How to hold big pike and walleye?????

[AaronKrick]

Hi guys. Had a great sunday morning fishing adventure. I caught a walleye and a pike that was about 30". A guy that helped me net the walleye showed me how to hold the walleye. He held it by the gill. Since i released it and all fish i catch, is that a bad idea? Then with the pike i netted it and then the hook popped out of its mouth. I didn't even handle that fish, i just put it back in the water and then unhooked the mesh from his teeth and he swam away. My question is, how do you handle walleye and pike?

 

[grubman]

Hey Cat

Congrats on the catches. No pics?

With bass, LM and SM you can grab them by the lower lip and let them hang. To hold them horizontally you should support their body by the tail. You probably know this already.

With walleyes don't try to lip them or you'll cut your thumb up. Grabbing by the gill is the best for large eyes, but be careful as part of the gill is very sharp. The gill by the "chin" is the safe part. I read somewhere that walleye mouth carry a bacteria that you can get an infection from so becareful not to get bit.

Wth pike gill it or if it's small enough grab it by the scruff of the neck. Larger pike grab by the gill and support it by the tail.

I wanna get some fall pikes too, just have not had a chance to go yet.

Hope to see some pics dude!!!!!

 

[FishingNoob]

Hey Cat

Congrats on the catches. No pics?

With bass, LM and SM you can grab them by the lower lip and let them hang. To hold them horizontally you should support their body by the tail. You probably know this already.

With walleyes don't try to lip them or you'll cut your thumb up. Grabbing by the gill is the best for large eyes, but be careful as part of the gill is very sharp. The gill by the "chin" is the safe part. I read somewhere that walleye mouth carry a bacteria that you can get an infection from so becareful not to get bit.

Wth pike gill it or if it's small enough grab it by the scruff of the neck. Larger pike grab by the gill and support it by the tail.

I wanna get some fall pikes too, just have not had a chance to go yet.

Hope to see some pics dude!!!!!

Just make sure your not touching the gill, just the gill plate... I catch such slab sunnies, I lip em like a bass.

 

[efka]

 

[AaronKrick]

Thats what i was thinking about. Could i use that for walleye or does that hurt their mouth?

 

[efka]

it's more painful when you set the hook

 

[jlisk]

it's more painful when you set the hook

I just shot coffee all over my work laptop.

 

[salmotrutta]

I just shot coffee all over my work laptop.

If it's malfunctioning give it a rice bath.

 

[rusty420]

I like the rubber meshed nets. You don't even have to grab the fish. Just remove hooks and release

 

[CanadianAngler87]

You can grab most walleye and pike by the shoulders (Behind the head) or rubber net/craddle. Bigger fish can be held by the tail/belly grab.

 

[FishingNoob]

The great thing about being me is that I never catch big fish. Most anglers would be disappointed if they were me. However, I am glad that I don't catch big fish, for 1 reason, I can handle little fish.

 

[AaronKrick]

I just shot coffee all over my work laptop.

:lol:

 

[Alfiegee]

I saw a show once where they advocated the Lunenburg (?) lift for Walleye of pan size anyway. You just hold the fish horizontally with your hand under the belly and they will just sit still until you put them in the water and release them. It worked on the show I watched.
I never had a chance to try this, I could probably count on my fingers the number of Walleye I have landed in the last 30 years.
I like the rubber net too, one that holds fish horizontally for pike. You can unhook your fish and release with out ever handling it or getting into those teeth.
One thing I have heard in the past is that holding a fish vertically places a lot of stress on their neck and back, as fish are not naturally a vertical creature. Other than Chrome going over dams

Alfie.

 

[rich_ace_G]

You can grab most walleye and pike by the shoulders (Behind the head) or rubber net/craddle. Bigger fish can be held by the tail/belly grab.

+1...and lay the fish on it's side or at least on it's back...it either calms the fish or dazes it because they seem to stop moving when you do this. have a needle nose pliers hand...some lures can really get in there (if they're small spinners). rubber nets...and if you can use barbless hooks, it would be easier for you and less painful for the fish.

 

[[email protected]]

with most walleye you can just grab em behind the head, just slide your hand from the gills down to collapse the dorsal fin. used to catch about 700 a year, landed everyone with this method

with pike, smaller ones behind the head, larger ones gill plates or belly and tail, important thing is to keep control of the head so you don't get hurt

 

[OCDComputing]

with most walleye you can just grab em behind the head, just slide your hand from the gills down to collapse the dorsal fin. used to catch about 700 a year, landed everyone with this method

with pike, smaller ones behind the head, larger ones gill plates or belly and tail, important thing is to keep control of the head so you don't get hurt

Case in point...many years ago, fishing with my Father and Uncle and they were trolling and both hit on Pike at the same time. One fish got landed hand over hand because the two lines got tangled...anyways they got the fish in the boat and it spit the lure and was going crazy in the bottom of the boat (it was 5lbs plus) and my Uncle reached down to grab it. It decided it didn't want to be grabbed and grabbed him first! Bit him right between the thumb and first finger and it was pretty much a whole mouth bite! He bled like a stuck pig! So yes boys and girls...LOL...it can happen!

 

[AaronKrick]

Case in point...many years ago, fishing with my Father and Uncle and they were trolling and both hit on Pike at the same time. One fish got landed hand over hand because the two lines got tangled...anyways they got the fish in the boat and it spit the lure and was going crazy in the bottom of the boat (it was 5lbs plus) and my Uncle reached down to grab it. It decided it didn't want to be grabbed and grabbed him first! Bit him right between the thumb and first finger and it was pretty much a whole mouth bite! He bled like a stuck pig! So yes boys and girls...LOL...it can happen!

:unsure:....ouch

 

[AaronKrick]

Ok thanks guys for the advice, I will try them all!

 

[AnglerAnonymous]

With larger fish like pike and musky my hands have been tore up a few times from holding them in the gill plate. Especially if they start thrashing, Best way is to cradle them one hand on the tail the other supporting the belly.

Avoiding contact with the gill region is always best for the healthy release of any fish.

If your holding a bass like stated above you can lip them. If your going to hold them horitzontally dont do it by curving their jaw, lip them and support their belly to keep their jaw straight.