Old dog,I caught a ten pounder at the spillway on a Vib-E in 2009 early April. Surprised me. The locals said they stocked them in Pymy. The locals also cried when I released it. I never ate one but my uncle and I once caught 45 huge Pymy white bass and he thought they'd make a great fry. Well not so great I ate walleye.

Rich , something went crazy a few years back on Pymy and nobody seems to know for sure what. There were rumors that some Hybrid Bass were released into Pymy by mistake. Who knows maybe a mistake, maybe not. Well it must of happened because people were catching a few nice ones here and there for a few years. Not many caught, but enough that they were showing up. I personally love to catch them because they are just awesome fighters. I'd be all for introducing them to more lakes around us , and being a hybrid there would be no worry on controlling numbers. They are a super sport fish that would make anybody thrilled to battle!
 
As far as eating I have tried them and was not impressed with a few we kept years ago. I have caught plenty in Shenango and have released about 99%. Some guys say they are good eating just have to fillet proper. They say White Bass are the same if you fillet them proper they are good too. I'm a Walleye eater when it comes to table fish, most others go free. I haven't heard of any Stripers caught in Pymy past few years so I think most are no longer around. 
 
One thing that has always had me wondering about Pymy is that in all my years of fishing and talking to others how is it possible that that lake has no Pike ! Seems Pike are just about everywhere but I have never seen any come from that lake. Seems impossible but true.
 
2013 huh? Tiger Musky award 2nd place.....lol

I remember Lake Wilhelm being overrun with Pike to the point you caught them with ease and they were referred to as hammer handles.

Wouldn't break my heart to see them restocked just to get rid of the shad.

Pike is very good eating.


Perhaps a email to the PFBC on their new sight will get an answear to your question.

My guess is Pike reproduction is difficult to control in the wild. Not popular as tablefare and, there are no clubs or organizations promoting Pike. In addition Pike are voracious feeders and compete with and/or eat other (more popular) fish.

I caught a few really nice pike years ago below the dam in the river,when I winter / early spring walleye fish. They hit white twister tails on 1/8 jig heads. Biggest was 38 inches and released. In the last 10 years just learn how to fillet the Y bones out of them. This may sound weird but only eating eyes,gills,crappie,and perch, I put the stinky pike way up on the list as table fair. I had a big fry one year,and one cookie sheet had walleye fillets cut into portion size pieces the other had a 40 inch ice fishing pike cut into 3-4 inch pieces fried in the same breading. After a few adult beverages we had a taste test. I asked the guests what tray of eyes they like best. By a small margin the pike won. Of  course once I told them it was pike,some changed there mind.lol

I just always wondered how Pike avoided being in there naturally . I've caught Pike just about everywhere around in Mercer, and Crawford county. Swamps , creeks , lakes ,and rivers. I don't really target Pike but I've been amazed that Pymy has none.
 
As far as eating I've heard just like other fish they are good. Once again the proper filleting makes a difference. Might of had some years ago can't recall.
 
BTDT yes both Wilhelm and Shenango were stocked heavy with Pike when first dammed up.
Crazy numbers of Pike were caught then. We landed 21 Pike in one outing on Shenango Lake back in the late 60's. They loved smacking spinner baits then !  

Much like when coyotes move into new territory, the red fox are killed/pushed out. I would venture the huge population of Musky in Pymy have all but eliminated pike.

I go back to 1959 as my first trip, my father fished that lake from when it was formed.  Nary a pike!

That is odd. Never caught a Pike in there myself. All the trolling you would think there would be a stray around.

I liked the ticker news feed they had on the old website with the most recent news and biologist reports.  I can't find that now.  I actually don't mind the rest of it after I got used to it.

I guess you could say Pike are Coyotes of the water having but two predators; man and Musky. Sure wouldn't be much left having both Musky and Northern Pike in the same lake.

Musky population, of course, can be controled through hybridation which uses the Pike in the raising thereof.

Northern have no problem with spawning in lakes, criks, rivers, etc, as other species do.

Always likened catching a Pike in a lake to that of fighting a log until that log surfaces, then yinz better have the drag set and set right.

Catch em on a live bait under float, tossing jigs, spinners, spoons, plugs and I think on a bare hook. Darn things will eat anything except weeds..... sorry.

Find shallow water holding dead weed over a hump along deep water and drop dead cut on the bottom through the ice; sit back, chew on some deer jerky while, enjoying a hot cup of Captain Morgan Coffee.

But don't take my word for any of this because, as easy as it sounds, I can't catch this stupid fish... either!

I do however, know about the Morgan Coffee and the deer jerky**.




** When provided by others..... stupid deer!