The state agency moved quickly after getting the final approval for the extensive project which, when completed, will be the eighth and largest pike killing project to-date in the state. It will take four years and more than $1 million in both state and grant funding, but if the plan succeeds, the Soldotna Creek Drainage should be free of northern pike by 2018. As dozens of personnel in bright yellow hazardous materials suits crossed East Mackey lake on Oct. 8, Area Management Biologist Robert Begich and Assistant Area Management Biologist Jason Pawluk sat in a boat netting dead pike that floated to the surface. “We’ve not picked up any other kind of fish,” Begich said.