Pike or Walleye

[MooseKnuckle VI]

So I bought a camp up near Sackets. I mainly fish catch & release and love catching pike. Have yet to land a walleye in my lifetime (there's none around at home). My question is this: when I do keep a few fish for dinner, what's better on the conservation end? Keeping a few pike or a few walleye. I like to eat both. I read that pike are not as hearty as the walleye in terms of reproduction, take longer to reach maturity and are not stocked up in that area. So would it be better for the population to keep the walleye and release the pike or vice versa?

 

 

On a side note, about how long does it take for a walleye and for a pike to reach breeding age up in that area?

[old man]

I don't think pike are stocked anywhere in New York. I believe pike can spawn as early as 2 years of age and always by 3 but i am no biologist. The state stocks a lot of walleye in a lot of waters. Pike survive because they're tough. So my two cents is eat some walleyes and release the pike. Enjoy your new camp if it ever thaws out.

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[fishuntrapper]

I think You could keep some pike to eat (besides the walleye) as there are not that many (as a whole) that target pike much less eat them. good luck.

[John Kelley]

Good sized pike to eat are the ones in the 2-4 pound range.  Release the bigger pike to sustain the larger fish populations.  Walleyes were made for filleting and eating.  Keep the 15"-20" walleyes for eating.  Yummy!!

[MooseKnuckle VI]

Anyone ever smoke walleye? I love smoked fish, I can't eat wet fish. I gotta cook it and dry it out real good. So I really like smoked stuff

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[Consigliere]

Yes. It's a bit tricky because there is little fat to keep it moist. Best bet is to smoke it in a butter bath. Very tasty.

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[panfisher]

Pike are really great table fare. If u don't already know how (and it is easier than some would have u think), learn how to fillet out those bones and you have nice long sweet fleshed thick white fillets. John Kelly was spot on in his comments. I have eaten pike or pickerel as small as 8 inches and up to 9 lbs. Those sizes he says are just right. And they bake in the oven well, as any fish. Great with a little salt and Old Bay type seasoning, If you leave out the butter or olive oil and don't overcook them (unless u like it jerky-like), say 10-15min at 375 to 425, that should satisfy your dryness factor. And any fish taste good smoked. Consigliere's "smoked in butter bath" sounds awesome. I'll have to try it!   

[Consigliere]

For smoking always do it skin on. I will sometimes smoke for about 20-30 min to get some flavour then finish in the oven.

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[Xxx]

I did walleye in the smoker and my kids devoured it, fillet the fish don't remove the skin soak in your favorite brine for 24hrs. I pulled the fillets out of the brine and patted dry and left the fish come up to room temp. Hit them with heavy smoke for 30 minutes then I finished them with just heat at 200* in smoke house, I have to admit it was the best dam fish I ever ate, at first I was a little hesitant, what if I screw these walleyes up I would be really upset with myself.

[Chas0218]

Pike don't even compare to walleye when it comes to taste. Walleye are the fish to eat and probably the best eating freshwater fish out there.

Sent from my thinking chair...

[panfisher]

Pike don't even compare to walleye when it comes to taste. Walleye are the fish to eat and probably the best eating freshwater fish out there.

Sent from my thinking chair...

'Eyes r good.........but their cousins yellow perch r better!          (nanh, nanh.....pooh,pooh      )

Edited March 17, 2015 by panfisher

[Chas0218]

'Eyes r good.........but their cousins yellow perch r better!          (nanh, nanh.....pooh,pooh      )

I like perch but 1 Lake O walleye can feed my family where it would take 20 perch. haha either way you can't go wrong with either.

 

For larger walleye make sure and get rid of that brown "fat" on the skin side of the filet or it will taste horrible.

[MooseKnuckle VI]

now if the damn ice would just melt........I still gotta move all my crap up to my new camp, build a smoker, figure out the dock, and fix the boat lift. 

[justtracytrolling]

Eat the walleye and save the smoker for salmon!

[panfisher]

I like perch but 1 Lake O walleye can feed my family where it would take 20 perch. haha either way you can't go wrong with either.

 

For larger walleye make sure and get rid of that brown "fat" on the skin side of the filet or it will taste horrible.

1 thing to consider with bigger and older fish.....relative mercury levels....... Mercury........levels. Who said anything about that? "If it looks good, eat it". I know. It's nit-picking. Ahi anyone?    

[Chas0218]

Not enough mercury to worry about, I eat fish once a week from lake ontario.  Studies I have read allow for 8oz. of fish per a week per a person. That means I can eat half a pound/week.  Also I only eat fish caught during the summer months meaning it has lower mercury from less fat (where the mercury is held).

 

Either way you have to die from something, you're more likely to die in a car accident than from mercury poisoning.

 

 

EDIT: Unless your daily diet is solely based on fish then you might die of mercury poisoning. But who could eat fish everyday?

Edited March 17, 2015 by Chas0218

[justtracytrolling]

Im pretty sure I eat well over the 8 ozs per week....especially in season when I can have it fresh! Im not aware of any advisories on Otisco!!

[Salmo slayar]

I made pickerel cakes last weekend for the first time. AMAZING!!!!  Don't even need to worry about the small bones, just put the fillets throught the meat grinder. Use a crab cake recipe, and adjust the ingredients to your liking. Can't go wrong!

[baitrigger]

That sounds real good. I have never heard of a person with murcury poisioning around here. Susi on the other hand claims a number of people yearly. Jeramy pivin. Store bought carries the same risk.

[walleyemagic]

Walleye. Its the original white meat. Mmmmmm. Don't ruin it with smoke. Beer batter horseradish cocktail sauce. River has nice eaters all year.

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