Ice out fatties

[Skunk City]

Went through the end of ice season depression, cried as I put the auger and Clam away for the season, but the show must go on :p. Hit a handful of my early season spots and was rewarded with a few solid fish. Nothing crazy yet, still looking for Big Momma. Mostly everything on big plugs. This rain is a Godsend, as it should set things up for a nice few weeks of fishing.

On a side note, Im disappointed to have seen some piss-poor fish handling going on with these fish. While doing my thing, I've watched other guys landing Pike...and it's pretty pathetic to say the least. Dragging fish onto land, letting them flop around on the ground, fumbling to get cell phone out, a minute's worth of pictures, more fumbling for pliers, more time out of the water, then a dirty/exhausted fish being tossed back in the water without being revived. It's not hard guys. Have your sh*t ready to go incase you catch one, grab the fish with your hands, don't let it flop in the dirt, remove hooks, snap a quick pic, revive the fish, watch it swim away! If you can't do that, or are afraid of a big spooky fish with teeth, stick to Bass! End rant.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h252/QuikSilverSRT4/Fishing%20Photos/IMG_20180302_161832-1_zpsi6lfqiys.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/QuikSilverSRT4/media/Fishing%20Photos/IMG_20180302_161832-1_zpsi6lfqiys.jpg.html)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h252/QuikSilverSRT4/Fishing%20Photos/IMG_20180302_160537_zpsktpdduco.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/QuikSilverSRT4/media/Fishing%20Photos/IMG_20180302_160537_zpsktpdduco.jpg.html)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h252/QuikSilverSRT4/Fishing%20Photos/IMG_20180302_160216_zpsyjblvhff.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/QuikSilverSRT4/media/Fishing%20Photos/IMG_20180302_160216_zpsyjblvhff.jpg.html)
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h252/QuikSilverSRT4/Fishing%20Photos/20180215_171209_zpstlqykqez.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/QuikSilverSRT4/media/Fishing%20Photos/20180215_171209_zpstlqykqez.jpg.html)

[JDTuna]

Awesome dude. Great gators!

[thmyorke1]

Always bring a spare net to give away to those kinds of anglers :D

Nice fish!

[antgogz]

Finally a pike report! Nice job rob! I can’t wait to get out there soon. Well done my friend

[FASTEDDIE29]

Yes, yes, yesssssss!!! Take the kids to school bro! Teach em and educate the lil’ Pike abusing anglers of NJ! No need to drag em on land ever! Shake n bake is always avoidable! Stay calm and land the fish carefully!!! Watch out for the gill plates and the TEETH of course!!! Well done my friend! I miss those fish on the rod n reel! You da man!!! Beautiful bag o healthy PIKES!!!:D

[oelgnal1]

Congrats, nice bunch of healthy looking northerns.

[ScowardNJ]

Skunk City!!!! Doin what he knows!!! Love it!!!!

[zhitoman]

Skunk city, your fish handling is terrible as well. I give you C+ and it would be very generous of me. You should watch some English fishing channels and learn how to properly handle a pike. Make yourself or order an unhooking mat and stop grabbing them by the gills. I know you mean well, and I value that but seeing you lifting them by the gill plate is no good. I don't mean to sound like an ass, but its for the sake of our fishery. Best regards and be safe.

[Mikey topaz]

There he is!!!! The best well groomed fishermen on the river...:p nice work amigos!

[Mikey topaz]

Skunk city, your fish handling is terrible as well. I give you C+ and it would be very generous of me. You should watch some English fishing channels and learn how to properly handle a pike. Make yourself or order an unhooking mat and stop grabbing them by the gills. I know you mean well, and I value that but seeing you lifting them by the gill plate is no good. I don't mean to sound like an ass, but its for the sake of our fishery. Best regards and be safe.

English fishing channels??? Umm.... :confused: I take it your a bassfishermen:rolleyes:

[AndyS]

Nice catch !!!

[Chrisper4694]

No one doing that stuff cares unfortunately. Nice pike bud.

[Adrenalinerush]

Nice fish! In the future please levitate all fish and use mental telepathy to take pictures! :D

[NJSquatch]

Good stuff skunk!

[Skunk City]

Skunk city, your fish handling is terrible as well. I give you C+ and it would be very generous of me. You should watch some English fishing channels and learn how to properly handle a pike. Make yourself or order an unhooking mat and stop grabbing them by the gills. I know you mean well, and I value that but seeing you lifting them by the gill plate is no good. I don't mean to sound like an ass, but its for the sake of our fishery. Best regards and be safe.

I've been preaching on here for years for guys to do simple things as easy as using the proper leader line as opposed to whatever mono they have on their bass rod, you honestly think I can convince guys to bust out money for an unhooking mat??:rolleyes: Your intentions are good, but given the average NJ fisherman, I think what I'm suggesting is more than feasible here.

Is it stressful for a 40lb European Pike to be held vertically? You're damn right it is. But these aren't trophies were talking about here, just some average NJ Pike that weight 1/8th of that.

[Jigman13]

Nice esox Rob. I can't wait for this crazy weather to level off. Maybe after this last ditch storm I hope!

[Riz]

nice fish:D

[dakota560]

Rob beautiful fish and the title sums it up......they're some healthy looking fish. Years ago I would never have imagined the Passaic River would or could develop such a great fishery. Really great stuff. Question for the board, are those fish fat because they're filled with eggs or just eating well throughout the winter? Is there natural reproduction taking place in the system or is this all the result of stocking programs? Either way, good to see what appears to be a thriving fishery. Good job on the release, being prepared as you mentioned in your post is 90% of the key to releasing fish safely. Nice job.

[saxmatt]

Nice ones Rob! I wouldn't worry about holding pike that size by the gill plate while unhooking and taking pics, better than letting them flop around on the ground especially if there are rocks or you're on the ice. It's the big ones you have to be more careful with.