Amur Pike?

[Fishidiot]

The discussion on pheasants on the other thread got me thinking about non native gamefish and game animals introduced to the state. Some, like brown trout (and carp for better or worse) have thrived and have turned out to be valuable and prized fish. Back in the late sixties (I think) the PFBC attempted to introduce a new gamefish from Siberia called an "Amur Pike." This fish was expected to grow to great sizes and become great new gamefish. They were introduced into the western part of the state. Pymatuning Lake I think may have had them. It seems the fish failed to thrive and died off. Up until a few years ago they were still mentioned in the PFBC regulations booklet with seasons and bag limits. Has anyone on the board ever seen one of these? I have never seen a photo of one of them and would be curious to see one - esp if it was an actual fish caught in PA waters.

 

[afishinado]

I vaguely remember hearing something about that. Here’s what I found:

The Amur pike, also known as the blackspotted pike, Esox reichertii, is a pike native to the Amur River system in east Asia, as well as freshwater habitat on the island of Sakhalin. Closely related to the Northern Pike but smaller, it reaches a length of 110cm, sporting a silvery body with small black spots.
Like other pike, this species is prized for sport fishing, but is not generally found outside its native range. This species was introduced to Glendale Lake, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, by the Pennsylvania Fish Commission in 1968. Pure Amur pike were last spawned in 1971. All of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission's brood stock was lost in the summer of 1976……………too bad!!!…..Lol

 

[scotto]

I was raised near Glendale Lake and fished there quite often as a kid. There is a 10 hp limit for boats and we had a small boat for the lake.

I have caught quite a number of these Amur Pike. They seem to me to be a shorter, but fatter northern pike. They do have a spotted pattern. But they are found and caught like every other pike - shallow grassy coves in spring to spawn, ambushing baitfish near deep water escape routes in summer and dogging baitfish in the shallows to fatten for winter in autumn.

Overall, nothing special - no better or worse than northerns.

 

[RLeeP]

I think the last PA Amur choked to death on the last PA Chukar pheasant, IIRC...