eradicateing pike

I just read an article in the Tribune Review that states that the state of Nevada was declaring war on Northeren Pike in some of its lakes because they are an invasive species that are deemed harmful to the native species. A couple of years ago they drained this particular lake & then restocked it with what they thought were more desireable fish. Then this year people started to catch Northerens again which was they believe caused by fishermen releasing them in the lake unlawfully. The DNR is offering $10,000 for information leading to arrest of these guys. The DNR claims that the Pike are destroying the fishing by eating the other fish. Guess it depends on your point of view ?   sam

My son and I took a fishing trip to Colorado this summer. There were one or two reservoirs near some of the rivers we fished where the state was asking that all pike be removed and killed for the same reason, mainly because of trout predation. Trout fishing in CO is big $ for the state so I kind of understand the reasoning there.

Most trout fishing in CO is sustained by natural reproduction. Some of those reservoirs grow absolute monster trout, and they run the headwaters to spawn and reproduce. Lots of restrictions on harvest of em though so that populations are sustained for an incredible recreational experience. Protecting the resource and wild populations of fish is big $ for the state. Not anything at all like PeeAy.

Some people fish for the experience, and not the harvest. I do a little of both. Colorado was definitely a trip for the experience for both my son and I, not to see how many trout we could bonk.

There are also plenty of reservoirs that include great pike fishing as well, and are managed for that purpose.

psu_fish
When you say monster trout, do you mean Brownies or Rainbows?

Both, although in the big fish category, browns seem to be more predominant than rainbows.  But the true beasts - 10# plus - tend to be rainbows.  If that makes any sense.  
 
BTW, we did not catch any monsters, but if you check out social media from any guides or outfitters in CO, you'll see the quality of wild fish there.  Absolutely amazing what those river and reservoir systems can produce and sustain in terms of quality trout.   
 
Did a little checking to refresh my memory.  There's actually a $20 bounty on Pike at Green Mountain Reservoir and the article explains why: http://www.gameandfishmag.com/conservation-politics/20-northern-pike-bounty-offered-at-colo-lake/
 

Right on Pork. Quick check of CO state record fish shows some hefty salmanoids. 30# brown, almost 20# rainbow, 16# cutthroat.

PaYakr
Interesting. I recall seeing some small lakes in Alaska where the pike could have been considered invasive.  They literally ate everything and were really just surviving by eating each other.  They struck any lure you threw in the water, as soon as it hit the water.  Not sure what causes that to occur in some waters and not others. Difficult to imagine that could happen in PA, but why couldn't it?

lol probably because once they reach legal size here in pa there bonked 

Sam, I agree with you.  I'd love to see some huge fish like that here.  They spend way too much raising trout that just die when the water warms anyway.  That is if they don't get put on a rope.  I'd love to see how big pure stripers would get below kinzua.  I'd imagine it would be like the trophy fisheries in TN.

python73
Fair point RSq.  Not much comparison between pellethead fishery here and a real native fishery.  Still not a fan of trout in general but I get it... the guys who fly fish for the tiny native trout left in PA have their own thing.  Not my cup but I get it.  
If I had my way I'd stock bigger and better non_native fish all over the place.  Euro-perch?  Yes please!  They eat LMB fry?  BONUS!  :)  But that isn't a popular opinion.  People love their boring native fish around here.  

lol well as i got older i enjoy the hunt for native brookies    finding a tiny unnamed stream and seeing if native brookies thrive there   i have found brookies in    good ole johnstown believe it or not    in streams  that you would think are jus  overflow  ditches  or drainage ditches   so  to me its a challenge   as i get  older its about the whol8i experience   im way past the  bigger is better mentality   lol  if thats your thing great  it keeps you goin    id rather get a truly  wild trout of  8 inches in a stream i discovered   then a big  striper  or whatever large  fish   to be  bigger is not always better 

PaYakr
Interesting. I recall seeing some small lakes in Alaska where the pike could have been considered invasive.  They literally ate everything and were really just surviving by eating each other.  They struck any lure you threw in the water, as soon as it hit the water.  Not sure what causes that to occur in some waters and not others. Difficult to imagine that could happen in PA, but why couldn't it?

Im no biologist but it seems to happen when bass and other predators that roam topwater arent around or at least not plentiful. The pike become the only predator. I go to a place in Manitoba with my brother every 5 years or so, sometimes more frequent. There are a few smaller lakes we fish up there but one is known for the quality walleye "footballs" it produces. About 14-15 years ago we went and the guides/locals were extremely frustrated because you couldn't really get your bait down to the walleye, a little 20" pike would be on before you could count to 3. And if you did get a walleye on, it was a race to get it in the boat before a 30-40" pike grabbed it. Seen quite a few pike be dragged to the boat and netted while biting down on a walleye, most would let go once they saw the boat. My brother and I had a ton of fun but the locals were worried their business was going to get hurt, I guess a couple of the other lakes used to be good walleye lakes in the past until pike took them over. They thought that was gonna happen again. That year, the fried walleye would always run out in the lodge which never happened before.   I dont know if they did anything or it worked itself out but the lake is back to normal, still a good number of pike but it's not like that one trip. 100-150(90% small pike) fish per day is normal and we usually stay 3-4 days(long weekend). There are guys that have caught 2500+ fish over a week. Great place to fish, so many lakes up there and not many people. 
 
My only guess is there are no other predators to compete with the pike, no bass, no muskies. Pike rule, walleye and burbot(eelpout) on the bottom. There were a few grayling and the deeper lakes(like Reindeer Lake) have lake trout(we don't pay for the lake trout charter usually). A fish called cisco seemed to be main forage for the big pike, and perch.
 
I have fished in some lakes in East PA where chain pickerel  are impossible to avoid and live with bass so maybe the lack of predators has nothing to do with it. Maybe it's just the perfect conditions for pike to thrive.
 
I know one side of Alaska is doing everything they can to avoid a pike invasion, where salmon fishing is their money-maker