Nice day on the SLR

[Kevin J Legg]

Fished a bay on river today. Ended up with 3 nice pike and about 15 perch. Smallest pike was 24" largest weighed 10 lbs. 4 oz.

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[BlueEye]

Wow - nice fish Kevin! 

[Sk8man]

Nice going Kevin

[lily]

Do you eat the pike just wondering heard they were good eating just reel boney. Watched some videos on removing the Y bones but have never tried to eat them my self

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[Kevin J Legg]

Wouldn't keep them if I didn't eat them. They are actually very good. Not flaky like a walleye but very tasty with a finer texture that works very well in chowders but also great anyway you like. Once you learn how to fillet out the Y bones they aren't to bad to clean, especially the larger ones.


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[Xxx]

27 minutes ago, Kevin J Legg said:

Wouldn't keep them if I didn't eat them. They are actually very good. Not flaky like a walleye but very tasty with a finer texture that works very well in chowders but also great anyway you like. Once you learn how to fillet out the Y bones they aren't to bad to clean, especially the larger ones.


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X2!! Pike are one of my favorites to eat, many guys don't know they're eating pike if there's walleyes mixed in with the pike. A Canadian old timer showed me the ropes on filleting pike. It's a multi step process but it's well worth it. There's a top cut along the top to the Y bones and from below the Y bones to where the white starts of the belly meat. Up in Quebec the locals only take from along the top to the Y bones on each side, and the rest they put in a bag? I was told they cook them off for their dogs? I've seen this on multiple trips. They never let the rest lay, so they do something with it.

[EsoxAC3]

Nice job kevin!
I too enjoy northern. A SLR fishing guide who is a close friend of the family..... He has always said that he prefers northern over any fish in the river. Always thought that was interesting coming from a guide who catches many species frequently.
I only began eating northern regularly when I took up ice fishing. I see his point.....It is a mild, firm, tasty fish. Whats not to like?!!

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[lily]

Hey thanks for the input I'll have to give them a try next time I catch one. I've also heard pickerel are good eating too. Just reel boney. I've caught many of them in the small lakes and ponds near where I live but never tried eating them. Thanks for the insight.

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[Kevin J Legg]

Small pickerel and pike are harder to fillet than the bigger ones. I have eaten some big ones and they were also very good.


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[Xxx]

I agree with ya there Kevin, as the bigger ones give a nice, real nice strip of solid meat from the top to the Y bones. One side can give off a lot of meat, then the same on the other side!! I usually cut that long thick pieces in half the long way or if it's got big shoulders I cut into 3 strips the long way then cut them into chunks, beer batter, I like the batter a little thinner than normal so you get a good tast of the fish and not so thick of batter. Then deep fry in peanut oil!! Man that's good eating there!!

[jk1]

The piece of meat below the Y bones is bigger and easy to take off.  If you fry fish you don't even have to worry about the Y bones on big fish (in the 30's) as the meat shrinks a little while being cooked the bones stick out and can be used as tooth picks to hold while taking the meat off with your teeth,,,,jk