Pike?
- Thread starter Havalina
- Start date
- Status
dallas massie
Escalante-Class Member
I think they are coming from Rifle Gap , 300 miles up river .
Havalina
Escalante-Class Member
I really don’t want any pike in powell either. I just thought it was weird to catch on and then nothing for a couple of years. I think that the pike would decimate the small mouth and striper population in the upper river. I have had pike take 20 in plus rainbows from me at eleven mile reservoir. I am just surprised, because usually if there is one, there is alot more.
Squirrel
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Back in the early 80’s I had a pike take a brown trout ?, from my fly line at the Smith Fork at the bottom of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River. I believe they came from Panonia res then up stream to the bottom of the Black Canyon. I miss Leroy, he was a great guy. Sq
Squirrel
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
You should have been there back in “80” or so when he had a Polka Festival at the Pleasure Park with “Weird Al Yankovic” in the pavilion. That was a night I barely remember, but a lot of fun was had by all. Sq. My apologies for hi-jacking this thread, but it brought back so many great memories of floating the Gunnison back in the day. Sq
Last edited:
I’ve seen two caught.
20 years apart.
Both in north wash.
The weird thing was the last one. My son and I were working the West Bank and he ask,” Have you ever seen any one catch a northern in Powell?”
I said ya I have, and it was right over there. I was pointing to the east side where the old cat trail switchbacks down to the water.
Then on his next cast his pole was almost jerked out of his hand, and when he got in it was a twenty something nich pike.
We had a laugh at that
20 years apart.
Both in north wash.
The weird thing was the last one. My son and I were working the West Bank and he ask,” Have you ever seen any one catch a northern in Powell?”
I said ya I have, and it was right over there. I was pointing to the east side where the old cat trail switchbacks down to the water.
Then on his next cast his pole was almost jerked out of his hand, and when he got in it was a twenty something nich pike.
We had a laugh at that
linnell
Well-Known Member
I used to drive by that place every day going to work and back and finally stopped in to see what was there, we hit it off right away as we were both Packer fans, then I became a regular and worked on Leroy's Suburbans and jet boats. He was definitely one of a kind.
linnell
Well-Known Member
Fish and Game people in the west have been on campaign for years to get rid of them, they have "kill derbies" all over western Colorado (smallmouth too), claiming they are non-native invasive fish. Rainbows and browns also happen to be non-native invasive fish, who have nearly wiped out the native cutthroat trout. This all started when the USFWS implemented the Upper Colorado Endangered Fish Recovery Program in 1988 and the feds threatened to withhold funds to the states if they didn't play along. They're theory is that the pike and smallmouth will get into the rivers and wipe out the suckers and squawfish. One CPW official was quoted as saying "trout only eat bugs"
Havalina
Escalante-Class Member
I would like to know what bug my t 50 flat fish looks like. When I was in Colorado, I really started bumping up my lure size at eleven mile and spinney to cull the fish. I actually started using T 50 flat fish and a jointed j 13 rapala. I can only think of a couple of times where I didn’t limit out at those lakes. You would not believe how big a rainbow can actually open his mouth. I really wish that Utah had a eleven mile equivalent. Big pike in that lake to.
Dworwood
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
My only real experience with them is yuba and that has been talked about on this site not too long ago. Northerns totally took over that reservoir and a great walleye & perch fishery became a northern fishery. I guess it is a preference thing but I prefer walleye. Don’t hate northerns, just don’t like what they did to my favorite fishing hole 30 years ago.
PBH
Well-Known Member
Natural reproduction is a major reason why some people do not like them. Consider the issues Powell already has with uncontrollable striper reproduction, and how stripers in Powell can decimate the only prey fish (shad) and leave the rest of the predators without any forage (other than each other).
I enjoy catching pike / musky. I have no issues with a few making their way downstream into Powell. But Powell has enough problems with predator species -- we don't necessarily need more predators when our prey base is as delicate as it is.
linnell
Well-Known Member
Rifle Gap has had a very diverse fish population for years including pike, walleye and perch. I think you can find different outcomes in different bodies of water. I think if pike were going to take hold in Powell, it would've happened by now, but then so few have ever been caught or seen there, it's hard to tell. My youngest is working with South Dakota Fish and Game this year, they have a pike hatchery and stocking program (they raise trout for pike food) and stock the toothy critters where ever they seem fit
PBH
Well-Known Member
Utah has done the same for a long time. Rainbow trout stocking in Fish Lake has been the primary food source for lake trout for years. Only recently has the UDWR changed this by introducing the kokanee. This should be beneficial on multiple fronts.
As was mentioned, if pike were going to take hold in Powell, they would have done it. There is nothing preventing pike from entering Lake Powell. There are numerous upstream sources of them. The only thing preventing them from showing up in higher numbers is that the current system just plain isn't good for them. Stocking them wouldn't change that -- in fact, adding more predators to the system would compound the problems.
As was mentioned, if pike were going to take hold in Powell, they would have done it. There is nothing preventing pike from entering Lake Powell. There are numerous upstream sources of them. The only thing preventing them from showing up in higher numbers is that the current system just plain isn't good for them. Stocking them wouldn't change that -- in fact, adding more predators to the system would compound the problems.
PFD
Well-Known Member
I think the real question is, “Since we know some make it into the lake, why have they not taken over like in other lakes?” Is it because stripers and walleye are better adapted and out compete them? I would guess that water temperature would be a limiting factor, but Yuba gets just as warm as Powell. I love catching Pike, but I’m glad Powell isn’t overrun with them too. I can’t imagine a Pike boil to match the stripers
Last edited:
- Status