Caution: Think twice before swimming in Kent Lake

[McCarter]

Maize and I hit Kent Lake Wednesday night for a couple hours.  We both decided to fish only new water.  We pulled up to the first spot and Maize quickly lands a 3+lb largemouth.  Then i hook into a small keeper largie.  Then another decent 3lb largemouth.  Then a 12"er, then another small keeper.  15 minutes and we put 4 keepers in the boat, with 2 of them being quality fish. 

Not wanting to beat it up too bad, we decided to move on, but not before i got one more cast in.  I sent my rig back up tp the point and slowly dragged it back.  About half way, i got a bite.  I set the hook and immediatly knew i had a good fish.  After an incredible fight on a 6'6" medium action Airrus Spectra AFT spinning rod and 8 lb Seagur Flourocarbon line, the fish surface alongside the boat and Maize scooped it up with the net.

We both stared, almost in disbelief at this monster.  It was the biggest i had ever caught.  Heck, it was the biggest i had ever seen in front of me.  I think it was a new world record for a second, but then i remembered seeing some pictures of a few caught in Canada that were a tad bigger.  Ok, they were way bigger. 

It was a northern pike.  But not just any northern pike, it was a giant northern pike.  With no scale on the boat and no means of accuratly measuiring the length, we could only speculate.  We both agreed it was definatly over 40".  Perhaps about 42".  And with the massive girth, we are guessing somewhere near 20 lbs.  Of course, no camera.  So take it as a fish story if you must.  But i am telling you, this thing was big enough to get Babe Winkleman excited.  I dont know why a fish this size would stray from its normal diet of small dogs and geese to hit my itty bitty spider grub, but im glad he did.  Maybe next time i will have a camera.

PB himself

[stackenem]

That was not to bad but if you want big pike come to Thompson in howell there are some real big pike in that lake.

[djkimmel]

(you just had to outdo my dogfish, didn't you...?)

[MaizeNBlue]

It was a giant Pike for sure! Thank god it flopped the lure free while on the deck, neither one of us wanted to reach into those jaws. Right before he did PB asks, "How do I get my lure back?" I told him you have to reach down and grab the gill plate. So as I go to grab that thing ( not the best decision I have never made) the beast turns his head and I swear, tries to take a few of my fingers. I yank my hand away, and count my fingers, yep all there, and look at PB and say, yea good luck with that!