They eat fine. I find they are best out of colder water, the meat color will tell a bit, usually more yellow in warmer water, white in cold water. But it all cooks up a bright white, it's a firm texture. Flavor is good (IMO), the bones are large and are easily picked if you should not jump into the art of deboning pike.
I sometimes shake a light seasoning on, lay a little butter on top, a bit of lemon juice, wrap in foil and bake or cook over a fire same way. That pan fry just fine too.
Pike are excellent table fare. We love the jumbo yellow perch and walleye, but fresh pike out of cold water taste excellent.
We once dared some native Canadians in our fish camp to tell the difference between our fresh deep fried walleye and northern...
In every taste test they got it wrong.
A guy will face stiff fines killing and wasting them in many places like Ontario and Manitoba.
They have their place in the pecking order, but Alaskan trout streams etc. can't happen.
In more apt Alaskan places like Minto they do well and are fun fishing.
