Kalispell angler hauls in record northern pike

A Kalispell angler hauled in what may be a North American-record northern pike on Thursday morning.

While fly fishing on Smith Lake west of Kalispell, Ivan Keeney, 28, landed a 29.74-pound, 47-inch-long pike.

Fishing from a canoe, it took Keeney an hour to bring in the massive fish.

"I didn't think I stood a chance," Keeney said of the fight to land the big pike. "I had to follow it with my boat so I didn't run out of line."

When he finally got the fish in close, Keeney said, "I had to pull my coat over my hand and stick it in its gills to get it in the boat" to avoid the pike's big teeth.

Keeney was fishing with a pike fly on a 15-pound line.

Keeney's big catch likely is a world record for pike caught by fly fishing.

According to fisheries biologist Mark Deleray of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Keeney's pike weighs more than any others listed in the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame.

Those records are based on line classes, but Deleray said Keeney's is the top fish no matter what the weight of line.

On Thursday afternoon, after the fish officially was weighed and measured, it was taken to Cabin Fever Taxidermy to be mounted.