Another Yuba Pike report

[MasterDaad]

I made my Yuba run this afternoon for Northern Pike. We didn't have much time (about 3 hours 1:30-4:30) to fish.

But we started early. Just outside the wakeless bouy at Painted rock we hit and landed our first -- a 26" Northern.

25 Minutes later, a 24" near twin made it into the boat.

My two friends and I were making plans for a joint meal with a couple more fish..... and we were getting greedy for a 35"+ monster.. but then the wind came up and the bite was over on the lures.

In hindsight, we probably should have switched tactics to drift bait but with two in the first half hour we just couldn't bring ourselves to go away from what worked.

Still, I get to add Northern Pike to my "Angled" list.

Thanks to all those here who have posted. For a quick trip down, I'd call it a success.
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[ocean]

Way to go on the pike they seem to bite all day long especially in the afternoon.Its lots of fun catching them on lures but when it gets really windy they love baits probably cause the baits just dont sit still .If you have a 2 pole permit you can do both .
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[fishfulodollars]

Congrats on the pike! I think it's natural to keep using whatever you last caught a fish on. Then you look back and see where you should have switched. But the unpredictibility is what keeps me coming back for more. The next fish could be the "monster"!

Thanks for the report!
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[PACMEN]

We went over Sat. and had to fish hard for the fish we caught. Don't know but it seemed to be off a bit for us.

Wind seems to come up about noon or so every day over there, at least that is how it has been for us.
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[CoyoteSpinner]

Congrats on the toothers. Been curious how Pike or Musky are for tablefare? Have learned they're pretty bony, and take some good fillet technique.

Gotta be some fun tugs. Seems you're getting them pretty well dialed in!

[MasterDaad]

One of the guys with me had caught Northern Pike on his trips to Minnesota.... it's always reassuring when the guy with experience looks at the Tiger Rapalla you're planning to use and says, "yup, that's exactly what we caught them on."

I filleted the two Pike using a "five steak" method I found on YouTube. I learned a lot on the first fish and got quite a clean set of fillets on the second.

Keeping the fillet knife going just on the outside of the side rib bones is a bit of an art.

My buddy says Northern's he catches in Minnesota taste fantastic. I've heard the ones in Yuba (particularly the bigger ones) can be nasty... but I have heard good reports as well.

We'll see.

Here's a couple of photos of the two:
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