Jax.......

Hold your pike upright......go from the back downward until you hit the tops of the Y bones.........strip off to the dorsal fin.

These are the best pieces of fish in freshwater other than perch (sacrilege!!). I will definitely disagree with Prouboy here.......the bigger pike will render the fattest tenderloin strips. Now they can strut their stuff. There is no other freshwater fish that I know of with such firmness. Canadian Walleyes have a little better taste but if you like it less flaky the pike strips are the treat.

And like db I take the two pieces from the dorsal to the tail on either side. This is all fast and easy and yes everything needs to eat so that is all I bother with on a smaller pike..........but, on a bigger pike it is not that tough to proceed to put a little time in and work around the Y bones. The bones are now fully developed and not so bad to work around with a sharp knife.

I put a death sentence on a 14lb pike on Isle Royale (blood flowing from its gills). It fed 7 people and was absolutely a wonderful eating fish as far as taste was concerned. I do strongly suggest releasing such fish though as they are spawners but bigger pike taste great IMO.