Ice Reports...

[aaron42ash]

yes they were pike minnows... we have caught several the last few trips out. Last spring we ran into a 3 Lb pike....not big but they're in there

[Ty]

I don't think there are any "pike minnows" in Eloika. Please check the following links for confirmation, as the only trash fish listed for the lake are tench, and depending on how you look at it, the bull heads. Im not so dense to think that maybe somebody hasn't put some true northern pike in there but its not all that likely there are enough to have ever bred. This report is from 2000 I think so a lot can happen in nine years I guess. Im pretty sure however you don't know what "pike minnow's" are.

I'll be out there sunday with a bunch of friends for most of the day I think. So if there are pike minnows theres a solid chance one of us will hook up with one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pikeminnow

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_pickerel

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/warmwater/library/fpt02-09.pdf

Eloika Lake was surveyed by a three person investigation team May 15 - 18, 2000. Fish were
captured by boat electrofishing, gill netting, and fyke netting. Twelve fish species were
collected. Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus),
and black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) were the most abundant game fish species. Tench
(Tinca tinca) were the most abundant species by weight and number. Yellow perch (Perca
flavescens), brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus), yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis), black
bullhead (Ameiurus melas), green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus
mykiss), brown trout (Salmo trutta), and grass pickerel (Esox americanus) were also collected.
The Eloika Lake largemouth bass population is robust as evidenced by high growth rates and
high stock density index values compared to other Washington lakes. Panfish populations
including yellow perch, black crappie, and pumpkinseed sunfish are quality as evidenced by high
growth rates and high PSD values. The yellow bullhead population is also of a high quality and
offers additional angling opportunity. Considering the high density of aquatic vegetation
occurring in Eloika Lake at times, it is curious that panfish species are not stunted as is often
observed in densely vegetated lakes. One explanation may be the presence of grass pickerel, a
small member of the pike family, in the community. The addition of this predator may add to the
overall predation on abundant panfish in the lake, thereby keeping those populations from
stunting. Stocked brown trout appear to offer a unique opportunity for fish of quality size,
whereas rainbow trout offer little. Although largely undesirable to anglers, tench will likely
continue as part of the Eloika Lake fish community due to the limited feasibility of applying
typical fisheries management control techniques, such as biological controls or rotenone
rehabilitation, due to the lakes connectivity to the Little Spokane River. Future management
considerations include monitoring the response of populations to the recently imposed slot-limit
on largemouth bass and conducting a creel survey to determine angler harvest. Additionally,
careful consideration of any plan to modify current levels of aquatic vegetation to improve
boater access is advised. Currently and historically, the effect of aquatic plant abundance on the
quality of the fish community is unclear and literature suggests that the response of fish
populations to vegetation removal is difficult to predict.

[aaron42ash]

notice i used "pike minnow" not "pikeminnow" There is a difference. Look guys, I grew-up in WI where we catch these things regularly....it was a Nothern Pike MINNOW. It was a grass pike...if you want to get specific. The one I caught last summer was about 3Lbs and is about as big as they will ever get.... Next one I catch I'll post a picture or something. Good luck this weekend... might see you out there

[Ty]

Ahhh I see what you mean on the wording. Good luck out there also.

[bruce6620]

i got what you are saying now well hope to see you guys out there first, most, biggest:^o

[Rozman]

Dang Aaron, I grew up in Mn, fished on the west side of cheeseville more than I can remember. Mostly Alma/St.Croix for 'eyes. Never have I ever heard a slimer, snot rocket, toothy critter, etc, called a pike whether there is a space or not minnow. Break it down barney style please. Thanks.

[Rozman]

[Kfedka]

Went out to Silver Lake in Spokane County today. Check the main page for a post which I submitted. Ice is still great, very safe to walk on.

[Jake Dogfish]

Aaron you got it right.
Its not our fault that our stupid state (or whoever it was) decided to change the name of squawfish to something that was already named after something else!!! Couldn't they come up with an original name?

[panfisher]

notice i used "pike minnow" not "pikeminnow" There is a difference. Look guys, I grew-up in WI where we catch these things regularly....it was a Nothern Pike MINNOW. It was a grass pike...if you want to get specific. The one I caught last summer was about 3Lbs and is about as big as they will ever get.... Next one I catch I'll post a picture or something. Good luck this weekend... might see you out there

might have been a new fish in the washington record book at 3lbs.

[aaron42ash]

Dang Aaron, I grew up in Mn, fished on the west side of cheeseville more than I can remember. Mostly Alma/St.Croix for 'eyes. Never have I ever heard a slimer, snot rocket, toothy critter, etc, called a pike whether there is a space or not minnow. Break it down barney style please. Thanks.

Cool... well they are pike sooooooo.... anyway sometimes we call them "snakes" or "northerns" but what is it you want to know? I too fished the St.Croix I still have realtives in Eau Claire, Wausau, and Rice Lake. I wish i could visit more often... I bet they have close to 3ft of ice right now.

might have been a new fish in the washington record book at 3lbs.

Ya who knows how heavy it was to the ounce though. I caught it on my hula-popper chasing greenbacks. I didn't even think about it really...just put it back =/

Anyway...Back to what this thread should be about! Went to Eloika AGAIN and caught many keeper perch, some healthy bass between 12-16 inches (put back) and a few pumpkinseeds... All-in-All a good day out with the roommates. Ice is the best it has been all year at about 13-14 inches. I want to hit Silver soon...any tips? Thought we would try for crappies (if it's worth it?)

[Rozman]

Aaron, I messed that up, I meant the mighty Miss by Alma and the St. Croix for smallies around Hudson. Small world, my ex grew up in Mondovi. That is where she lives now with our two kids. I get back there two or three times a year. My twelve year old son is getting spoiled with the deer hunting in Buffalo county. He shot a doe and a buck this year!!:cyclopsan

[aaron42ash]

Any activity on Silver or Newman near Spokane? I have heard nothing but slow days and dinks so far.... I am really hoping for some crappies this weekend and I was wondering if anyone was doing any damage.

[KCDEIFE]

I was on silver Thursday. I caught fish all day long. I kept 1 perch for every 4 I caught. They were all small but it's still fun when you get a bite every 30 seconds or less.

[hinds2912]

I was out on Newman for a couple hours Friday afternoon. I hiked around alot and drilled alot of holes without getting a bite! Most of my drilling was done in Honeymoon Bay and near the outlet by the marina (and a few in between). Next time I might just hike to the North end since the ice is flat, thick, and slush free!

[Motor1]

Three of us went to Newman last week and had the lake to ourselves. We had not fished the lake before so stuck to the area around the pads and the public launch on the south side. There were several holes that people had cut out the day before. Some of the holes were big enough that one could put a foot through. Don't know why such a big hole is needed. Maybe they were after the tiger musky. Anyway, the three of us drilled several holes and fished for about three hours with no bites at all. We tried various jigs, ice flies, and swedish pimples. The ice was extremely slick especially where the snow mobile tracks were. So, we sent back to Eloika since we all lived north of Spokane and fished the late afternoon bite and caught several keeper perch.
Would like to try Newman again but don't know the lake very well. How far would one have to hike from the public launch area to get to some possible crappie waters? For instance, I had heard about a sunken island. Does anyone know where that is?

[crappiemaster]

So to confuse things more on the pike minnow, or pikeminnow, or grass pike,....what is a chiselmouth? For a long time I thought it was a squawfish. kinda looks like a pike minnow. Haven't caught one for a while. Use to catch and use for catfish bait. Anyone know?

[aaron42ash]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiselmouth

just a trash fish i guess...

[dbrowning]

Here's a picture of what you guys are talking about. I've been told they are a Grass Pickerel. Don't know if it solves it but hope it helps. Confused the crap out of me when I caught it but a guy that lives on the lake explained it to me.

[Jake Dogfish]

A chiselmouth is similar to a squawfish. It looks kind of inbetween a squawfish and a peamouth chub...