Big northern pike caught on back-to-back casts off Chicago

Ryan Whitacre holds one of the two big northern pike he caught on back-to-back casts on Lake Michigan off Chicago. (Provided)

In another sign of the thriving fishery for northern pike around Chicago, Ryan Whitacre caught two pike heavier than 10 pounds on back-to-back casts Saturday while fishing the Cal Sag Bass Anglers Big Lake Tournament.

“Pretty shocking,” emailed Whitacre, who caught them on a deep-diving crankbait.

“First one was around 35 inches,” he added. “The next cast was a bigger one, certainly the biggest of my life. I did a rough measurement based on a picture that came to 43 inches.”

Pike have been around Chicago for a long time, but the numbers caught by boaters and shore anglers alike this year seem notable.

Pike the size Whitacre caught deserve a full-length look.

Ryan Whitacre holds one of the two big northern pike he caught on back-to-back casts on Lake Michigan off Chicago. (Provided)

FOTW, the celebration of big fish and their stories (the stories matter, as this one shows) around Chicago fishing, runs Wednesdays in the paper Sun-Times.

To make submissions, email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com) or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or Instagram (@BowmanOutside).