Your biggest “metro” pike

I do not target northern pike but I catch a lot of them when I’m bass or muskie fishing. I’ve caught some decent ones this season, more so than the usual 21 inch snot rockets. I’ve caught 5 that are over 30 inches, with the biggest being 33.5 this season. Maybe the special regs are starting to make a noticeable change.

How about it. When I say metro I mean within about 20 miles of Mpls or St Paul. Ice fishing or open water.

I generally do not fish for them in the summer much. We do get a few on the Croix as by catch every summer. They all seem to be decent out there when you get one. Smallest I ever caught was 26 and we got a 37 incher this summer. I do like running flags for a fresh pike fry in the winter time on the north metro lakes. The biggest I have got then was a 36 incher. I will only keep a 26-29 to eat as that is enough for the family.

Caught a 42 inch fish on the Croix several years ago trolling for muskies. It was an angry fish, huge head but not very fat. Broke an eye on my rod when it went nuts in the net.

Can’t seem to get over 36″. Got a beast I never taped out the sippi but that definitely was my largest, can’t find the pic..

I got a 42” on the Croix right where a coldwater stream comes in mid summer. Lot’s of others 30-39” too when looking for cold water inlets mid summer. Metro lakes are harder hit with more pressure so could be harder to find big pike there.

I caught this 40+ a couple springs ago on the St Croix.

Attachments:

1. 

   IMG_2557-scaled.jpeg
   

Nice fish Chris!

39-Washington Co. Friend caught a 40 in MPLS.
You get more & bigger fish when you get away from pressure, yet everyone screems that they hate pike.

tim hurley wrote:

yet everyone screems that they hate pike.

Love eating pike. I keep everyone I catch that is legal and under 2’. I hope the bigger pike being caught is a sign that the regs are working. Those bigger pikes will help keep things inline.

Had a day of pure magic on a metro lake in 2019. Super hot, pre front, and we got into a lot of big toothy critters. 38″ tiger, 38″ pike, 40″ pike, and lots of smaller ones.

Attachments:

1. 

   MVIMG_20190803_160120-scaled.jpg
   

2. 

   10316.jpg
   

3. 

   10315.jpg
   

I think one of my Biggest in the metro area was this 38.8″ fish a few years ago. I guess it was the horseshoe chain so not really a Metro lake . I believe I have caught a few that may have been a little bigger but don’t have pictures. I believe I once caught a real skinny 40″ fish

Attachments:

1. 

   Big-Pike.png
   

luttes wrote:

Had a day of pure magic on a metro lake in 2019. Super hot, pre front, and we got into a lot of big toothy critters. 38″ tiger, 38″ pike, 40″ pike, and lots of smaller ones.

Ridiculous Luttes. Stunning color on that tiger muskie too.

First northern I caught was on Minnetonka in winter of 1969-1970. It was 36″ and weighed 14 pounds. My dad had it mounted by a guy in Hutchinson who did it as a hobby. Cost $26. $1/pound + $12. Still hanging in my garage. My biggest metro pike was one bay over on the last day of the season for big fish ~1990. ~40″ and 18 pounds.

Never seen this thread till now. We have pulled many bigger pike from Chisago area. 37, 38, 39s. Don’t think we have hit 40 locally that I can remember but hit 39 multiple times

Attachments:

1. 

   Screenshot_20230825_064711_Photos.jpg
   

2. 

   Screenshot_20230825_064630_Photos.jpg
   

Couple more

Attachments:

1. 

   Screenshot_20230825_064732_Photos.jpg
   

2. 

   Screenshot_20230825_064719_Photos.jpg