Malletts Bay Produces Huge Pike
Posted January 11, 2012 - 5:03pm by Eric_LaMontagne
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The day started with low expectations. Thin ice, shallow water, and broken tip-ups and augers all led to the conclusion that it would be a slow day on the ice for Craig Smith and his fishing buddies.
And indeed it was to start. So much so that, after a couple hours, Craig left the ice for his son’s basketball game, leaving the line in the hands of some buddies. Around half time he got a status report from them: one fish, an 11.5lb northern. Nothing to be excited about. The slow prediction was proving itself.
After the game, Craig returned to the ice to check in on everyone. Still, there was nothing. They waited for a flag, but after a couple more actionless hours they made one last check of the traps, starting with the one nearest to the shanty.
Anyone who fishes with Craig knows that he gets his joy from watching others pull up fish. “The thrill for me is bringing others out on the ice. I usually set the traps and bait the hooks, but I rarely ever actually reel the fish in.”
This, he says, is what made this fish so special. “The most incredible part for me is that catching it was a total accident.”
As Craig emerged from the shanty to check the trap, the flag hadn’t been tripped. He sent the other guys out to the far traps, and went to check on the one he knew to be broken. As he approached, that’s when he noticed that half of the line was gone and more was still spinning out! “My heart jumped,” said Craig. “I knew it took a big fish to peel away that much heavy line.”
His assumption was correct. Craig had been fishing 6 inch shiners with 45 lb line, but only had a 20lb leader on the end. When he felt the pull of the fish, he knew he had to play it very carefully. “When it saw the hole, he was not happy. That thing was more pissed off than any other fish I’ve caught, and I’ve caught a lot of fish!” Over the next fifteen minutes, the beast passed under the hole four times, only to again disappear with the line screaming out of the reel. “It was crazy. When we finally did get him to the hole, he barely fit! Our 10 inch auger had broken earlier, so we were only fishing 7 inch holes.”
After heading across the road to Biben’s Lake Shore Ace to weigh and measure the fish, the final stats were staggering. 41.5 inches long. 22.53 pounds. 21 inch girth. A true monster. A few years back Craig had caught a northern that was around 3” longer, but this one weighed over 5lbs more. “A true freak of nature” he called it. Craig claims the fish is the third largest Northern Pike officially registered from Lake Champlain. While still awaiting official confirmation, one thing is for sure, this enormous fish is certainly one for the books. “My phone has been ringing off the hook with people congratulating me,” Craig says. “I’m very surprised and touched by the amount of support and encouragement people have been giving me.”
Story by Eric LaMontagne
