Fawcett Lake Jackfish Pikes are found in sluggish streams and shallow, weedy places in lakes, as well as in cold, clear, rocky waters. Pike are typical ambush predator, they lie in wait for prey, holding perfectly still for long periods and then exhibit remarkable acceleration as they strike. The fish has a distinctive habit of catching its prey sideways in the mouth, killing or immobilizing it with its sharp teeth, and then turning the prey headfirst to swallow it. Pike will aggressively strike at any fish in the vicinity, even at other pike. Young pike have been found dead from choking on a pike of a similar size. Northern pike also feed on frogs, insects and leeches.

Steps to Fillet a Northern Pike

  • Cut down to the backbone just below the gill, then slide the knife along the backbone to the tail leaving the fillet attached at the tail. Cut out the lower rib bones by letting the knife slide under the bones to the bottom of the fillet
  • To remove Y-bones find the lateral line that runs through the center of the fillet. Once found, run the tip of a very sharp knife down the center line on an angle toward the upper portion of the fillet.
  • You should feel bones, stay under them. Cut down to the skin but not through it.
  • Next feel with your fingers along the upper portion of the fillet; you should feel ends of bone that stick through the fillet. These bumps of bones are where you cut them from the backbone when you split the side.
  • Take your knife and cut the meat from the top side of that line of bones again toward the top of the fillet. The knife should literally slide along the bones. You'll notice that the closer you get to the head, the closer the bones run to the edge of the fillet and will result in less saved meat near the head. You are literally cutting (saving) the upper meat. This cut literally works on top of the bones, while your center cut in the upward direction works under the bones.
  • When you have finished with the cut, pick up that portion to that was cut out and strip it back along the fillet from the head back to the tail. This section contains all of the Y-bones, so throw it away. 
  • Using the tail as your handle, skin the fillet. You should have a skinny strip of meat that was on the upper portion of the fillet (delicious by the way, it is like a fish stick), and the lower portion. It looks like two strips of meat joined near the end of the tail. It looks like you waste a lot of meat, but you really don't. 
  • Flip the fish over and repeat the process. When you rinse the fillets, you can easily feel any missed bones.

 See a video of it done here!