Esox Handling

[EsoxManiac]

Getting Ready for Pike season to open  I was wondering what is the best way to handle a pike/muskie/pickerel etc to calm it down and safely measure its weight length girth get the picture then release it for shore fishing, from boat and on ice
(I am a collector/completionist that likes to document the sizes of my fish yet also catch & release)

Edited April 7, 2024 by EsoxManiac
Duplicated text

[mowin]

3 hours ago, EsoxManiac said:

Getting Ready for Pike season to open  I was wondering what is the best way to handle a pike/muskie/pickerel etc to calm it down and safely measure its weight length girth get the picture then release it for shore fishing, from boat and on ice
(I am a collector/completionist that likes to document the sizes of my fish yet also catch & release)

Very carefully... Lol

[Robhuntandfish]

The best way is with a fish cradle.  Esp for big ones.  You don't have to take them out of the water even.  But if you do they are a lot easier to lift and you won't rip the gill covers if they are hefty. 

[Buckmaster7600]

https://www.frabill.com/products/musky-cradle
 

This is the best way to handle them. 

[Robhuntandfish]

I had a few years where I was on a quest to break the 40" mark in NY for a Northern Pike as I caught one that was 39.5 and a 39.75.  lol   Then got one that was 43" and it seems like I havent fished much for them since, so mustve scratched that itch....  NY has some good pike fishing for sure though.  (And all the rest were released this is the only pike i kept for a mount or otherwise in my life and ive caught thousands of them. Unless we had one really injured) 

Edited April 8, 2024 by Robhuntandfish

[EsoxManiac]

For a cradle i was going to get rs nets cradle net and was should i get it with neither one or both ends closed 

for measuring a fish i know people recommend fish boards but what about girth

also for holding it for pic i wear gloves i know with other fish species covering their eyes without touching them or smaller fish flipping them upsidedown works

Edited April 21, 2024 by EsoxManiac

[Robhuntandfish]

49 minutes ago, EsoxManiac said:

For a cradle i was going to get rs nets cradle net and was should i get it with neither one or both ends closed 

for measuring a fish i know people recommend fish boards but what about girth

also for holding it for pic i wear gloves i know with other fish species covering their eyes without touching them or smaller fish flipping them upsidedown works

Did a quick Google search and this one and a few have a built in tape measure.  For the girth I would just use a soft tape.   Or a length of twine and measure the twine after. https://www.fishusa.com/Mustad-Addicted-Cradle-Net/?sku=214299

Edited April 21, 2024 by Robhuntandfish

[lucky118]

I river fish for them alot. I usually just keep them on the hook in the water till I get the camera set up. Then I pop the hook out push start on the timer and hold them up for a pic and then release them. Usually takes less than a minute. 

[Catchindeers243]

Good info 👍🏻