Time to EAT...a "HOW TO" with Northern Pike

 

Northern pike are very prolific in many rivers here in Iowa.  They grow quite rapidly and make for a great fight while out fishing.  Pike can grow up to 24-inches in their third year of life, which is also the year that they start spawning.  Not only are pike fast growers and a great fight, they are fantastic on the table as well.  Pike will hit a variety of lures.  They are ferocious eaters and will chase crankbaits, soft plastics, topwater baits, and bladed jigs, however I believe their favorite is a spinnerbait.  They are a fun fish, and the patterns on their skin can be quite remarkable...like the one pictured!  

A lot of people catch pike but rarely keep them.  You do need a large livewell to keep them alive or a large cooler to keep the meat fresh during the day.  It is well worth it though, the meat is really one of my favorites... they make great sandwiches!  Pike have a bad rap because they are hard to clean.  I was fortunate enough to learn from my grandparents an easy way to clean pike when I was in my teens.  With a limit of three northern pike a day on interior rivers and a limit of five on the Mississippi River, you have a lot of opportunities to catch and clean these great tasting fish.  The 5-piece method is the one I have used for decades, it is a great way to clean them and avoid those pesky "Y-bones".  Here is a video of the same method that I use to clean northern pike: (I fillet the whole piece off at the tail on each side)

He uses an electric knife, I prefer to use a regular fillet knife, but to each their own.  I feel that when I use a regular knife, I can "feel" the bones better.  If you are new to cleaning Pike, I would start with a knife.  Skinning them with an electric knife does save some time.  This is called the 5-Piece method for Northern Pike, but you do come away with 6 pieces that are boneless, due to splitting the top small section in half.  I have named the pieces just to help me keep track of things while cleaning the fish.  I took some pics the last time I cleaned some pike, hoping that they help you to enjoy this great tasting fish. 

This is what you should have when getting the meat away from the carcass.

I always cut them into smaller pieces so they are ready to cook.
I would cut the "Loins" in two smaller pieces too before cooking or freezing for later.

Hitting Targets

 On a recent trip to the river I was reminded how bass fishing is more of a game than other kinds of fishing.  I was fishing a flat (2-3feet of water) with scattered weeds all around.  If I made a good cast to avoid the weeds, I was rewarded with a bite here and there.  If my bait landed in the grass, or retrieved into the grass, that turned the fish away quickly.  I was using a buzzbait on this morning to fire up the largemouth and trying to make lang casts, as the water was quite clean.  As I fished around these scattered weeds and grass my accuracy got better and better, as a result, the bites became more frequent.  Fishing, at least the part of throwing baits accurately is certainly a game.  That morning reminded me how important it is make good casts.  

Making a good cast is more than just throwing your bait out there and hoping.  Also, no matter how perfect the cast was, there is no guarantee that a fish will hit your lure.  There are many things that go into making a good cast.  First and foremost is practice, people that are good at hitting a ball, shooting a basket, rolling a strike and hitting a perfect forehand all have one thing in common, they practice.  This always brings me back to when I was in high school and I would practice pitching jigs in my basement throughout the winter.  Practice will help any angler become a better presenter of their lure.  Another major factor in casting is your rod/reel setup.  On this day I was throwing a1/2oz buzzbait to maximize length on my casts.  I was using a Lew's Custom Lite 7 foot rod, Med/Hvy action with a fast tip.  I paired this rod with a Lew's Speed SpoolRX reel, featuring 8 bearings.  Bearings on a reel are everything, the more bearings, the smoother the reel will function.  The Med/Hvy rod with a fast tip allowed me to get a lot of distance out of my casts, yet keep the accuracy consistent on repeated casts.  This combo is well balanced, another key to making good casts.  Another major factor when casting is using two hands.  One hand obviously on the reel to control the line and the other should be on the butt of your rod.  Two hands are better than one for distance and accuracy.  Finally, one last tip, wait for the lane.  By this, sometimes you are better off waiting another second or tow for the boat to be at that perfect angle to make a cast.  Many times anglers rush a cast just to make another cast.  Find a good lane and work that lane to perfection!  

It turned out to be a great morning of topwater action, clouds in the area allowed me to catch fish on a buzzbait past 10am.  The key that morning was hitting those open lanes between weed patches for smooth retrieve that the bass couldn't resist.  I hope this gives you some ideas "to up your" casting games and help you catch a few more fish the next time you get a chance to get out. 

One of a few dozen bass that fell to a buzzbait on this morning.

 

Indee Bass Club July Bass Scramble

Will Clark and Colton Cameron

    The annual Indee Bass Club Scramble took place on the Wapsi River here in Independence on July 8th. This event is unique as anglers and adult boat captains are randomly drawn just minutes before the start of the tournament. It provides anglers a chance to fish with different students and different adults. This allows for additional learning for students as they all work together to catch a three bass limit. After four hours of fishing everyone makes their way back to the boat ramp to weigh in their fish to see who has caught the biggest fish of the night.

    Seventeen kids from around the area signed up for the event ranging from 7th graders to Seniors in High School. It was a beautiful afternoon as we launched the boats at 4:30pm, but storms were in the forecast. Anglers found out soon that the fish were hungry on the front of the impending storm. Of the eight boats, seven brought in fish to the scales. Of those seven, five boats brought in their limit of three bass. Coming in with one bass was Antonio Moore, Tate Brown, Ty Hansen and their captain Bo Peyton, it weighed 2.53 pounds. In 6th place was Captain Tony Delgado, Baren Alexander and Cal Sweeney. They had two bass that weighed 3.49pounds. Captain Todd Ristvedt, and anglers Aiden Svoboda and Memphis Peyton brought in three keeper bass that weighed 3.94 pounds, good enough for 5th place. In fourth place was Jackson Beatty, Mason Ristvedt and Captain Dave Wilson, they had three bass for 4.97 pounds. Third place was secured by Captain John Malek, Ranger Reed and Keegan King. They had a limit of three bass that weighed 5.93 pounds. This group reported catching their keepers on Texas Rigged Rage Craws, Hot Rod Baits Tubes and spinnerbaits. In second place was Brayton Kuhse, Andrew Lewin and their Captain Jackson Toale. This group used white spinnerbaits to get a 3 bass limit that weighed 6.84 pounds. This events top prize went to anglers Will Clark and Colton Cameron, with Captain Todd Reed. They caught their winning 3 bass limit weighing 9.39 pounds using hollow-bodied frogs. Colton Cameron also caught the big bass of the tournament, a 3.33 pound Largemouth Bass. Congratulations to all the anglers on this night that caught some bass. Eighteen bass were brought into the scales just before the storm hit Independence, and all eighteen bass were released alive back into the Wapsi River to be caught again. Trophies, fishing gear, lifevests, gift cards and four rod/reel combos were given out after the weigh-ins as usual.

    A big shoutout to captains that took kids out for the evening and the crew that made this tournament possible; Club Coach Todd Reed, Tournament Assistants Randy Toale, Dan Sweeney and Jeff Heinze. The Indee Bass Club is a volunteer-led club for Independence and St.John's students. The club operates on donations and sponsorships of these fine organizations: Colony Plumbing/Heathing/AC, Smith D&L Insurance, Rick Wendling Memorial, Buchanan County Wildlife Association, BankIowa, Tim Reed State Farm, Shay's Minn Kota, Hilltop Motors, SCHEELS of Cedar Falls, Cy and Charley's, Strike King Lures, Lew's Fishing, Hot Rod Baits, FishRX Custom Lures, The Rod Glove, and X-Zone Lures. The Indee Bass Club has two events in August, one is a typical bass tournament on the Mississippi River and the other is a virtual event. Check them out on their socials to find out more details of these upcoming events, Facebook, Instagram and their website.

INDEE BASS CLUB WEBSITE LINK

How do you cook your fish?

 I love fishing...but the next best thing is eating your catch.  Here is my latest magazine article about the top 5 ways I enjoy some of my catches, hope you get the chance to try some of them!

CLICK HERE for the FREE Digital IOWA SPORTSMAN MAGAZINE for JUNE.

5 Ways to Cook Your Summer Catch

Summer is a great time to get out with friends and family to catch some fish.  If you live near one of the many rivers in Iowa, the current is always a safe bet during these hot summer months.  If lake fishing is more for you, then focusing on weeds and deeper areas of the lake will have you caching some fish.  If you plan to eat your catch during these warm months you must leave the house knowing that to ensure proper care of the meat.  There are 2 ways to manage your catch during the summer, keep the fish alive, or put them on ice.  If you have a livewell in your boat, keeping them alive isn’t hard, however, if you are on shore, bringing a cooler with ice is the best way.  The next step in keeping your catch delicious is cleaning them as soon as possible.  Ideally, cleaning them at the lake is best.  Many, but not all lakes and rivers have cleaning stations near the boat ramps.  If you are going to an area that does not have a cleaning station, a cooler with ice will keep them in good shape until you get home.  I like to freeze a 2-Liter bottle of water or smaller 24oz bottles of water to keep things cool.  You could bring your cleaning supplies with you and get the fish cleaned before you leave the lake area, just make sure and dispose of carcasses properly.  Again, no matter your process, keep the fish cold until you can process them and get them into a refrigerator.  This way, you and your loved ones can enjoy some summertime fish.  Here are 5 ways that I enjoy fish during these warm months.

Fried Fish: This is by far the most common way people like to eat their catch.  Put some oil in a pan, batter the fish and let the cook on each side.  There are a lot of different batters you can pick up at the store.  No matter which one you like, try mixing in an equal amount of pancake batter with your fish batter.  It gives the fish a light coating and the fish taste really comes through on the ½ and ½ batter mix.  Frying fish in oil is a terrific way to prepare fish, but probably the most unhealthiest way too.  Fish, overall, is a great source of protein with no fat.  When we cook it in oil that adds a lot of the fat back into your meal.  However, it is hard to beat freshly fried fish dipped in some tartar sauce with a side of fries and ketchup! 

Tacos: Fish and tacos, my two favorite foods, why not mix them!  A lot of people fry their fish and then put it in a taco shell or burrito.  I like to use baked fish on my tacos.  It is really simple to do and a lot less mess in the kitchen too.  Take 10 fish (good for about 2 people) and bake them (I typically use a toaster oven) for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  After the meat is flakey, just take a couple of forks and mix them up in a bowl.  It will kind of look like shredded chicken.  Add in your taco seasoning to your tastes’ desire, and you have your taco meat base.  Add all your favorite taco toppings, don’t forget a bit of cilantro, and you have a great new way to enjoy fish.  No frying smell, and a healthy way to enjoy that summer catch.

Fish Cakes: If you have ever been to the East Coast, you may have seen Crab Cakes on a menu.  These are a knock-off of that long lived tradition with the coastal towns.  Fish cakes can be made quite easily with commercially bought packets.  My favorite recipe for fish cakes actually came from this magazine over ten ago.  I have that archived on my website under the recipes section (www.fishingwithtoddreed.com).  This recipe takes quite a few steps and spices from the kitchen cabinet, as well as much more prep time than the boxed version.  It is the absolute best though!  My favorite boxed version is the Zatarain’s Crab Cake mix.  Very simple to make, bake the fillets, add the batter, egg and mayonnaise to the fillets and fry the patties on both sides until crisp.  It is very refreshing with different dipping sauces too, not just your typical tartar sauce.  This is such a unique and great way to enjoy some fish, no matter what species they are. 

Fish Sandwich: This delhi style version is for those that may have caught a larger game fish to eat.  Walleye or Northern Pike make great sandwiches.  The thicker meat fills up your favorite style of bun just like a restaurant.  This does require you to fry the fillets, and with the thicker fillets you will need to cook them a bit longer than a bluegill or crappie.  One mistake I see people, and restaurants make is not letting the fish drain and cook a bit before putting it on the bun.  Absorb the extra oil off the fried fish before putting it on your bun.  Add some fresh lettuce, onion, pickle, tartar sauce and cheese to make a perfect sandwich on a hot day.  

Air Fryer: This one I just recently tried, and it takes a special batter to complete.  Most people have an air fryer in their kitchen and this is as close to real fried fish as you can get without the smell and added fat.  I have tried many ways to cook fish in an air fryer, nothing worked until I tried the Louisiana Crispy Air Fryer Fish.  This batter creates a light coating on the fillets and again, it is the next best thing to actually frying fish.  Coat the fillets and place them in the air fryer, you then lightly spray the fillets with some cooking oil.  Olive Oil Spray works fantastic.  This is a very quick way (10 mins) to enjoy some great tasting fish without all the mess and smell. 

I hope these ideas will help you try something different with your summertime catch.  I have used each of these many times to enjoy my catches.  Remember, a successful summer time fish meal starts before you take the trip, plan ahead to keep your fish cool after you catch or clean them.  

Todd Reed  ~  treedbass@yahoo.com  ~  www.fishingwithtoddreed.com

8th Annual Iowa High School Bass Team Championship

Ethan and Ty- 2026 Champions

 Eight years has passed since the idea of having an "open" youth tournament crossed my mind.  It doesn't seem possible that it was that long ago.  Since then, I have crowned these schools champions; 2019- Washington HS, 2020- Marion HS, 2021- Washington HS, 2022- ADM HS,  2023- Cedar Falls HS, 2024- Independence HS, 2025- CR Prairie HS, 2026- CR Prairie HS.  This tournament creates a buzz each year and has helped anglers participate and try tournaments even though their school or surrounding area doesn't have a bass club.  I was so proud back in 2019 when we topped 20 boats, ending up with 28 boats that year, now, the past three years we have topped 50 boats in each event.  This year, in 2026 we will be the largest the Youth Bass Tournament in the state of Iowa...thank you all for finding this event and getting your kids involved in the outdoors, especially my life-long passion, BASS FISHING!

Ty & Warner BIG BASS TIE

SCHEELS of Cedar Falls was once again the Title Sponsor.  They supplied all kids with baits and fishing gear, many of the Top 15 boat prizes were SCHEELS sponsored as well.  Them, as well as Lew's Fishing and Strike King Lures, I was able to give away over $5,000 worth of prizes and fishing gear.  Truly amazing!  I also want to add that my friends, Chad O'Brien and Drew O'Brien made this event go smooth for all involved...thanks guys!

Onto the most exciting event of the history of this tournament.  I have ran/organized/fished in 100's tournaments in my life, never, ever have the numbers worked out like they did at this event.  First, Lake MacBride showed why this event made its return, the bass were biting and the kids were having fun, isn't that what it is all about?  Of the57 boats, (114 kids) 44 of them brought bass to the weigh-in.  A huge feat for the anglers and the population of bass in the lake.  The top team from Cedar Falls, Ty and Ethan brought 14.81 pounds to the scales, including a 4.34 pound big bass.  In second place was the team from CR Prairie of Nolan and Max, they had 13.01 pounds.  In third was Justice and Warner from CR Prairie, they had 10.48 with a 4.34 pound big bass.  Yes, that is right a TIE for the big bass to the one-hundreth of a pound.  Crazy, the crowd of over 300 people was amazed too.  The full standings can
be found HERE on the tournament website.  Now, I have seen one or two times in my life where there was a tie for big bass, typically they split the prize.  Not here though, both anglers received the BIG BASS Trophy and Strike King Gear Pack.  Now, for the absolute, never in my life even thought about it result from this tournament.  When calculating the "TEAM SCORES", the total of the top 2 boats from each school, there was another tie.  Cedar Falls and CR Prairie had the exact same weight, 23.49 pounds.  No problem, the Big Bass was the tiebreaker...oh year, both schools TIED FOR BIG BASS too!  So onto the 3rd tie-breaker, add in a third boat to the team total. When calculated, CR Prairie was crowned the 2026 Iowa High School Bass Team Championship.  To think, 10 bass from Cedar Falls and 10 bass from CR Prairie weighing the exact same amount...never in my life.  You just never know in the world of bass fishing.  Nolan/Max/Justice/Warner from CR Prairie helped their school take home the Championship rings, while Ethan/Ty/Jack/Madek got the Runner-up for Cedar Falls.  In third place was West Delaware HS, forth place was Independence HS, and in fifth was Wilton HS.

CHAMPIONSHIP  RINGS

                

A beautiful spring day on Lake MacBride will hold so many memories for these kids and captains.  I am glad I can work with so many sponsors and friends to bring this event to the youth of Iowa.  This year, we had a record number of schools represented, 24 schools from across Iowa.  We are 12 months away from the 2027 event...but planning is already in the works.  ;)

 

Pictures from the event can be found on our Facebook page, again, thank you all for making this event the BEST in the state!