall too.
The more of them you clean the better you get. 
IMO, it ain’t worth y-boning a pike unless it’s minimum 27 inches. And I pickle that y-bone piece.
The more of them you clean the better you get.
IMO, it ain’t worth y-boning a <em class=”ido-tag-em”>pike unless it’s minimum 27 inches. And I pickle that y-bone piece.
I don’t keep them over the 22-26 inch restriction. All of the ones I keep are usually right around 21 inches. Maybe that’s why I have so much trouble removing those y bones.
I can remember my old man having boiled pike dipped in melted butter many years ago. Is that a thing?
It is and it is good. They call it poor man’s lobster. I however don’t do it much.
I guess I haven’t counted. A good Han full at least in the lakes around here. Almost always on accident. And obviously 100 little ones as well. There are plenty of local lakes with good size fish if I catch them bass fishing and my 40 was while walleye fishing.
You caught 2 just in my boat last year. One local, one up north. If I remember the local fish was a 38″ on a clacking rap on my favorite little bass lake.
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Yes this is correct. On my last few casts of the day waiting for the boat in front of us to get loaded
Thanks for sharing the video Tim. I will have to watch more of his stuff.
I love pike fishing and eating. I will be happy to go pike fishing with anyone and show you how my great grandma taught me to take out the y-bones. She was so good you could see thru the meat.
There is some good pike fishing around here on the rivers. Not many people target them but the St Croix and pools 2-4 have some monsters in there.
They call it poor man’s lobster.
I thought that was boiled burbot? Can’t say I’ve ever had that either.
its what i’ve heard to, but the people i’ve been around call the boiled pike the same thing. boiled then dipped into butter and lemon juice!!!
i like it but it falls apart to easy…….more of a pain then anything.
I had a morning on ML pike fishing that would rival anywhere in the world, I think it was 2 dozen pike over 34″, with a couple over 40″, including the boss hoss 44″. Also, see lots of big pike come out of metro lakes and rivers, they are out there just not often pursued imo.
Best ways to prepare pike in no particular order:
Pickled
Fried, smaller ones just fillet like a walleye and then make a perpendicular cut along the y-bones and most of them will dissolve in the fryer.
Baked- For big pike you just gut them out, fill with stuffing (stove top is fine, or whatever you want to use), cover with lemon slices and bake it at 350 for 10-15 minutes a pound. Meat falls off the bones.
I dont think I’ve ever caught a ml pike over 32 inches. But I have tried.
as for cooking them, I absolutely hate pickled fish so I either bone them out and fry them or gut them season and wrap in foil and cook on the grill.
There is some good pike fishing around here on the rivers. Not many people target them but the St Croix and pools 2-4 have some monsters in there.
Yup. I’ve caught multiple 30-35 inch pike on p2 while throwing jigs/cranks/topwaters. Even a 39.5” Muskie. I have seen/lost pike and skis in the 40”+ class on multiple occasions there, too. There are a few places it’s possible to ice fish them but not many. And it’s top-secret… 
If you are new to river ice fishing do your homework, be safe, and know that no water is too skinny.
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