Alligator pike can be called a river monster. Where this fish lives, it is also called the Mississippian shell. It belongs to the family of shellfish and is considered the largest representative of this family, inhabiting fresh water bodies. As a rule, the shell is common in Central and North America.
You can read about the conditions in which the alligator pike lives, as well as the nature of its behavior and the characteristics of catching this river monster, in this article.
Alligator pike: description
The alligator pike is considered a real monster that inhabits the waters of Central and North America, as it can grow to enormous sizes.
Appearance
In appearance, the alligator pike is not much different from the toothy predator, which is found in the reservoirs of the central strip. However, it can be quite large.
Everyone knows that the Mississippian shell is on the list of the largest freshwater fish. This pike can grow up to 3 meters in length, and at the same time have a mass of 130 kilograms. Such a huge body is practically clad in “armor” consisting of large scales. In addition, this fish should be noted for the presence of huge jaws, shaped like the jaws of an alligator, as evidenced by the name of this fish. In this huge mouth you can find a whole row of teeth, sharp as needles.
In other words, the Mississippian shell is something between a predatory fish and a crocodile. In this regard, it is worth noting that being near this predatory fish is not so pleasant, and not very comfortable.
Habitat
As mentioned above, this fish prefers the waters of Central and North America and, in particular, the lower reaches of the Mississippi River. In addition, the alligator pike is found in the northern states of America, such as Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia, Missouri and Florida. Not so long ago, this river monster was also found in more northern states such as Kentucky and Kansas.
Basically, the Mississippian shell chooses reservoirs with stagnant water, or with a slow current, choosing quiet backwaters of rivers, where the water is characterized by low salinity. In Louisiana, this monster is found in salt marshes. The fish prefers to stay close to the surface of the water, where it warms up under the rays of the sun. In addition, on the surface of the water, the pike breathes air.
Behavior
The Mississippian shell has rather powerful jaws, with which it can bite into two halves of even a young crocodile.
At the same time, it should be noted that this is a lazy and rather slow fish. Therefore, the attack of this fish on alligators, and even more so on humans, has not been noted. The diet of this predator consists of small fish and various crustaceans.
An interesting fact is that the alligator pike can be kept in an aquarium. At the same time, it is necessary to have a capacity of 1000 liters and not less. In addition, fish of the appropriate size can also be planted here, otherwise this inhabitant will eat all the other inhabitants of the aquarium.
Shell pike and alligator gar. Fishing on the Mississippi
Alligator pike fishing
Every angler, both amateur and professional, would be immensely happy if he managed to catch this predator. At the same time, it should be noted that the size of the predator suggests the use of sufficiently powerful and reliable gear, since the shell resists with all its might, and the corresponding size of the fish indicates that this is a fairly strong fish. Recently, recreational fishing for the Mississippian shell has become rampant, which has led to a decrease in the population of this unique fish.
As a rule, the average weight of each individual caught is within 2 kilograms, although occasionally larger specimens are caught on the hook.
Alligator pike, mainly caught on live bait. Moreover, you do not have to wait a long time for a bite. Despite this, cutting should not be carried out immediately. This is due to the fact that the mouth of the fish is long and strong enough to pierce it with a hook. Therefore, you have to wait until the pike swallows the bait deeply, and only after that you need a powerful sweeping hook, which will allow you to catch the fish.
The Mississippi shell is best caught from a boat, and always with an assistant. To pull the caught fish into the boat, they use a rope that is thrown in a loop over the gill covers. This method allows you to easily drag this monster into the boat, without damaging the gear and without any damage to both the fish and the angler.
The alligator pike is a unique freshwater fish that is a cross between a fish and a crocodile. Despite its formidable appearance, there were no attacks on humans, as well as on the same large inhabitants of the reservoir, like the same alligator.
Catching a river monster 2-3 meters long is the dream of any angler, both amateur and professional. At the same time, you should know that fishing for alligator pike requires special training and a set of gear, since it is not at all easy to deal with this fish.
Atractosteus spatula – 61 cm