Moose Hunt - Fishing Help needed

[mooster]

So headed to moose hunt in September, but have a fishing question. We're landing on a good size lake, with a stream that seems to slowly flow into and out of it, in two places connecting it to other small lakes. Should we expect to only catch pike, or would there be other fish in that kind of still lake? Just trying to plan for what gear to take as we hope to supplement the freeze dried with some fish.

 

[VernAK]

Probably some grayling in there too but it's primarily pike country.

 

[actionshooter]

Probably some grayling in there too but it's primarily pike country.

And its just me, but I would WAY rather eat the grayling...

 

[VernAK]

22LR works great on pike.....I've been told!

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I’d expect pike, take some top water gear as well as standard lures, if you can take a way to bread the fillets and fry them you’ll be golden.

 

[AKDoc]

I’d expect pike, take some top water gear as well as standard lures, if you can take a way to bread the fillets and fry them you’ll be golden.

Agreed...beer battered/tempura pike with a tempura dipping sauce is excellent, especially in the field. Filleting out the y-bone takes some practice!

Grayling is also great to eat, but for me it has to be cooked right away.

 

[mooster]

Agreed...beer battered/tempura pike with a tempura dipping sauce is excellent, especially in the field. Filleting out the y-bone takes some practice!

Grayling is also great to eat, but for me it has to be cooked right away.

Yeah been studying fileting techniques on youtube. Know they are boney but hear tasty.

 

[Murphy]

Pike are just as good as the almighty walleye. Once you remove the bones. The 5 filet method even works on hammer handles. Look it up on YouTube.

 

[Wapiti1]

Agreed...beer battered/tempura pike with a tempura dipping sauce is excellent, especially in the field. Filleting out the y-bone takes some practice!

Grayling is also great to eat, but for me it has to be cooked right away.

Take a good fillet knife for both pike and boning the moose.

I'll be honest, I leave them in and just spit them out as I eat the pike. On bigger fish (3+lbs), they don't bother me. I think pin bones on trout/salmon are just as annoying, but no one bitches about those. If I remove them, I trim them out of the full fillet in a strip.

Chunk up, bread and fry. Keeping the fillet whole makes them harder to cook in the field, IMO. I like chunks so they cook fast and are really easy to eat as finger food.

Just my 2cents on pike.

Jeremy

 

[mooster]

Take a good fillet knife for both pike and boning the moose.

I'll be honest, I leave them in and just spit them out as I eat the pike. On bigger fish (3+lbs), they don't bother me. I think pin bones on trout/salmon are just as annoying, but no one bitches about those. If I remove them, I trim them out of the full fillet in a strip.

Chunk up, bread and fry. Keeping the fillet whole makes them harder to cook in the field, IMO. I like chunks so they cook fast and are really easy to eat as finger food.

Just my 2cents on pike.

Jeremy

Thanks. Sounds like an ez plan.

 

[AKDoc]

Like you, I also cut the pike meat into chunks to bread it up and fry, but I first fillet the meat from the y-bone...to each his own. I've had too many mouthfuls of bones to keep doing that. That said, I'll take a mouthful of bones over another Mountain House meal after two weeks of eating them!

I'm also not adventurous enough to use a fillet knife when working a moose. It's easier for me to safely keep track of a shorter blade when tackling that huge task. I'm glad it works for you...no criticism intended.

 

[Wapiti1]

Like you, I also cut the pike meat into chunks to bread it up and fry, but I first fillet the meat from the y-bone...to each his own. I've had too many mouthfuls of bones to keep doing that. That said, I'll take a mouthful of bones over another Mountain House meal after two weeks of eating them!

I'm also not adventurous enough to use a fillet knife when working a moose. It's easier for me to safely keep track of a shorter blade when tackling that huge task. I'm glad it works for you...no criticism intended.

I can't argue, I put that blade through my hand once boning out an elk, but it was so freaking cold, I didn't know I did it. It wasn't until the drive home that I noticed this cut that just wouldn't stop oozing. Only time I've done that, and I really like the flex in a fillet knife for ribs and backstraps. I can't say that I have lots of moose mileage, mostly elk.

The y-bones are easy enough to remove, but when I want a quick shore lunch, heck with it. One thing that I've never tried is scoring the fillet and frying hot (375-400). That softens the bones on some fish and you don't know they are even there.

Jeremy

 

[AKDoc]

I can't argue, I put that blade through my hand once boning out an elk, but it was so freaking cold, I didn't know I did it. It wasn't until the drive home that I noticed this cut that just wouldn't stop oozing. Only time I've done that, and I really like the flex in a fillet knife for ribs and backstraps. I can't say that I have lots of moose mileage, mostly elk.

The y-bones are easy enough to remove, but when I want a quick shore lunch, heck with it. One thing that I've never tried is scoring the fillet and frying hot (375-400). That softens the bones on some fish and you don't know they are even there.

Jeremy

Well said sir! I'm glad it worked out ok for you. I could easily see myself doing the same thing if I ever used a fillet knife on a moose, especially when I'm ass-kicked tired and cold, which I typically am when field butchering that big animal. I'm just extra careful as a general rule when in the field...shit does happen! I even wear a fillet glove.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

What rod are you taking???

 

[mooster]

What rod are you taking???

Kinda why I"m asking the question. I have both fly & spinning travel set ups. Assuming its just pike, I'd just take the spinning setup.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Kinda why I"m asking the question. I have both fly & spinning travel set ups. Assuming its just pike, I'd just take the spinning setup.

it’s probably easier and cheaper to go the spin route, you can pretty easily put together a small kit of pile fishing gear for your spinning setup.

if it were me, I’d use a good braided line rated at ~ 15lbs or so, make sure to take some steel leaders, take a few top water lures (like frogs) then a small assortment of vibrax and mepps spinners and a few spoons and go get your fish.

 

[mooster]

it’s probably easier and cheaper to go the spin route, you can pretty easily put together a small kit of pile fishing gear for your spinning setup.

if it were me, I’d use a good braided line rated at ~ 15lbs or so, make sure to take some steel leaders, take a few top water lures (like frogs) then a small assortment of vibrax and mepps spinners and a few spoons and go get your fish.

Thanks for taking the time to offer some details. That's what i needed to know.

 

[solseo49]

What rod are you taking???

There are variety of fishing reels and rods. Choose the ones that you find comfortable to use.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

There are variety of fishing reels and rods. Choose the ones that you find comfortable to use.

wow I never knew. Thanks for the advice!!!

 

[Kevin Dill]

Last year I took some tackle for grayling in the small stream where I hunt. I knew there were fish here and there, but I was really amazed when the first cast into a deeper hole produced a quick strike and a 17 inch fish. I caught 7 or 8 fish of at least 17" just casually tossing a spinner when I had time. I released every one of them in good condition, though I thought hard about eating one. I've had grayling before and it's good.....just not 5 Star stuff.

So a request: Recipes or cooking method for grayling on an ultralight hunt? I always bring a small nonstick skillet for the gas stove, plus I bring a Purcell Trench Grill for use over coals. You backwoods chef-types need to throw a few ideas my way.