Related Species

muskellunge; pickerel; tiger muskie

Nicknames

jack; jackfish

Coloration

olive green to dark green with light colored spots; Great Lakes strains more silvery in appearance

Field Marks

numerous sharp canine teeth; yellowish spot on edge of each scale; 10 pores on underside of lower jaw

Habitat

lakes and other waters where current is slow; near vegetation usually

Feeding Habits

Like other members of the Esox family, northern pike are predators who key almost exclusively on other fish. Favorite prey include suckers, shiners, chubs, or lake perch.

Comments

Pike seek out cool water and vegetation. As a freshwater predator, second only to its close cousin the muskie. Maligned in much of its northern territory, the pike is slowly gaining credibility as a true sportfish.

U.S. Record

46lb2oz. 9/15/40 Sacandaga Reservoir, NY