Life History: A Look at the Northern Pike

The Northern Pike (Esox lucius) is one of North America's most sought after game fish. Pike are known to grow to great sizes, in excess of 40lbs, and normally fight hard when hooked by an angler.

Northern Pike are easily identified by there elongate body and mouth shaped like a duck bill. The mouth contains many rows of sharp teeth. There body coloration is generally darker and greenish on the top to a lighter, often white belly. Their sides have elongated circular marking that are normally yellowish in color. Northern pike can normally be distinguished from muskellunge by their markings, but if you are unsure you can count the pores on the underside of the fish's jaw. Pike will have 4 to five pores on each side of the jaw while muskellunge will have 6 to 9.

Pike live in both lakes and rivers that provide adequate weed growth for spawning. They often hang out in the weedy shallower areas of lakes or rivers and normally will stay out of strong currents. During warmer parts of the day or year pike will often retreat to deeper water. This movement is the reason many anglers claim pike shed their teeth in the summer. Since they are no longer in the area anglers normally see them in the old theory was they aren't biting because they are shedding their teeth. However, we now know they don't shed their teeth they just retreat to cooler water during warm periods.

Pike spawn in the springtime or late winter when water temperatures are around 40-50 degrees. They migrate to shallow weedy areas where they spawn and deposit their egg over vegetation. The vegetation is vital to the young's survival. Once the fry have used up their egg sac they begin to feed on aquatic insects and then will switch to fish. They are ambush or lie and wait predators. They will wait for prey to come close and then attack it in a short quick burst. Adult pike primarily feed on fish, but will feed on almost anything they can fit their mouth around.

Pike may live up to 25 years but normally live to their late teens. They grow quickly, with an average fish being around 30 inches and 5-10lbs, but they can reach weights of over 40lbs. Larger fish tend to prefer cooler waters year round and tend not be found in water over 75 degrees. Larger fish often will target larger prey, such as fish over 12 inches and larger amphibians and small ducks or mice and tend not to feed as much as smaller fish.

Pike are active year round and are available to all types of anglers. They can be caught on bait, artificial lures or flies and are often sought after by ice fishermen. Just remember when fishing for northern pike they have many sharp teeth that will easily cut light line and can do damage to exposed skin.