From the other post on hardest to catch and photo I was wondering how many people go to shore to deal with big pike. If we are not a long way from shore we often bring the pike to shore jump out, finish the fight and photo/release them that way.

I've never gone to shore, afraid that it would prolong the fight and tire the fish even more.

After Dad lost a ~40 incher, he landed his 43 on shore. The next bigish one we caught, a 36 I landed from a canoe solo. The next one, my 40, I caught from shore. I think if I had another 40 it would depend on my canoe mate and the conditions. My dad, uncle, or friend Brian, I would trust landing it. Anyone else and I'm going to shore and doing it myself. Anything less than 40 I would take care of in a canoe.

I think if you want a picture, and if done properly, a shore landing could be quicker from shore. This is based off of my one shore landing of my 40 incher, I did not need to completely tire it out... However, this was one fish and perfect shore for landing, so take that for what it's worth... Probably not much...

A lot would also depend on what rod you were using. I had a good heavy baitcaster, which helps a lot. A light walleye rod would complicate things.

Probably depends but for the most part I am with Missmolly.

I like to stay in the deeper water, no rocks or trees to wrap the line around and cut and I don't want to play out the fish too much and build up lactic acid.

T

I think I will get a big foldable net for the future cases like this. Personally, I think the extra weight would be worth it, considering you might save a trophy fishes life, by being able to land it quicker.

I generally grab them from the canoe. We did go to shore for one, because there was an easy landing real close and the fish was too big around to get my hand around it.

The one time I tried to get out of the canoe to land a big girl I got my butt whooped. It was twice as deep as I thought. I was able to grab the fish but being waist deep I couldn't get her tail out of the water and chaos ensued. I ended up giving the fish a toss before my trip partner got a good pic, I just wanted to get away from that 8" Swim Whizz that was thrashing in my face!

I've landed 40+ inch pike both ways. If I happen to be close enough to shore with a decent landing, I'll do the shore landing. But most of the time, I'll land from the canoe or release while in the water....

If Arlo can be bested, I'll share my story too. One time I hooked a 40-inch plus fish on the Mississippi. It was on four-pound test, but I managed to get it boatside and unhook it and it just stayed there, so I thought I'd try for a pic. I'd seen Babe Winkleman reach under a big pike and lift it into the boat, so I tried that, but my hand went into the gills instead of that slit under their lower jaw. I learned at that moment that there are teeth in those gills. My hand was stuck because the teeth aimed backwards. The only way I could remove it was to insert my hand deeper while holding the gill flap out. My hand came out with scores of punctures and a skin of blood, but it would have been much, much worse if that big girl hadn't been so calm.

I prefer to fight pike out in open water away from snags if at all possible. Not only that it can be hard to paddle to shore and fight a pike all at the same time if you were solo. Just keep that drag set good and you should have no problems not going to shore.

going to shore in the BW can be easier said then done, large pike gill plate in the canoe, with practice it isnt that difficult , yes you may have to play the fish but compared to netting much faster to get back in the water after a photo.

I can only picture a staggering ker-splash while exiting the canoe. I just stay in the canoe to deal with the fish.

Exactly what we do. Unless we are in the middle. Then I hand the rod over to the bow man and wrangle the big sucker into the canoe on my own.