The scientific name of the Northern Pike is Esox lucius, a predatory fish that prefers to live in slow-moving waters, along riverbanks, and around lakes with plentiful vegetation. The Northern Pike is one of the most adaptable freshwater fish, thriving in very cold water, as well as in warm and muddy environments. This species is abundant in North America and Northern Europe.
The body of the Esox lucius is elongated and streamlined, typically reaching around 1.5 meters in length; it features a large head with a wide mouth, and its eyes can move quickly, allowing it to see almost in all directions. They usually weigh around 23 kilograms. Northern Pikes tend to hide in one spot, their bodies coiling into an “S” shape, ready to spring out and catch prey. They are solitary creatures and fiercely protect their hunting territory.
The Northern Pike patiently camouflages itself among underwater vegetation, utilizing its black and white spotted patterns. It remains motionless for extended periods, waiting for unsuspecting prey to come within reach. When the opportunity arises, the Northern Pike lunges forward, capturing its prey with its strong jaws. Due to their incredibly fast attacks, few prey can escape.
Up to 90% of a Northern Pike’s diet consists of small fish, but they will also consume any live animal that fits into their mouths. Their diet includes insects, snakes, ducklings, frogs, shrimp, waterfowl, rodents, and various small mammals. The most suitable prey size for the Northern Pike is typically between one-third and one-half of their body size. Larger Northern Pikes also enjoy feeding on smaller pikes. Bigger pikes (usually females) will even eat dead, dying, or sick fish. Many folk tales recount instances of Northern Pikes swallowing live animals such as dogs, ducks, and swans.
The teeth of Esox lucius are not designed to cut through prey; instead, they function to grip and push prey down into the esophagus through the alternating motion of the upper and lower jaws. Their digestive juices are potent enough to dissolve not only the prey but also fishing hooks, steel spoons, and metal lines. Therefore, Northern Pikes do not hesitate to attack and consume fish that are already hooked.
In many regions, the Northern Pike is also known as the water wolf, the tyrant of ponds, or the freshwater shark. This species is often hunted because it preys on many economically valuable fish (such as salmon).
Freshwater fish farmers and anglers often make a common mistake: they believe that catching all the large Northern Pikes will help improve the population of other freshwater fish species. However, when large Northern Pikes are removed, smaller pikes are free to thrive, eliminating a predator. In nature, larger Northern Pikes typically feed on smaller ones, maintaining ecological balance.
Today, Northern Pikes are recognized as a sport fish. They remain active even in the cold winter months, and their aggressive feeding habits make them easy to catch.
Female Northern Pikes tend to be larger than males. In early spring, as the ice and snow begin to melt, it is the time when Northern Pikes lay their eggs along the water’s edge, even in flooded grasslands caused by thawing snow. A 1.4 kg female can lay 35,000 eggs, while a 13 kg female can produce up to 300,000 eggs.
Many male pikes swim alongside females to fertilize the eggs. However, after laying eggs, large females may turn and eat the males that just fertilized their eggs. Neither the male nor female pikes care for the eggs or the young. The eggs adhere tightly to vegetation and hatch in 10-15 days, with fertilization rates exceeding 50%. Many of the eggs and fry die shortly after. The fry cling to aquatic plants with a suction disc on their heads until the yolk sac is fully consumed, at which point they begin to feed on small invertebrates.
Most of the eggs and newly hatched fry become prey for larger Northern Pikes, perch, pikeperch, waterfowl, aquatic mammals, and various insects. Less than 0.1% of the eggs develop to maturity. Most of the time, young Northern Pikes must live in hiding to avoid predators. Due to their voracious appetites, young pikes grow quickly, reaching lengths of 20 cm within a year.
Adult Northern Pikes have two main predators: the lamprey and humans. Female Northern Pikes are particularly vulnerable during spawning when they are found in shallow waters, making them easy targets for bears, dogs, and other predatory animals.
Esox lucius is often infected with various parasites, including flukes and nematodes, which can easily transmit to humans if not cooked thoroughly.
The average lifespan of a Northern Pike is about 10-12 years, although some individuals can live up to 20 years.
