 Careful
handling makes catch-and-release work. A big muskie is an old
muskie. Females require 14 to 17 years to reach 30 pounds.
Northern pike grow even more slowly. Once taken out of the
water and hung on a wall or carved into fillets, a trophy is
not soon replaced by another fish of its size. So, the key to
creating trophy northern pike and muskie fishing is
catch-and-release angling. Unfortunately, some fish are
mortally injured by improper handling and cannot be
successfully released.
All northern pike and muskie are difficult to handle
because of their slippery hides, lack of good handles and
sharp teeth. Big fish are particularly troublesome because of
their great size and power.
The first step to successfully releasing fish is to use
artificials rather than live bait. The second step is to keep
the fish in the water if at all possible.
Caught on artificials and handled carefully, nearly all
fish can be returned with no permanent injury. Here are some
effective methods, courtesy of Muskie Canada, for handling
large northern pike and muskie:
Hand release - Grip the fish over the back, right
behind the gills (never by the eye sockets!) and hold it
without squeezing it. With the other hand, use a pliers to
remove the hooks, while leaving all but the head of the ;fish
in the water. Sometimes hooks can be removed with the pliers
only; the fish need never be touched.
Landing net - Hooks can be removed from some fish
even as they remain in the net in the water. If that's not
possible, lift the fish aboard and remove the hooks while the
fish is held behind the head and around the tail.
If you must lift a big fish from the water, support as much
of its body as possible to avoid injuring its internal organs.
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