Northern Pike
Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:30 pm
Now here's an interesting item. It's a bit dated, but I never knew about it until a few days ago. I wish they had told me, because I would have gone over there and caught some of them.
From a WDFW press release dated July 8, 1998:
"WDFW removes northern pike to protect native fish species
"QUILCENE--Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists today treated Crocker Lake in Jefferson County to kill a growing population of northern pike that could threaten the state's salmon, steelhead and other native fish species. ...
This marks the first time northern pike have been discovered in western Washington. The pike apparently were imported to Washington by unknown persons and placed in the lake several years ago contrary to state law. Non-native species cannot be brought into Washington without a permit.
"'We had to move swiftly when we found out about these pike,' said Larry Peck, WDFW's deputy director. 'We didn't want them moved to other lakes nor did we want them to leave Crocker Lake through an outlet to downstream creeks.'
"He noted that pike, which are voracious predators, already threaten coho and chum salmon which use the lake. Summer chum salmon in the watershed already are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). The pike are reproducing in Crocker Lake. ...
"WDFW obtained the necessary Washington Department of Ecology permit for the emergency action. The Attorney General's Office indicated the action complied with the State Environmental Policy Act.
"Crocker is a 65-acre natural lake near Highway 101 approximately 10 miles north of Quilcene."
http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/release.php?id=jul0898b
Now don't get me wrong -- I'm definitely not in favor of "bucket biologists" engaging in any illegal stocking, let alone norther pike! However, northern pike, are fun to catch (especially on spinning gear) and if this ever happens again, I wouldn't mind having a crack at them before WDFW performs its duty to God and Country by killing them off. I wonder if there's some sort of "hot list" I can get on, to be notified of these emergencies? Maybe I could set up a 7-1-1 phone line, wired into my house, or something like that.
Speaking of northern pike, do any of you guys in eastern Washington fish for them in the Pend O'Reilles River? I'm wondering if there's enough pike in there to make a trip from Seattle worthwhile. Back in the 1980s, before we had tiger muskies out here, I would go to the Cour d'Alene Chain Lakes in early spring (i.e., March) to fish for pike (we called 'em "northerns" where I grew up). In those days, I fished Cave, Medicine, and Killarney lakes. The pike would come up into those lakes by way of the river from Lake Cour d'Alene and the locals would fish for them by setting up a lawn chair on the bank and soaking dead smelt under a bobber. The biggest one I ever caught was around 5 lbs. You can eat them, if you don't mind getting slime all over yourself and digging out the Y bones for which pike are infamous. But merely catching them is a heck of a lot of fun, and I'd like to do that again sometime, without having to drive all the way to Minnesota.
So, how about it -- do we have any pike fishermen out there?
From a WDFW press release dated July 8, 1998:
"WDFW removes northern pike to protect native fish species
"QUILCENE--Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists today treated Crocker Lake in Jefferson County to kill a growing population of northern pike that could threaten the state's salmon, steelhead and other native fish species. ...
This marks the first time northern pike have been discovered in western Washington. The pike apparently were imported to Washington by unknown persons and placed in the lake several years ago contrary to state law. Non-native species cannot be brought into Washington without a permit.
"'We had to move swiftly when we found out about these pike,' said Larry Peck, WDFW's deputy director. 'We didn't want them moved to other lakes nor did we want them to leave Crocker Lake through an outlet to downstream creeks.'
"He noted that pike, which are voracious predators, already threaten coho and chum salmon which use the lake. Summer chum salmon in the watershed already are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). The pike are reproducing in Crocker Lake. ...
"WDFW obtained the necessary Washington Department of Ecology permit for the emergency action. The Attorney General's Office indicated the action complied with the State Environmental Policy Act.
"Crocker is a 65-acre natural lake near Highway 101 approximately 10 miles north of Quilcene."
http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/release.php?id=jul0898b
Now don't get me wrong -- I'm definitely not in favor of "bucket biologists" engaging in any illegal stocking, let alone norther pike! However, northern pike, are fun to catch (especially on spinning gear) and if this ever happens again, I wouldn't mind having a crack at them before WDFW performs its duty to God and Country by killing them off. I wonder if there's some sort of "hot list" I can get on, to be notified of these emergencies? Maybe I could set up a 7-1-1 phone line, wired into my house, or something like that.
Speaking of northern pike, do any of you guys in eastern Washington fish for them in the Pend O'Reilles River? I'm wondering if there's enough pike in there to make a trip from Seattle worthwhile. Back in the 1980s, before we had tiger muskies out here, I would go to the Cour d'Alene Chain Lakes in early spring (i.e., March) to fish for pike (we called 'em "northerns" where I grew up). In those days, I fished Cave, Medicine, and Killarney lakes. The pike would come up into those lakes by way of the river from Lake Cour d'Alene and the locals would fish for them by setting up a lawn chair on the bank and soaking dead smelt under a bobber. The biggest one I ever caught was around 5 lbs. You can eat them, if you don't mind getting slime all over yourself and digging out the Y bones for which pike are infamous. But merely catching them is a heck of a lot of fun, and I'd like to do that again sometime, without having to drive all the way to Minnesota.
So, how about it -- do we have any pike fishermen out there?