The northern pike is an aggressive predator fish found throughout Minnesota in lakes, ponds and rivers.

Identification

General description: A long and toothy fish that has a head shaped like a large duck bill and is often mistaken for a muskellunge.

Length: On average, about 26 inches long.

Weight: The average is about five pounds.

Color: Mostly light yellow and silver markings on a dark olive background.

Reproduction

Northern pike spawn in early April on the edges of flooded grassy meadows and swamps connected to lakes. The water temperature during this period is about 40 degrees. The eggs hatch in about 10 days and the fry (newborns) stay in their spawning areas until they're about two to three inches long. Then they move to deeper water. The northern pike is one of the fastest growing freshwater fish.

Food

A daytime feeder, the northern pike eats mostly fish, especially perch and suckers. Northerns hide in and around underwater plants to ambush their prey.

Predators

Large pike sometimes eat smaller pike.

Habitat and range

The northern pike is found throughout Minnesota. This fish can tolerate both cold and warm temperatures and can survive in some polluted waters.

Population and management

The Minnesota northern pike population is strong. However, most of these fish are small. DNR fisheries managers are working with fishing groups to find harvest regulations that may help increase the average size.

Fun facts

The largest northern pike caught in Minnesota weighed 45 pound, 12 ounces. It was taken on Basswood Lake in 1929. The world record pike (55 pounds, 1 ounce) was caught from a lake in Germany. Northern pike look a lot like muskies. But pike have light markings on a dark body background. Muskies usually have dark markings on a light body background.