Just as in people, genetics play a role in how large you will end up growing. Generally, if your parents are tall, you will likely be tall as well.
Since larger Northern Pike are superior spawners and tend to produce larger offspring, they are very important to the future of the lake’s fishery, and it’s best to select a few medium-sized Pike for your shore lunch fry-up, while releasing the larger fish.
Keeping the fish alive is important whether you are catching and releasing, or preserving the freshness for consumption. If it is caught in the deep water (30 feet or more), bring the Northern up to surface slowly because as a warm water fish, it doesn’t have pressure equalizing ability and needs to adjust to the changing pressure.
Sphere: Related Content
You can remove the ‘Y’ bones before or after you cook the fillets. If you choose to remove them when you’re cleaning the Pike, here’s how.
- Remove each fillet by cutting down through to the spine and then turn the knife and cut along the spine to the tail.
- Now remove the rib cage from the fillet; with the top portion of the fillet to your right, flatten out the rib cage with your fingers or knuckles.
- Starting at the top of the fillet, cut between the rib cage and the meat, using more pressure along the rib cage.
When you reach the bottom, repeat this on the other side.
- The thickest part of the fillet will be a ridge of bones that look like white dots, the ‘Y’ bones. To remove, cut above the ridge, but close to the bones.
- Follow the bones as they curve upwards a little. Moving to the middle line of the fillet, cut at a 45 degree angle until you can feel the ‘Y’ bones and follow the bones with your knife past the vent.
- Easily remove the bones, which should only be held by skin.
Another option is to remove the ‘Y’ bones after cooking, when the properly cooked fillet will separate along the line of bones and make for easy removing.
For more information, watch these Videos:
-
- How to Clean a Northern Pike
- How to Fillet a Northern Pike
- Removing y-Bones from Northern Pike
Sphere: Related Content
P&S Fishing Tackle, Inc
Fishing Gear Bag with many intelligent details - indispensable for boat anglers. Reels, provisions and clothing can easily be stowed in the enormous interior compartment. There are fixtures for hanging perks as well.
click here to learn more
Sphere: Related Content
Cleaning Northern Pike is trickier than cleaning Walleye because of its slimy exterior and ‘Y’ bones that are a little trickier to remove.
However, there are different options to remove them, and a good sharp knife is crucial. And it’s worth the effort because Pike caught in cold, clean water have a superb taste.
In fact, when you cook Northern Pike beside Walleye that are caught in the early spring or late fall, even the most experienced fishing guides have trouble telling the two fish from one another.
Sphere: Related Content
P&S Fishing Tackle, Inc
Snag free rubber fishing nets Metallica Premium.
This is the best fish landing net available. It is virtually indestructible and tangled up treble hook can be released easily. The rod does not smell of fish afterwards.
click here to learn more
Sphere: Related Content
Solitary by nature, Northern Pike rarely school; rather they congregate in loose groups while feeding in common areas. However, small to medium-sized Pike do congregate in a confined range with their own year-class, so if you catch one, there may be more in the same spot.
Larger ones are loners however, so if you’re going after a trophy, don’t expect to find it in a group. While smaller to medium-sized Pike congregate in weeding beds, the solitary monsters retreat to the deeper waters.
Sphere: Related Content