Giant Pike

[pezvela]

Local angler Captain Ryan Thurner (Wireman)now living and running charter operations for marlin and tuna out of Kona, Hawaii was in Flagstaff, AZ yesterday at Mary Lake and spent the day fishing for northerns. This is his catch a 44" 26.7lb northern caught just at dark after a long day of fishing. The fish was just short of the AZ record and is now on its way to a taxidermist. Tremendous fish!
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[flygoddess]

Holy Gargantuous Thanks for sharing
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[TopH2O]

I would imagine there are several as large or even bigger swimming today in Yuba. When I catch one over 28 pounds it will be measured, photographed and released and the replica mount will be ordered pronto.

The AZ fish is sure a dandy. Congrats to your friend. Do you know what he was using when he caught the big one?

Mike
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[TrulineRick]

Can you say barracuda holly s&&t!
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[FOD]

Nice fish Ryan. Pez, you taught young grasshopper well.
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[pezvela]

Ryan (wireman) didn't need any help from me. He was a coast guard licensed captain before he was 22. He is unequivocally the finest angler I have ever seen, Salt or fresh water, any specie.

There are few with his determination. He takes a long vacation from marlin fishing in Kona and goes to Utah and AZ, fishes the ice with me on Yuba and Strawberry, hits 6 or 7 addition waters and piles up fish after fish all of which were released then goes to marys Lake catches this giant pike and then he off again to Kona to do battle with tuna, marlin and wahoo.

What a life...What a great and talented kid. He's something.
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[Tibbz]

That's a huge pike! I. Always thought pike were a northern climate fish. But geez that beats utahs angling record, but
the C R record is 4" longer than that beast at lake powell? That's warm water right? I thought these fish where called northerns for a reason. Bad ass fish! Maybe its the forage fish in the southern warm waters?
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[MR.PIKE]

Way to go! Kill those big boys!
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[FOD]

Yes sir, good guy indeed. Great fisherman. I still remeber that trip to yuba we went on a couple years ago before you guys did the lake Powell deal. Fun times ahead, looking forward
To another memorable season.
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[pezvela]

He caught it on a rainbow colored segmented swim bait.

The hooks were deeply imbedded in the gill rakers and stomach. He had two options; cut the leader leaving the big lure in the gill rakers and stomach tissue in the longshot hope that the fish would survive long enough to dissolve the hooks which were heavy. Virtually no chance there or quickly dispatch the fish and have it mounted.

Ryan releases 100's of fish each year including marlin and other billfish that weigh up to 700 lbs. He does however kill tuna, mahi mahi and other edible fish for his table when he needs it. The point is; there are times for example, when a giant breeding female marlin is tail wrapped and dies or a shark devours half of a giant tuna before it can be brought to the boat for release. Those same type things happen in fresh water in spite of every effort from the angler to release the fish unharmed. Those of you who are looking down their long noses (Not you top water) better quit fishing because the best fishermen in the world, men like captain Thurner will occasionally kill a fish unintentionally. That is the nature of the sport.
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[utahgolf]

crap happens sometimes with big hooks, sounds like he made the right call and he knows what he's doing. Heck, the thought of releasing a trophy pike doesn't even cross the minds of most Utah fishermen,, so I wouldn't worry about too many people on here looking down at this guy keeping the fish. especially all the newbs who don't even bother to use steel leader and have those fish swimming around with all that lost hardware in their throat. [crazy]....But I'm glad most of the baits I throw for pike are single hook setups, so I don't have to worry about trebs but sometimes that's not an option with every type of bait. great fish tho, and has me itching for some toothy action!
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[MR.PIKE]

Have him post a pic of that brute when he gets it back from the shop
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[pezvela]

I too, believe there are pike in Yuba over 28 lbs. Unfortunately with the new regs I don't think they will be there long.
Yuba has been an extraordinary trophy fishery for several years and I should be satisfied with the great fish we have caught. It has been a hell of a run and one I can look back on with a on my face. I looked back through my pictures and reminisced over the many, many 40 inch plus pike we caught through the years. The number is substantial. I don't know of many locations in the US or Canada where you could fish with the expectations of putting 20 lb + fish in the net with any regularity. This little jewel of a fishery in the desert sands is one of a kind.
Attached you will find a couple of pictures of trophy pike that Captain Thurner and his girlfriend caught and released as well as a couple of other pics that will get you thinking of Yuba as a destination.
The best day we ever had on Yuba was 7 pike from 37 to 42" all released. I've had many more without a strike, but that is fishing. I hope to fish it many times this year because I believe the end is near for the trophy pike.
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[utahgolf]

I agree, this year they will get hammered and fishing will decline for the bigguns. The Utah "succubus" aka average joeUtah fisherman will be down there in force sucking up everything they hook into. Then when it declines the Utah succubus will move on to the next fruitful resource they can suck dry. selective harvest is a foreign language to the Utah succubus.
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[Fishsticker]

Those of you advertising your trophy pike like this will do so much more to harm the fishery than the regulations. In my ever so humble opinion of course
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[utahgolf]

[quote Fishsticker]Those of you advertising your trophy pike like this will do so much more to harm the fishery than the regulations. In my ever so humble opinion of course[/quote]

very true, my pic sharing days are limited to less trafficked forums. the utah succubus feeds off of these forums.
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