With summer fishing season upon us, many families are heading to the mountains for a weekend of pulling trout on the banks of Oowah or Warner lakes. Trout fishing is definitely a good time and the perfect camping activity, but if you are looking for a different fishing adventure I would suggest northern pike fishing.
These olive green and brown-spotted predators can be found lurking the aquatic foliage of several lakes and rivers around the state of Utah, but are also conveniently found just a short day’s drive from Moab in Recapture Reservoir. Catching pike is a very different experience from trout. Pike are ambush hunters, remaining hidden from their prey and then striking quickly with a high burst of speed. Lures, such as spoons and spinners, are great for tossing from the banks of Recapture with hopes of catching the eye of a patiently waiting pike.
Besides being a fun fish for catching, pike are excellent eating. Many people are turned off from dining on pike because of the fish’s protective slime layer, which fights off fungi, bacteria, and other parasites the fish encounters. It also serves as an escape mechanism for being snatched up by things like people. This slime can be a turnoff to someone looking to prepare their first pike, but it is easily removed and does not affect the meat.
Once the pike has been rinsed thoroughly with a mixture of warm water and a little vinegar, the meat is easy to remove from the bones. The only catchy part to cleaning a pike is the “Y-bone,” which can easily be removed with a little help from a Youtube tutorial. As far as cooking pike, the meat is very versatile. The texture isn’t flaky and delicate like trout or soft and a little mushy like bass. Instead, the fish is a very hearty meat, with a texture similar to chicken. My favorite way to prepare northern pike is on a grilled skewer with the meat marinated in a simple rosemary lemon sauce. It makes the perfect summer barbeque entrée. Enjoy!
Pike Skewers
Ingredients
2 medium sized pike (about a pound to a pound and half of meat)
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of one lemon
4 to 5 stems of fresh rosemary (about a quarter cup of leaves)
3 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper
Lemons for squeezing on your fish!
Instructions
1. Slice pike meat into long two inch wide slices.
2. Place olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary leaves, garlic cloves, and salt and pepper in food processor.
3. Pulse until garlic is minced and ingredients are combined.
4. Pour rosemary-oil mixture over fish in Ziploc bag. Place bag in fridge to marinate for eight hours, or overnight.
5. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Brush with oil to prevent sticking.
6. Remove fish from bag and thread onto skewers.
7. Place fish on hot grill, four to five minutes per side.
8. Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy!
Lindsey Bartosh is an eighth-generation Moab girl who loves hiking, hunting, fishing, cooking, writing, photography and working on her website: www.huntingandcooking.com.
