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Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

Permalink: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by whitetailhunter , Posted to Fishing Buddy on 04/01/2010 12:37 PM | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

whitetailhunter

Joined: 12/17/2003
Location: ND

I have never been to the big lake to fish for spring pike and I am wanting to try this year.

Anyone have a reccommendation on what bays are good to try?

It is about a 180 mile round trip for me, so I want to make sure I am trying in the right kind of places.

Thanks

Re: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by Tim Sandstrom on 04/01/2010 12:50 PM | Reply #1 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Tim Sandstrom
Joined: 07/14/2003
Location: ND

Quite honestly, any bay with a major creek system will work. Steinke, Centennial, Government, Douglas, Wolf Creek, Mahto (Red Butte), McKenzie, Skunk, Deepwater, Brendles (Parshall, Shell Creek), Four Bears, Hunts Along (Clark's Creek), Little Knife, Tobacco and White Earth.

Pike numbers are down with some hope resting on the new year class. Seems they are in the 1.5 to 3 pound range. And of course, I still feel Sakakawea is the best place to pull that 20 plus out. Just might be fewer of them to be had. Or actually, there might be fewer of them from the 8 to 15 pound range. We had a big lull in year classes. The big ole 1980 type year class is still swimming though and if you latch into one of them they could be "the one."

Good luck!

Re: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by WSWAT on 04/01/2010 1:51 PM | Reply #2 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

WSWAT
Joined: 02/06/2003
Location: ND

You might be able to catch a few if the water opens up along the shore line for a while. Then they will be shut down until about the 2 week of may when they will start there after spawing.

LONGBEARD LYNCH MOB
You may find their sheds! But I'll shoot them dead!

Re: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by IntroC on 04/01/2010 2:22 PM | Reply #3 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

IntroC
Joined: 01/12/2008
Location: ND

Tim Sandstrom Said:
Quite honestly, any bay with a major creek system will work. Steinke, Centennial, Government, Douglas, Wolf Creek, Mahto (Red Butte), McKenzie, Skunk, Deepwater, Brendles (Parshall, Shell Creek), Four Bears, Hunts Along (Clark's Creek), Little Knife, Tobacco and White Earth.

Pike numbers are down with some hope resting on the new year class. Seems they are in the 1.5 to 3 pound range. And of course, I still feel Sakakawea is the best place to pull that 20 plus out. Just might be fewer of them to be had. Or actually, there might be fewer of them from the 8 to 15 pound range. We had a big lull in year classes. The big ole 1980 type year class is still swimming though and if you latch into one of them they could be "the one."

Good luck!

Tim,
Did you notice a lot of young of the year pike in Sak this last year? They were thick in Oahe this last summer. Should be some hogs swimming in years to come.

Re: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by Tim Sandstrom on 04/01/2010 2:42 PM | Reply #4 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Tim Sandstrom
Joined: 07/14/2003
Location: ND

I didn't see hardly single pike in the boat last year. In fact, I have to really think if I even caught one.

But this year, through the ice, my only trip out we caught 13 and missed quite a few others. With exception of about 4 of them the rest were all cookie cutter 2 to 3 pound pike. So, that has to be 2008 or 2009 year's class.

Will send Dave Fryda an email and see what he thinks.

Re: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by whitetailhunter on 04/01/2010 3:14 PM | Reply #5 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

whitetailhunter
Joined: 12/17/2003
Location: ND

Thanks guys.....doesn't sound very promising, but we will give it a go anyway.

Re: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by Tim Sandstrom on 04/01/2010 3:17 PM | Reply #6 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Tim Sandstrom
Joined: 07/14/2003
Location: ND

There's pike out there and look at this way. All it takes is one flag on Sakakawea and it could be the 20 plus.

Re: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by espringers on 04/01/2010 3:20 PM | Reply #7 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

espringers
Joined: 07/25/2007
Location: ND

spring pike?... where you at?

Re: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by tikkahoyt on 04/01/2010 3:58 PM | Reply #8 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

tikkahoyt
Joined: 12/02/2008
Location: ND

You caught 3 pound pike this winter and you thought they were last springs hatch??

Re: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by Tim Sandstrom on 04/01/2010 4:41 PM | Reply #9 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Tim Sandstrom
Joined: 07/14/2003
Location: ND

If they are I would be severely surprised. That's why I said 2008 or 2009. Judging by the fact our 10 to 15 inch walleye population last year is now 16 to 20 inches is a guy that far off? Northerns are feeding machines. But the email is sent. We'll get the final answer.

Re: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by tikkahoyt on 04/01/2010 4:57 PM | Reply #10 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

tikkahoyt
Joined: 12/02/2008
Location: ND

North Dakota is one of the fastest fish growing states I would say your closer with 07 or 08 I wish I could remember my fisheries classes seem that we went over this I know young of the year pike in the nets in early august are usually about 6 inches long

Re: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by Stizostedion vitreum on 04/01/2010 10:38 PM | Reply #11 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Stizostedion vitreum
Joined: 12/17/2001
Location: ND

Tim,

Boyd and I are talking about hitting the Sak shoreline for pike here in the near future. Want to join us? Maybe this weekend or next? Stizo :)

What we do in life echoes for eternity. Shadows and dust.

Re: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by Tim Sandstrom on 04/05/2010 11:25 AM | Reply #12 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Tim Sandstrom
Joined: 07/14/2003
Location: ND

tikka,

Here's what I got from Dave Fryda.

Those smaller pike you caught are most likely 2007 fish. We did note a fair amount of pike produced in 2007 primarily in the very upper end (White Earth and above) and a few down to the Van Hook arm. We didn’t see many of those fish in Fall reproduction netting in 2007 but did note fair numbers of them during spawning netting in the spring of 2008. We also sampled fair numbers of them during adult surveys in July of 2009 when they were age 2. While the 2007 year class is beginning to recruit to the fishery, the overall size of that year-class is small compared with the near record year-class produced in 2009.

Pike aging is generally difficult compared to other species like walleye and sauger. Consequently our age and growth data on pike is not nearly as concrete as some other species. Their growth rates can vary widely not just from year to year but also among individuals in a particular year class. For example during the adult survey in July of 2009 those age-2 pike from the 2007 year class ranged from 11 to 18 inches. However, we also sampled some age-1 pike that were 16 inches. So as you can see there is a lot of variation in pike growth. Growth last year of the strong 2009 year-class was good and some of those fish were 14 inches by last September. Growth should remain good over the next several years. To put some perspective on what to expect over the next few years it is beneficial to look back to the 1990’s. Reproduction of pike was exceptional in 1994 and remained good till around 97. Looking at trends in angler caught whopper pike in Sak. Illustrates that 1999 to about 2004 was the peak of whopper numbers. We did some intensive age and growth of pike in 2006 and most of the upper 30 to mid 40 inch pike we aged were 10-12 years old corresponding back to those strong year classes in the early/mid 1990’s.

Dave

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Stizo,

Yeah I'd be interested. Might be going to wedding this weekend but will be in touch.

Re: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by beedoggs1 on 04/05/2010 7:13 PM | Reply #13 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

beedoggs1
Joined: 12/11/2008
Location: ND

i caught a boatload of little pike near newtown and shithouse this last summer. pain in the ass. I also caught a nice 10+ pike in the van hook arm up in the trees. I fish the white earth creek for pike when the water hits 39 degrees. Caught lots of hogs in there in HS, back in the mid 90's

Re: Good Bay for Pike and What's the Sakakawea Pike Population Look Like

by Hoyt09 on 04/06/2010 03:14 AM | Reply #14 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Hoyt09
Joined: 10/23/2006
Location: ND

Gotta remember that fish grow very rapidly for the first few years of life and then tend to slow down when they reach sexual maturity so it is very easy to have 3 pound pike after a few years.

And BOOM goes the Dynamite

14 Replies | Page 1 of 11 | Top of Page | Bottom of Page

Posted By: whitetailhunter
Posted On: 04/01/2010 12:37 PM

1230 Views, 14 Comments

Tags: pike, 0, anyone, lake, spring, year, wanting, fish, trip, reccommendation
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Region: North Dakota

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