Science Name: | Esox Lucius |
Other Names: | great northern pike, jack, jackfish, pickerel, snake, gator |
Ideal Temp: | 60 to 70 |
World Record: | 55 lbs. 1 ounce Germany |
Environment: | stream, river, lake |
Techniques: | live bait, casting, fly |
The northern pike features distinguish it from the muskie: light markings on a dark green background; lower half of the cheek completely scaled; five or fewer pores on each side of the underside of the jaw; and rounded tail tips. An uncommon variant called the silver pike is dark silver or greenish gray, rather like the "clear" coloration of the muskie; yet it is a northern pike and has the northern pike's scale and pore pattern.
Northern pike spawn in late March to early May. Though they occasionally lay eggs under the ice, they usually begin moving into small streams and flooded marshes when the water temperature is 39 to 52 degrees. Females deposit up to 100,000 eggs at random. The adhesive eggs stick to flooded vegetation for about two weeks before hatching. Northern pike fry feed on plankton and then invertebrates but soon switch to a diet consisting largely of fish.
Built for quick acceleration, they ambush prey from cover, seizing fish with needlelike teeth. Northern pike can't afford to expend that amount of energy in pursuit of morsels; so they concentrate their efforts on larger forage. Indeed, they often swallow fish a third their own length. Common foods are yellow perch, tullibee, suckers, minnows and other northern pike. Though northern pike eat sunfish and bass, they prefer more cylindrical fish. Northern pike also eat leeches, frogs and crayfish.
Small northern pike remain in shallow weedy water through much of the year. Large northern pike move deeper as summer progresses, seeking oxygenated water of 65 degrees or cooler. Large northern pike become lethargic in warm water, eating little and sometimes losing weight. (In prolonged high temperatures and low oxygen, northern pike may actually starve.) Moreover, in midsummer forage reaches peak abundance. For these reasons northern pike fishing falls off in warm weather.
Hybrids Northern pike sometimes hybridize with muskellunge, producing the tiger muskie. They also hybridize with chain and redfin pickerel. Occasionally, anglers catch a mutant form of northern pike, called silver pike, which ranges in color from metallic blue to bright silver.
Table Quality the white, flaky meat has a good flavor, but each fillet has a row of Y-bones. By cutting around the bones, they can easily be removed.
Sporting Qualities The northern's predatory nature makes it one of the easiest gamefish to catch. The best lures are big spoons, spinners and jerkbaits, but pike will attack any artificial that looks big enough for a meal. One of the most effective baits is a big minnow fished beneath a float. Any bait or lure should be fished with a wire leader so it will not be sheared off by the pike's sharp teeth. When hooked, northerns sometimes leap or thrash on the surface, then make a series of powerful runs.
Habitat Northern pike can live in almost any type of fresh water, from shallow marshes to small coldwater streams. They reach greatest abundance in weedy bays of natural lakes and in slow, meander- ing rivers with heavy weed growth. As northems grow larger, they require colder water. Those under 7 pounds prefer water from 65 to 7OF; larger ones, from 50 to 55.
Food Habits Northerns are opportunists, feeding on whatever they can find. Fish make up most of the diet, but they also eat frogs, crayfish, mice, musk- rats and ducklings. As a rule, northerns prefer one large food item to several smaller ones.
Age and Growth Northerns are long-lived, with some fish in the far North reaching ages of 25 years. In the southern part of their range, few live beyond 6 years. Females grow faster and live longer than males.
Tips for Fishing