Davis Lake Pike,..... ARRrrrrggh!!!!!

**Darian** · 01-29-2005, 12:24 AM

Noticed the post about Davis Lake Bass and decided to stir the pot a little.

Has anyone taken a Pike from Davis

What type of gear/fly was it caught on

What's the feeling about the way DFG has handled the situation (keep it clean please....)

Since it's my understanding that Pike are delicious eating, here's a chance to catch/cook/eat without pangs of conscience.

Anyone have a solution in mind

All comments welcome.

**Hairstacker** · 01-29-2005, 10:54 AM

Hi Darian! I'm curious about this too, although from a slightly different slant. When I was a gear guy living in North Dakota (yes, it's true! -- reminds of that Gierach quote you're probably famiiar with, "In every fly fishers past is a big black cast iron frying pan.") I used to catch northern pike in the Turtle River and trout in various lakes, although I don't recall fishing in a water with both species (maybe it did, and I just didn't know it). But, given how common pike are in North Dakota, Minnesota, etc., I wonder if they worry as much about the effect of pike on trout as we Californians do. Trout seem to be able to coexist with voracious predators like black bass, big brown trout, etc. -- maybe it's the same way with pike? Anyone have thoughts on this as well?

**Darian** · 01-29-2005, 03:41 PM

Hi Mike,...... I too wonder why it's a crisis here when Pike/Trout/Chars have co-existed in lakes/rivers in the northern climes for thousands of years

I've posed the question to DFG and received the standard non-native, intrusive speech

(in an e-mail note). But no real answer. I'm sure that there's some element of predation among fish co-existing in the same body of water.

DFG used to subscribe to the theory that large Brown Trout were undesireable due to their predatory habits. There is a photo of several Brown Trout (over 10lbs each) on the bank after being removed from Convict Lake in one of their publications.

So, I guess whether something is designated as undesireable is determined by the latest need of the public as perceived by DFG.....

**David Lee** · 01-29-2005, 08:28 PM

I doubt Pike will impact the Trout/Salmon/Steelhead fishery in the central valley very much , if at all . Stripers will hunt pelagic (open , deep water) , Pike are well known ambush feeders . Our population of Stripes take way more smolts than Pike ever could .
Look at the Great Lakes - Pike are native there and Salmon/Trout are not . Are the pike there destroying them ?? D.J.L.

**Darian** · 01-30-2005, 01:08 PM

Good point David,.... I forgot about the great lakes. Lotsa non-native Pacific Salmon and Steelhead stocked there. New fisheries abound even tho Pike/pikerel co-exist with 'em. Considering the part of lakes each inhabit, there's probably more predation of sun fishes than chars/trout by pike/pickerel.....

The best part is that Pike look like freshwater Barracuda and fight great. Also, from what I've been told, they're great eating.

Gotta love 'em.

SullyTM · 02-01-2005, 04:38 PM

Having grown up in Mighigan I used to fish during the summer in Escanba at the marina. Pike were abundant in the waters, evening entering a river or two. The bass, perch and walleye populations never seemed to suffer. Could be another State of California knee jerk reaction. Hopefully, poisoning an entire body of water again isn't being considered.

**Jgoding** · 02-01-2005, 05:24 PM

I think the plans are already in the works to poison Davis Lake again....maybe they changed their minds but they were thinking of dropping the lake levels way way way down this time and then hammering it.....

I don't know, but I want to get up this year and see if I can catch one.....and yes, the regs say they have to be killed..... but oops, it slipped out of my hands before I could hatchet the head off...... clumsy me.....

Jeff

SullyTM · 02-01-2005, 07:10 PM

Pike are a very good fighting fish. Bring your heavy gear because they can grow to 3 feet! Watch out for the teeth!
Leave it to the State to poison our waters...

**Darian** · 02-02-2005, 10:59 AM

I'm curious about how DFG controls the outflow of poisoned water from Lake Davis after they've drawn down the lake level and dumped in ton's of rotenone

Seems to me that there has to be some amount of poison flowing from the dam into the stream below the dam. How far downriver does the poison impact the stream

Also, if the poison affects the entire bio-mass of the lake, how do they restore it to its pre-poisoned state (insects, etc.)

In addition to trout, is there any attempt to re-establish Bass, crawdads, insect, minnow, grass, moss, etc., (....you get the point)

SullyTM · 02-02-2005, 11:32 AM

The State did such a good job the last time in poisoning Davis Lake that the Pike are still there. Personally, leave the Pike alone. Mother Nature has a way of evening things out. I doubt that the Pike will ravage the lake's current fish population. Who is pushing this eradication effort? Davis Lake locals? Or someone in Sacramento with to much time on his/her hands? You will never stop folks from introducing species into California waters. Hopefully, the damage done to native habitates when this happens isn't a generations long process.