CT DEEP Fisheries Northern Pike Management

Northern Pike have been a integral sport fish in Bantam Lake for many years.  The success of this introduction effort is largely due to using the local herbaceous inland wetlands on the White Memorial Foundation property as spawning areas for adult fish every spring.  Once the adults have spawned, the adults are captured so they can be returned to the Bantam Lake where they are important predator and game fish. 

Jason and Abby (CT DEEP Fisheries Division) deploy a gill net to capture adult Northern Pike. 

Several of White Memorial's herbaceous inland wetlands are used for spawning areas for
Northern Pike that are released into other lakes throughout the state.  

Abby removed the fish from the gill net and
Jason waits with a net to quickly transport the fish to a holding tank. 

Northern Pike in net and about to be released into Bantam Lake.  

Once the juvenile fish grow and develop into a size class referred to as fingerlings, they will try to swim into Bantam Lake.  A weir has been installed at a culvert under the road to capture the fingerlings so that they can be measured and released into other lakes in CT.

This gate traps fingerlings that try to disperse from the spawning area.