High Point Lake

Is anyone else noticing the sharp increase of Largemouth catches and the sharp decline in Pike Catches at High Point this year? I have caught tons of Bucketmouths in 5 trips this year, and only 1 pike total. Usually it has always been the other way around. This isn't like the High Point Lake I have been used to fishing for the last 20 years.

Do you think the drawdown may have knocked the pike numbers down a bit? I ask because during the drawdown, I caught around 15 Pike in one 4 hour trip, and they were all very very thin and sickly looking. Even for post spawn fish, they did not look healthy at all. Axe-handle wasn't the phrase I would have been looking for, it would have been more like sewing needle. Anyone else noticing this flip flop?

could it be that the bass were always there but very inaccesible in the deep weeds? now they're more out in the open by necessity. pike seemed to always be out in the open (as well as in the weeds to a lesser extent) as they have no real predators other than larger pike.

a quess?

phish

I haven't had my boat up there in over 10 years but do still ice fish it.  In my opinion anyone who catches a legal perch there (9 inches) should receive an award of some kind.  Now days it's just not worth me towing a boat up there when I'm never sure just how bad the wind will be.

I do believe there are some nice size crappies caught there but am not sure how plentiful they are.

Back in the 70's and 80's I could park my boat anywhere and catch at least a few nice bluegills or perch.

not sure i agree with you about having bass take-over high point - what other lake has a pike population like high point? essentailly all other lakes are bass lakes. it was unique for this reason and i personnally would like to see it stay that way.

would be nice if some walleye were in there.

phish

Over the years I think HP is evolving from a glacial pike lake to an environment more typical of a big bass lake.
It has good food supply in small panfish and I have seen lots of crayfish in there.
But I do wonder what happened to the larger panfish populations.

Yeah, having the Pike eliminated isn't something I would like to see either, but I do think that having a nice lunker population is a good thing. I think the Pike were becoming overpopulated over the years. They all seemed to be small, but there were tons of them. Now, maybe you could expect them to be less numerous, but bigger. I think that having less Pike may also help the Perch grow a little larger as well. Again, I don't want them to be eliminated, maybe just a little more in balance with the other species in the lake. I think it would be healthy for the lake and the diversity of fishing on it. Hopefully a balance can be met and maintained into the future.

ORIGINAL: phishfearme

not sure i agree with you about having bass take-over high point - what other lake has a pike population like high point? essentailly all other lakes are bass lakes. it was unique for this reason and i personnally would like to see it stay that way.

would be nice if some walleye were in there.

phish

Same here, sounds like a great day on the water. I've caught two Largemouth this year about 18-20+ inches, and several over 15 inches. Went out yesterday, though, and did catch a small, yet fat, largemouth, and a few perch. Maybe I am just missing the Pike, but the places I've caught them year after year for years now seem to have either no fish or just Largemouth. I did, however, run into a PFBC officer who is always polite when I see him, and he said that just in one spot they picked up 5 bags of trash already this spring. What a shame. People should learn to pick up their trash and be a little more responsible. Part of the reason for going there is the beauty. Nobody wants to fish in a trash pile. I always end up picking up rats nests of fishing line and plastic that people leave lying around. High Point is still the only lake around here where I've seen Loons in the spring. I just wish more people would be a little more respectful.

ORIGINAL: fishinfool1971

Had a buddy hit HP last sunday and caught 5 bass all over 15" and 13 pike. Thats a great day of fishing in my book. I use to fish it years ago and never caught a bass nice to here they are there.