01-15-2014, 07:01 AM
Two major factors will affect the growth rate and life expectancy of pike, and that is 1) the available food source, and 2) latitude/water temperature. They also tend to be much faster growing and shorter lived than lake trout. They also reach sexual maturity and began reproducing at a younger age than lake trout, which in my mind means that pike are not as sensitive to over-harvesting as lakers.
In Canada it has been found that pike in the warmer southern latitude waters grow about twice as fast as those in the more northern/arctic waters, but only live half as long. Now keep in mind that this is still way up north from us in Canada, but those pike in the southern latitude waters have an average life expectancy of only 10-12 years. The northern/arctic pike may live up to 24-26 years (this is actually about as long as the average lake trout life expectancy, although some lake trout can live up to 50 years - according to an Alaskan study).
Female pike are the faster growing, larger, and longer living sex. Trophy pike are the females.
Utah is at the extreme southern latitude as far as pike fishing goes, and Yuba also offers them a great food source in the way of carp. Yuba pike are not stunted like they are in Redmond, so I would expect any pike over the age of 10 there to be a large and old female.
See this basic chart based on a Minnesota study for reference. For many reasons, I believe Yuba would fall under fast growth.
[inline "Pike growth age.jpg"]
For those who may be wondering, tiger muskies exhibit something called "hybrid vigor" and grow faster than both the pike or the muskellunge parent.
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In Canada it has been found that pike in the warmer southern latitude waters grow about twice as fast as those in the more northern/arctic waters, but only live half as long. Now keep in mind that this is still way up north from us in Canada, but those pike in the southern latitude waters have an average life expectancy of only 10-12 years. The northern/arctic pike may live up to 24-26 years (this is actually about as long as the average lake trout life expectancy, although some lake trout can live up to 50 years - according to an Alaskan study).
Female pike are the faster growing, larger, and longer living sex. Trophy pike are the females.
Utah is at the extreme southern latitude as far as pike fishing goes, and Yuba also offers them a great food source in the way of carp. Yuba pike are not stunted like they are in Redmond, so I would expect any pike over the age of 10 there to be a large and old female.
See this basic chart based on a Minnesota study for reference. For many reasons, I believe Yuba would fall under fast growth.
[inline "Pike growth age.jpg"]
For those who may be wondering, tiger muskies exhibit something called "hybrid vigor" and grow faster than both the pike or the muskellunge parent.
[signature]