Pat Wilkins’ biggest northern pike of his life earns Fish of the Week honors

Pat Wilkins caught a thick 45-inch northern pike in Green Bay, Wisconsin, to earn Fish of the Week honors.

By Dale Bowman

Pat Wilkins with the biggest northern pike of his life. Provided photo — Pat Wilkins with the biggest northern pike of his life.

Joe Pavilonis nominated Pat Wilkins from Lincoln Park for Fish of the Week for catching the biggest northern pike of his life in late July in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Wilkins caught the 45-inch pike on a jerkbait in 10 feet of water, messaged Pavilonis, who netted it.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the Wisconsin record pike (38 pounds), caught from Lake Puckaway in 1952 in Green Lake County. Just for perspective, I tried to find a length for it, but couldn’t.

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. The online posting here atchicago.suntimes.com/outdoorsgoes up at varied days of the week, depending on what is going on the wide world of the outdoors.

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

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