# Ohio Pike Limit



## melissakasterman

I have looked all over the Ohio DNR website and can find nothing on Northern pike minimum inch and/or daily limits. Any help would be appreciated.


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## Lewzer

Looks as though there are no length or possession limits for northern, even for specific lakes.

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/dow/regulations/fishing_limits.aspx


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## bkr43050

That is odd. I guess I have caught so few here in Ohio and have always tossed them back so I never noticed that. I wonder why they wouldn't list them? They do not seem so abundant in most areas that the DNR would not worry about overharverst.


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## NewbreedFishing

The reasoning (that odnr) will give you for not setting pike limits is because no one fishes for them in Ohio. They fail to realize the potential sport fishery they could develope/preserve, although it would be very time consuming and cost money. Bottom line is that we have destroyed the pikes natural habitat to the point that there are very few areas that would self sustain populations. That is the confusing part to me...why not set conservative limits on a fish that has its back to the wall. Pike grow very slowley in Ohio because of the warm water temps. and nfortunately we dont have the right inland waterways to grow them to decent sizes. the Great Lakes, New York, Michigan, Minn, Wisc. and Canada is where I long to live so I could persue my favorite fish 'The PIKE'


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## crittergitter

I agree there should be some isolated areas where they are protected. I think that the Scioto north of Bellpoint should be closed to all fishing from Feb 1st to Apr 1st. That way on the few occasions the weather and water conditions are right for spawning the fish can do so in peace which would give them a greater chance for success. There are probably some other rivers where similar protections could be utilized to bolster and sustain their poplulation(Tusc & or Muskingum). I also think there are a few rivers/streams where northern could be introduced/reintroduced and if protected they would do well(Paint Creek & Rocky Fork come to mind).


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## Salmonid

as many that are actualy taken by the yokals on the upper GMR, its amazing that that naaturally reproducing fishery up there has any fish at all, every bait shop up there and everyone you talk to has taken a 7-8 lb fish home to brag about. really sad, whats worse is the folks that do not know how to handle them, waaaay more released mortality then anyone would ever admit to. Lastly, I cringe at many of the pike pics, on here even, that have dirt and rocks and alll the slime all taken off them, released or not, there a goner, Pike are VERY fragile and do not recover well from being treated tha way. Sorry for the rantm, yes, i agree aprotected season on spawning fish would be awesome but the DNR is trying to make 1 rule fits all for all species so the regs are easy to interprit, too bad they are more concerned about keeping more license'ees then protecting natuaraly reproducing "native" fish. Sorry for the rant....
Salmonid


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## MadMac

I agree Salmonid. I see those pics and just shake my head. They seem to be so proud of catching a 24" pike and let them lay in the dirt. I don't fish for them but catch some while muskie fishing. I caught a 38" this year and I can assure you it was released healthy.


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## sploosh56

At least i'm not the only one that feels this way about our pike.


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## ShutUpNFish

NewbreedFishing said:


> The reasoning (that odnr) will give you for not setting pike limits is because no one fishes for them in Ohio. They fail to realize the potential sport fishery they could develope/preserve, although it would be very time consuming and cost money. Bottom line is that we have destroyed the pikes natural habitat to the point that there are very few areas that would self sustain populations. That is the confusing part to me...why not set conservative limits on a fish that has its back to the wall. Pike grow very slowley in Ohio because of the warm water temps. and nfortunately we dont have the right inland waterways to grow them to decent sizes. the Great Lakes, New York, Michigan, Minn, Wisc. and Canada is where I long to live so I could persue my favorite fish 'The PIKE'


Wow....I never realized that; #1 being from PA and #2 I just naturally release them...If its true, very foolish on the ODNR's part...If muskie can thrive and flourish like they have, so can pike. They can also co-exist just fine since OH is pretty much 99% put-n-take muskie fishery. The pike are actually more hardy and there is certainly more natural repro going on there....therefore, there SHOULD be limits and regs for them too....the guys who strictly target pike/muskie should speak up in OH and get this changed....I know I would be.


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## bubba k

I think that the only fish that people should be permitted to keep are perch, bluegill, crappy, and walleye. Everything else is catch-n-release!!!!!! It will never happen, but it's okay to dream. LOL!!!!!


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## fishing_marshall

A pike size limit would be awesome. I see people keep 30" fish to get mounted because they think thats a "trophy". We get 30" fish all the time. I have been guilty of having some photos of pike with mud on the them, but thats when I just started out fishing and have since learned proper handling techniques. I would love to see pike regs and even some pike stocking.


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## thistubesforu

definately not against pike limits, but u guys better hope i dont catch any cause i would take them home to eat them. they are very tasty, i lived in michigan for a short period of time and we ate quite a few of them.


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## Jackfish

thistubesforu said:


> but u guys better hope i dont catch any cause i would take them home to eat them. they are very tasty, i lived in michigan for a short period of time and we ate quite a few of them.


Well, I guess I'm hoping you don't catch any

Pike are great eating, that being said I would not dream of keeping one from Ohio for the table. They are a rare fish in this state, and it would be very easy to push them over the fragil edge that population is sitting on.


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## crittergitter

ShutUpNFish said:


> Wow....I never realized that; #1 being from PA and #2 I just naturally release them...If its true, very foolish on the ODNR's part...If muskie can thrive and flourish like they have, so can pike. They can also co-exist just fine since OH is pretty much 99% put-n-take muskie fishery. The pike are actually more hardy and there is certainly more natural repro going on there....therefore, there SHOULD be limits and regs for them too....the guys who strictly target pike/muskie should speak up in OH and get this changed....I know I would be.


Not to be a Debbie Downer, but the ODNR is generally not inclined to listen to the public and what it wants when it comes to it's fisheries. I know they do the surveys and I know they seek input from the public. However, they seldom take what the public wants and implement it. The best examples I can think of is size limits for musky and lower deer bag limits. 

Northern pike in Ohio have a hard time getting to a mature age in which they can successfully spawn. Then, when they do, harvest is likely where their numbers are plentiful enough to sustain a fishery. Ohio seems to not believe in or support the concept of "trophy" fishery. As stated, the DNR seem to never want to tell an angler they must return a fish to the water in fear that means that person won't renew their license the following year. They do successfully reproduce in many waters, some have been mentioned in this thread and if protected, I think they could do a lot better. Personally, I would be in favor of a closed season from Feb 1 to Apr 1 in specific stretches identified as spawning grounds on the Scioto, GMR, LMR, Walhounding, Muskinghum, Tuscaraurus, Maumee, Grand and all Lake Erie marsh land. In addition, I would like to see a size limit of 36"s for a 3 year period and then a moderate size limit established of 30"s. Also, it would be great to see a moderate number of northern pike stocked into paint creek, rocky fork creek, kokosing river, stillwater river, huron river and maybe the sandusky river once the ballville dam has been removed. That would be a start. However, to get the DNR to go along with it as a program would take a miracle to say the least.


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## Net

Mosquito Reservoir always had a somewhat decent population of northern pike for as long as I can remember. We used to pull a fair number through the ice and just after ice out. I don't ever remember seeing folks with more than one or two at a time on their stringer. Not sure why all of a sudden we need a bag limit imposed. If you want the state to start managing for northerns why not just ask them...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## bkr43050

Net said:


> Mosquito Reservoir always had a somewhat decent population of northern pike for as long as I can remember. We used to pull a fair number through the ice and just after ice out. I don't ever remember seeing folks with more than one or two at a time on their stringer. Not sure why all of a sudden we need a bag limit imposed. If you want the state to start managing for northerns why not just ask them...
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


It never hurts to ask.

Perhaps they will at least provide an explanation as to why they do not have any limits.


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## Net

Wow critter, you painted with a pretty broad brush there. The state took a major step forward last year by implementing numerous changes based on angler surveys. The most notable was the new multi lake crappie regs.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## bkr43050

Net said:


> Wow critter, you painted with a pretty broad brush there. The state took a major step forward last year by implementing numerous changes based on angler surveys. The most notable was the new statewide crappie regs.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I wasn't going to touch on that but I agree. There have been some things changed. And putting the concept of lowering deer limits as a failed proposal seems way off target. I would venture to guess that a survey of the hunters would not necessarily suggest that as a majority view. But that really gets us on a tangent.

I still stand by what was mentioned by Net. If folks feel strongly about putting a limit on pike I would suggest to at least present it to the DNR in some way or another. One thing is for sure. The OGF forum itself can accomplish nothing except perhaps rallying the forces for a voice.


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## crittergitter

bkr43050 said:


> It never hurts to ask.
> 
> Perhaps they will at least provide an explanation as to why they do not have any limits.


See post #4. It doesn't matter anyway. Do you want to know why northern pike regulations were not on the last survey. See post #4. Dont' get me wrong, I am not saying the ODNR are bad people. I am just saying they don't put a lot of stock into what the public has to say when it comes to fishing and game regulations. Have they gotten better in recent years? Yes, but they have a long way to go, and as an avid esox angler I have seen proposals fall on deaf ears. Whether it be politics, license/tag sales or science, there is always a reason a proposal gets declined. We can want in one hand and "spit" in the other and see which one fills up faster.


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## ShutUpNFish

Unecessary to make anything "trophy" regarding pike...however SOMETHING should be done on behalf of a natural species! Just take a look at the esteemed steelhead....whats up with that? I take advantage of the steelhead fishery as much as the other guy, but c'mon; they aren't even a natural species to our waters and people act like they are so dam pristeen/holy. Out of respect for a "natural" species, there NEEDS to be some sort of regulations for their capture....like everything else, they should not wait until they are nearly extinct to take action for the preservation of what God put here!! Just sayin':

Oh yeah....No $$$ in pike!!?!??!?!


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## NateDaug149

A lot of people think that pike are mindless eating machines that just consume all other gamefish. Due to the limited number of them in Ohio, and the limited spots they can be caught, people aren't very educated on their place in the ecosystem.


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## Weatherby

Been watching this thread for awhile. Wanted to see where it went before I commented.


The DNR does listen. I was heavily involved in the discussions for the proposed size limit for muskies. We made our proposal at the muskie summit a couple of years ago, we were met with a lot of resistance from the DNR, however a couple of weeks later we were invited to a face to face meeting with the DNR, went to their office in Columbus and had a meeting that lasted 3 hours. They didn't have to but they did. The meeting was very open and honest. They explained their position and when they did it made sense.

I can tell you how to get a size limit imposed on muskie you won't like it but I will tell you and the words came straight from them. "*KEEP* 1 muskie a day." If every muskie fisherman kept a muskie every time they caught one there would be a size limit.

Now for the pike, as these were discussed also.

There are not enough people targeting them to warrant regulations. There are not enough populations of pike in the state to make it worth their while.

As far are stocking them. Not enough return for the money invested.


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## sploosh56

What I would like to see more than anything is some sort of erosion control along the tributaries of the western basin of Lake Erie. I am willing to bet that it would cut down enough of the farm field run off that the river waters would make a definite clarity improvement. To me, erosion control is a win-win situation for everybody. The farmers retain more of their top soil, fishing improves, and the water that we drink is cleaner and needs less filtration and added chemicals. It might even reduce the severity of the algae bloom in Lake Erie. 

With clearer water it will give more than ample opportunity for weed beds to form, especially in the areas that are away from the rivers current. If we get the weed beds back the pike will return too, and maybe even a couple of muskies. 

Maybe some of you don't know, but Lake Erie used to be a muskie/pike factory. I've read of old reports from the 1800's that describe the runs of pike/muskie up the Maumee river as next to incredible. We even used to commercially fish for them!


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## crittergitter

Weatherby said:


> Been watching this thread for awhile. Wanted to see where it went before I commented.
> 
> 
> The DNR does listen. I was heavily involved in the discussions for the proposed size limit for muskies. We made our proposal at the muskie summit a couple of years ago, we were met with a lot of resistance from the DNR, however a couple of weeks later we were invited to a face to face meeting with the DNR, went to their office in Columbus and had a meeting that lasted 3 hours. They didn't have to but they did. The meeting was very open and honest. They explained their position and when they did it made sense.
> 
> I can tell you how to get a size limit imposed on muskie you won't like it but I will tell you and the words came straight from them. "*KEEP* 1 muskie a day." If every muskie fisherman kept a muskie every time they caught one there would be a size limit.
> 
> Now for the pike, as these were discussed also.
> 
> There are not enough people targeting them to warrant regulations. There are not enough populations of pike in the state to make it worth their while.
> 
> As far are stocking them. Not enough return for the money invested.


I wonder how many people would bass fish in Ohio today if we never had any regulations put in place for them. Things that make ya go hmmmmmmmmmmm.


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## sploosh56

crittergitter said:


> I wonder how many people would bass fish in Ohio today if we never had any regulations put in place for them. Things that make ya go hmmmmmmmmmmm.


Not like many of the average fisherman pay attention to the regs anyway.


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## NewbreedFishing

AH~MEN! 
we could purchase pike or trade them with another state for saugeye-whipers-steelhead. this fish is native to our state and is considered a game fish. a little conservation would go a long way. why does it get the same respect as a carp (which are responsible for ruining most of the esox habitat)



crittergitter said:


> Personally, I would be in favor of a closed season from Feb 1 to Apr 1 in specific stretches identified as spawning grounds on the Scioto, GMR, LMR, Walhounding, Muskinghum, Tuscaraurus, Maumee, Grand and all Lake Erie marsh land. In addition, I would like to see a size limit of 36"s for a 3 year period and then a moderate size limit established of 30"s. Also, it would be great to see a moderate number of northern pike stocked into paint creek, rocky fork creek, kokosing river, stillwater river, huron river and maybe the sandusky river once the ballville dam has been removed. That would be a start. However, to get the DNR to go along with it as a program would take a miracle to say the least.


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## thistubesforu

wouldnt be tradin for steelies we already trade catfish to get them. from what ive been told pike were one of the easiest fish for our state hatcheries to raise. they quit raising them in the 80's for what reason i dont know. now they do muskies instead. usually dont here to many complaints about that, but if u were to ask me i would say pike before musky.


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## Poohflinger

Wondering if Pike in Mogadore would thin out the stunted bluegill population. It wouldn't hurt a bit to get them out of the Cuyahoga and sneak a few in that lake just to see. I believe flathead cats would probably help too. I am sure a biologist would be able too figure that out for us though.


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## Fisherman 3234

There have also been quite a few of us catmen trying to get new regulations put in place to protect some of our bigger blues and flats in Ohio due to the dramatic increase in paylakes and the illegal activity around them, I would definitely would like to see some sort of renaissance in the DNR to get our good fishery turned into a trophy fishery for all species. Ohio has so much potential for so many fish. But the reality is that due to lack of funding and politics, its a real tough situation. As Ohio's population grows there NEEDS to be better protection/regulation and ENFORCEMENT of fish and game laws. I have been fortunate enough to catch a few pike out of Ohio waters and it is something special that should be protected.


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## thistubesforu

just so u know its not legal to stock state owned bodies of water. for example pike into mogadore. i mean thats kinda ur baby, but just wanted u to know. ive seen it go both ways from armchair biologists, help a body of water and destroy it. not sure what the real answer is just know i dont like gettin tickets.


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## sploosh56

What would help out the pike fishery tremendously is to require the farmers to put some erosion reducing vegetation along their drainage ditches and areas that line bodies of water. The field run-off dirties the water up terribly and is toxic in some cases. To me, it's the same as littering.


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## Fisherman 3234

Here's one reason why shouldn't keep fish out of Ohio waters....

http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/fishadvisory/limitmeals.aspx

MMMM.... this makes me hungry.


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## sploosh56

Fisherman 3234 said:


> Here's one reason why shouldn't keep fish out of Ohio waters....
> 
> http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/fishadvisory/limitmeals.aspx
> 
> MMMM.... this makes me hungry.


I did not realize that we had that many contaminated water ways.


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## thistubesforu

guess i should be dead by now.


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## Stripers4Life

that only applies to the fish listed in the column species. And if you take a look, most of them are carp, drum, and bass. Many waterways have warnings, but only for certain fish. Meaning that the other fish caught should be ok to eat. Look at ohio river, almost every species of game fish has a 1 meal per 2 month warning. Now berlin on the other hand only has channel cats and carp with 1 month warning. All other fish from berlin should be safe to eat as much as you want.


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## Fisherman 3234

The only reason why pike is not on there is the same reason why there is no limit. See earlier posts.


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## Cowanmuskie

Tell the ODNR!

Here's the link to their 2010 Survey.

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/New...lers-Encouraged-To-Participate-In-Survey.aspx

They're asking for YOUR input to making the state better, and question #21 specifically asks for YOUR comment, Talk to them about pike protection measures.


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## foundationfisher

NateDaug149 said:


> A lot of people think that pike are mindless eating machines that just consume all other gamefish. Due to the limited number of them in Ohio, and the limited spots they can be caught, people aren't very educated on their place in the ecosystem.


years ago i was fishing a well known (in my neck of the woods) pike fishery. found a 3 footer someone caught and slit its throat! minnesota has a law called wanton waste. you get caught leaving fish on the ice, you get a hefty fine. maybe that would work here. if you catch it it's yours. eat it, mount it or turn it loose. don't just kill it because it's not what you are fishing for.


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