So close to a 40" !

[msgdan]

Hit the river last night after work for about 90 minutes. Just one lost fish in the first 15 minutes and then made the paddle to another deep spot a short distance away.

First cast to a drop off and I landed a solid 36" pike that took me for a nice ride into the trees and also got a nice gash on my hand on the release. A few casts later, I land a pretty good pickerel in the same spot and then another cast into the same area I hook a monster.

This fish towed me in circles for about 10 minutes and really put my "not so smooth" drag to a test. Every time I got the fish close to the kayak, it took off peeling more line. I am not sure who was more exhausted after the fight, but I was able to get it close to shore for a few pictures.

I wound up with 7 pike and the one pickerel and lost at least as many as I landed.

I love this first shot of the splash with the pike close to the kayak in one of the first picture attempts. You can really see the girth of this fish in the second picture. Trying to get an exact length was not easy, but it was just touching the 40" mark on my paddle.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s183/msgdan/IMGP1891_zps4a71cb23.jpg (http://s152.photobucket.com/user/msgdan/media/IMGP1891_zps4a71cb23.jpg.html)

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s183/msgdan/IMGP1905_zpse47a33b1.jpg (http://s152.photobucket.com/user/msgdan/media/IMGP1905_zpse47a33b1.jpg.html)

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s183/msgdan/IMGP1908_zpsc3bab4c0.jpg (http://s152.photobucket.com/user/msgdan/media/IMGP1908_zpsc3bab4c0.jpg.html)

Danny V

[Skunk City]

Impressive Dan! My buddy landed a 40" last week as well, the big girls are coming out to play for sure.

[dfish28]

Great fish!
Just wondering seeing many of your pics : do you have your own personal photographer or have some cool setup I haven't seen????

[msgdan]

Great fish!
Just wondering seeing many of your pics : do you have your own personal photographer or have some cool setup I haven't seen????

Ha !! Not a personal photographer at all. I have a camera mount that I made that I swing an arm out with the camera attached. Hit the self timer, swing the arm out and hope for a good shot. It makes for some nice action shots, like in the first picture.

Danny V

[FASTEDDIE29]

Some great pics Dan. Your on em like white on rice as always, unless of course you like brown rice. LOL!!! Pike fishing in NJ is on fire! Nice catch without a doubt. It's BEAST season, YEA BUDDY!!!!:D

[flatcreek]

Great fish and that first pic is a jem. Sounds like a pretty neat camera setup.

[NorthJerzyG]

Nice fish man! And, great action shots!!