First Pike back in the States

CG_Fishes · October 11, 2023

As I was heading back to school Monday I decided to stop at one of my best fall spots and see if the high water had brought in some Pike.

I walked up and immediately saw baitfish everywhere but not much was chasing. It took a while, and a few missed strikes from small fish, but I got the strike I was looking for. This fish was sitting right at 30" and FAT.

I kept casting around, hooking a giant fish shortly after. I am 99% sure it was just a foul hooked carp, but I did see an upper 30" Pike hunting later that night, that could've done the same to me. The fish made a run so fast I couldn't even think, ripping out locked down drag and immediately bending out the hook out. For my sanity, we will say it was a carp.

A while later, after missing a few short strikes I landed this decent smallie, my first of the season on the big bait. I missed these guys, it seems like they are starting to fire up now in the colder temps.

I stuck around until dusk hoping I could find a walleye to complete the trifecta, but no such luck. I did run into a little smallie blitz, catching 4 fish in 5 casts before they shut off. Nothing big, but it's all fun.