Also, read up on how to clean Pike if you don't know already.
Or just put that cardboard back in the water.
Or just put that cardboard back in the water.
Northern Pike are the same family of fish as Walleyes and Perch. Pike may taste even better then either, which most consider two of the best tasting fresh water fish on the planet.
I love eating pike.
One thing that the OP should also consider is taking along is a laxative. Eating all that fish and sitting in a canoe for hours.... Just saying. I know countless people who went on a week long canoe trip and never used their toilet paper.
The only thing I didn't like about northern pike were the little "floating" Y-bones. Easy enough to filet them from the ribcage, but I don't know of any way to get rid of those Y-bones. Walleye have to be one of the easiest fish to clean/filet in my experience. And walleye cheeks... Yum!
Apparently, you failed.
Psssst, there's little web site out there called youtube.
several ways to do it.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cleaning+pike+y+bone+
Our Boy Scout Troop took a trip up there in the mid-80's. It was a wonderful canoe trip! We were lucky enough to have homemade rootbeer from an elderly lady named Dorothy who lived on an island in one of the lakes.
We started on Moose Lake from Charles L Sommner base I believe it was called. Great memories.
- Be prepared to hang your food from tree or bring a bear vault. I like to use the PCT method, as it only requires one branch and can't be brought down easily. https://www.greenbelly.co/pages/how-to-hang-a-bear-bag
- Bring/rent a lightweight canoe, preferably kevlar. Portages are necessary and the lighter you travel, the better.
- Pack assuming that your canoe will capsize or sink. Make sure important items can tolerate the water exposure and can float. This includes you (i.e. wear pfd)
- Keep load in boat low. I use Duluth canvas packs with liners. Low center of gravity helps with stability and makes fishing easier
- Pack the 10 essentials. https://www.nps.gov/articles/10essentials.htm. I tend to carry redundant items too (gps/compass, fire starter/lighter, knife/bigger knife, map/another map).
- Wear clothes that dry quickly (e.g. not cotton).
- Lastly, I suggest you carry a knife, light, compass, map, and fire starter ON YOUR BODY. I have experienced a near drowning on Lake Monroe where we lost virtually everything not attached to our bodies while in a 2 person canoe. Water temperature was around 38 degrees. Had to hike out of the area for help, at night, while suffering from hypothermia. Took a few hours before we found a home and help. Up in the boundary waters, help can be a long way away.
That would be on Knife Lake. Dorothy died and her cabin was taken down, but you can still see it's remains. If the water is clear in the bay by her island you can see root beer bottles on the bottom.
oh and I forgot to mention to take plenty of bug spray as the mosquitos are really tough on the portages, not nearly as bad around camp (with your camp fire)
oh and I forgot to mention to take plenty of bug spray as the mosquitos are really tough on the portages, not nearly as bad around camp (with your camp fire)