# UL pike



## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

So just saw the utah lake fishing report on the dwr site. It says anglers please do not release northern pike? Is this true and confirmed? I havent heard of this!? If so i bet there getting fat on all those dinky white bass :0 if this is true bucket biologists are out of control there's pike water literally a 45 min drive from utah lake!!
http://wildlife.utah.gov/hotspots/reports_cr.php


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Bscuderi said:


> Is this true and confirmed?


Yes. A few have been caught by anglers and some have also been gillnetted by the DWR in their surveys. They are still quite rare however.


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## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

Oh just saw it in the proc too. It probably won't take long for them to become not rare.


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

The UDWR planted them over 30 years ago. They didn't seem to take hold then. Or, as some believe, they have been holding their own for 30 years. If they've been spawning for 30 years, where are the 20 + pounders? For whatever reasons, I don't think they'll take hold in Utah Lake.


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## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

Good point I also wondered if at those shallow depths and lack of structure and vegetation if they could become a problem.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

According to this article the division has never planted pike in utah lake. They only documented one fish 30 years ago and none since until this year. They think they are illegally introduced. But who knows the hearld is showing a photo of a small mouth bass and calling them pike.

Pike are a cold water fish. I dont think utah lake is deep enough or cold enough in the summer for them to do to well. "I think they will stress". Utah lake has the structure and prey base for them to do well though.

http://m.heraldextra.com/news/local/art ... 16aeb.html


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

I believe that they did plant them. The article mentions one being caught back in the 70s. I believe that was the only one documented being caught from the original stocking.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

I don't have the documentation in front of me, but I believe the (legitimate, non bucket- biologist) pike plants at UL were in the late 50's.


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## redfrog (Jan 10, 2013)

Nope, it was bucket biologist that planted the pike. THere is a bunch of information ina book called Utah Legacy, in the book it chronicles many of the different fish that were planted in the lake as well as some other history.


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## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

That articles pretty awkward the media never fails to amaze me you think a simple google search thy could have the right fish


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

redfrog said:


> Nope, it was bucket biologist that planted the pike. THere is a bunch of information ina book called Utah Legacy, in the book it chronicles many of the different fish that were planted in the lake as well as some other history.


I am not going to argue how the pike currently caught got there. Two people that I trust that work for or with the DWR are pretty adamant that they are indeed from recent illegal plants. There also have been rumors of a few relict pike at UL for decades, so who knows for absolutely sure. In a Utah Lake fisheries forum presentation a couple years back, it was discussed what species had been planted over the decades. These include eels, lake trout and arctic grayling. (really!) My notes say that the pike were stocked in the late 50's. They were tried more than once but never "took".

You mentioned the Utah lake legacy book. Great book. But I went through my copy and there is no mention about Northern pike stockings, illegal or otherwise. You will have to go to other sources for that info.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Don't forget that the Herald link is a story from 2011.


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