# pound for pound what fights better: pike or muskie?



## crawdiddy

I haven't caught nearly enough of either to say.


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## vc1111

Neat question.

I'd say Pike. Even the little ones have a wonderfully nasty attitude. 

On the other hand, I've caught some rather large muskies that were rather well-behaved.

Who knows; its probably a toss up.


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## cincinnati

I've never caught a pike larger than 30", but in little fish, both little pike & little muskies are an invitation to a hook in the hand when they're next to the boat. 

Away from the boat, I've seen some spectacularly leaping small muskies, whereas the little pike tend to dive for cover & get winched in, disguised as a ball of weeds.


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## FutureClassicChamp

in my experience, i would say north canadian pike.


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## vc1111

Cinncinnati, funny you mention a hook in the hand. I just had a serious incident with a Northern about a month ago. Took a musky-class hook in the index finder...deeeeeep. Had to push it through and have my partner cut off the barb, but believe me it was much more of an ordeal than you can imagine. For about a minute the fish was thrashing with both him and I attached to the lure. I couldn't get my free hand on the lure. What a bad scene.


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## BITE-ME

I've only caught a handful of pike, but from my experience I would give the nod to the muskie... "King of freshwater game fish"!


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## vkutsch

I don't think there's enough difference (pound for pound) to rank one over the other. But does it really matter- they are both awesome fish!


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## waterdragon

About a King Salmon vs a muskie or pike fighting wise


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## Fishing-Miller23

FutureClassicChamp said:


> in my experience, i would say north canadian pike.


Those fight hard! I caught one on a buzzbait this year up there.


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## Jackfish

pound for pound? I think they fight the same - seems strange though that pike don't get nearly the level of respect


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## River Walker

Although I think both muskies and pike put up a very spirited tussle,neither can compare to a fresh run King,for that matter,not much can!


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## ohiojmj

There is a wide variety of fighting skills among simiilar sized pike in my opinion, perhaps due to temperature, lighting, time of year, what's in the stomach, etc. I can't speak for muskies. 


VC1111, I share my sympathies with your ordeal. I've hooked hand twice, but never with a frisky fish attached. Hope it didn't ruin your day or week of fishing. i helped a old timer yank a big hook out from under his thumb nail last year in Quebec and still get cold chills when I think about it. I've become much much more cautious...


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## fffffish

Nothing more exciting then having a 46 inch muskie jumping around in the bottom of you boat with a 5/0 hook in the back of your leg. We were down at Salt Fork when a call came over the radio for help we pulled up our lines and ran full out to the other boat. When we got there one guy was past out laying on the bottom of the boat and the other was holding the fish down we cut the hooks off of the lure (They did not have any hook cutter with them) We got a good release on the fish but the other guy with the hook in his leg ended up having surgery on his leg and about 30 stitches. From that time on I always have a good set of hook cutters and a club with me when muskie fishing especially when Im fishing by myself.


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## vc1111

> VC1111, I share my sympathies with your ordeal. I've hooked hand twice, but never with a frisky fish attached. Hope it didn't ruin your day or week of fishing. i helped a old timer yank a big hook out from under his thumb nail last year in Quebec and still get cold chills when I think about it. I've become much much more cautious...


Thanks, guy. I'm just now getting the feeling back in that finger. It was one of those incidents you never forget.

But...when it was over, I gathered myself and calmed down, and I wrapped a napkin and a piece of T-shirt around my finger and we started trolling again.


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## cincinnati

My brother got hooked to a thrashing 26" musky during a tournament several years ago. After about 20 seconds of hysteria, I was able to separate them w/hook cutters. The hook was really tight in his finger - wedged under a tendon, we later learned - but he continued to pester it w/pliers all the way back to the ramp.

We went in to the emergency room & the hospital called their specialist, Dr. Hook-Out to come in & work his magic.

My brother was back to the parking lot in just a little longer than it took me to clean the blood out of the boat, sporting only a Band-aid. Dr. Hook-Out had asked to keep the hook for his annual collection - a bulletin board full of various hooks, many w/identification or business cards stuck to them. Told my brother that he averaged about 110 per year.

We were fishing again in just over an hour.


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## Shortdrift

I have caught a couple hundred pike, some up to 45 inches. I have also caught about 20 musky with the largest being 44 inches and as far as I'm concerned the musky is a far better fighter based on comparison with pike.


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