Goalie, I gotta say... I've never had smoked pike. I don't even know anybody that's tried smoking pike, interesting idea.
As for pickling, research pickled pick on the dang ole interwebs.
(big breath... lots of words coming...)
My short version is, just don't pickle pike.
Medium version is:
Pike host a unique parasite that is very much tolerant to cold pickling processes. You can search the MN DNR website for info on how to and how not to pickle pike.
The long version:
Do all pike have this worm? Hell no! Do some? yeah, they do.
Do midwestern folk pickle the chit out of pike? Hell yes, they do.
Do all people get sick from pickled pike? No, they don't
Do some? Hell yes, they do.
Have I ever eaten pickled pike? Hell yes I have, I'm from MN for damn sakes.
Do I eat pickled pike now in my adult years when that jar is coming around the table at some camp or party or fish house or what ever?
No, I don't.
Do I smash the pike pickler in the face for offering me potentially poisonous fish meat?
Nope... I don't.
But I do try to slip some insight to the pike pickle topic into the convo so the pickler can educate him-herself if they so choose.
And I use tact for that, because us old Marines, we're tactful as hell.
