Northern Pike Fishing and Fiahing Tips

Northern Pike are one of the most intriguing and exciting gamefish. The top predators in many waters of the United States and Canada, pike can grow to awesome proportions and are famous for their speed, power and explosive strikes.

The major characteristic of the northern pike is its elongated, large, flattened head and elongated and somewhat compressed body. The upper half of the gills are covered with scales and the cheeks are completely covered with scales. The top and sides of the body are covered with small elongated, pale dots. The sides are brownish to brownish green and the fins have darker, and usually reddish tinged spots. Its mouth is large and full of needle sharp, long backward pointing teeth. The northern pikes coloration helps it to hide in its aquatic environment and allow it to surprise its prey.

Northern Pike spawn in early spring usually before the winter ice completely melts from the lakes. They prefer clear water with weedy areas. Females lay their eggs randomly in shallow waters usually on flooded plant material. A large female northern pike may lay as many as a quarter million eggs. Northern pike tend to prefer shallow waters with temperatures in the mid sixties and areas thick with weeds and much vegetative cover.

Northern Pike are voracious predators and feeders. Some call the northern the 'ultimate predator'. With a body designed for speed in attacks and movement in their weedy environment, their large jaw and sharp teeth are perfectly designed to grasp prey. The main diet for Pike consists of other fish, including other pike.