Northern pike are a members of the pike species of fish, found in freshwater and common in the northern United States and Canada. Northern pike have a long, slender body, and a broad, flat snout. They are a vibrant green on the back and top of head, with white or yellow bean-shaped spots on the sides. Northern pike average about 2 to 5 lb., according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, but trophy fish have reached more than 25 lb. Northern pike like to put up a fight, are fun to catch, and good to eat. Many anglers compare the taste to walleye or cod.
Step 1
Outfit your fishing rod with either artificial lures or live bait, such as larger minnows and crayfish, or lures such as silver and yellow daredevils, rapalas and thundersticks. Northern pike will strike at almost anything, and anglers consider them one of the easiest fish to catch, according to the Manitou Weather Station Fishing Lodge. They will also hit jigs, and you will sometimes catch them if you are fishing for walleye, because walleye are one of their food sources.
Step 2
Cast your line into the water close to weedbeds and in smaller bays. Northern pike like to ambush their prey in and around the weeds. Bigger northern pike often swim near the near the weeds, because they are able to feed on larger fish that use weeds for cover.
Step 3
Fish narrow sections of the lake, rocky points, or the mouth of a river to find good numbers of northern pike, suggests the Seine River Lodge website. Discover where fish in the 8-inch to 10-inch range like to gather, and you will likely find northern pike there, too.
Step 4
Exercise patience, because you can feel as though you have a strike, and then the sensation. Northern pike have a habit of playing with bait. Wait until after you feel the initial strike. The fish often will come back and try again.
Step 5
Slap your lure on the top of the water by casting it high, and then jerking it back just as it is about to hit the water surface. This often triggers a response form northern pike, according to Twin Lakes Outfitters. Slapping works best with spoon type lures.
Step 6
Search for northern pike in the spring, in shallow water, right after the ice melts. Northern pike are more active in cooler water temperatures, below 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and spawn early in spring in shallow water thick with vegetation.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep a net in your boat if you are fishing an area known for large northern pike. The bigger fish feed on 1 to 2 pound walleye, so choose bait that is similar in size.
Things You'll Need
- Fishing rod
- Lures
- Live bait
Member Comments