Northwest Fishing Reports

Doing a little bit of browsing and came across this article that I thought was interesting....

http://jasonmitchelloutdoors.com/case-big-pike/

Buddy, thanks for posting that. I agree 1000%.
Unfortunately for us pike LOVERS, the WDFW, along with all the salmonid lovers in the state of Washington, will never show the level headed thinking, and ideas that Mr. Mitchell displays in this article.
Now, that's just my opinion. Should everyone think like me? I would like to think so , but then what kind of world would we have if everyone thought the same.
Just kidding folks. Don't crucify me please.

Agreed. Not everybody will think or like the same as we like however it's hard to argue with demonstrated science and keeping open minds to adaptation.

I agree with everything he said in that article. Leave the pike alone, make them catch and release unless they are small and quit netting them to extinction.

To say that the way WDFW is currently "managing" our fisheries is not working is a spectacular under statement. The only reason I can imagine for that level of incompetence, is money and politics.

Im all for making virtually ALL fisheries catch and release only and closing many of them completely for several years - or how ever long it takes for them to come back. That includes all commercial fishing and especially all netting.

They also need to quit "managing" lakes by killing off everything in them and putting back planter trout. That is beyond insane in my mind.

This is one big issue with the WDFW and pike. There are SOOOOO many people that enjoy catching them, they are afraid if there is a thriving pike fishery ANYWHERE in the state, the bucket biologists will transplant them into their precious trout waters. I have said for years that pike would thrive in Sprague Lake, and if I'm not mistaking, Sprague lake is pretty well land locked, and any pike that lived in the lake could not make it's way to the Columbia, and do the damage they insist will happen if pike get established there. Pike are in the Columbia right now. That has been proven by the angler reports and gill netting in the Kettle Falls area. If they want to get a jump on them overproducing there, they should immediately put a slot limit on them. That leaves the bigger pike to eat the smaller pike. I could go on forever about this but it is fruitless. This state has an opinion about pike and it's NEVER going to change, no matter how many expert opinions show that having a predatory fish population in a body of water can actually improve the population of other species. Even the freaking trout and salmon.
It's plain and simple. If a "Washington residents wants to spend their angling dollars catching Northern Pike, they will have to travel to do it. For me that's easy. I live very close to the Idaho border. Now I can only hope that Idaho doesn't fall prey to the local Tribal wishes to eliminate pike from Idaho waters.