RIVER FISH · Vegetation-line predator
Northern pike
Esox lucius
A long-bodied ambush predator that uses submerged vegetation, shallow marsh edges and nearby deeper water.
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Meet the fish
- Habitat
- Lakes, river backwaters, quiet pools, tributaries and vegetated shallows, especially in cooler northern waters.
- On the menu
- Primarily fish, with larger pike also taking amphibians and occasional other animals.
- Size context
- USFWS reports that northern pike can reach about 4.5 feet, though most fish encountered are much smaller.
- Range & local context
- A circumpolar northern species; in North America its range extends from Alaska and Canada into the upper United States, with introductions elsewhere.
Living with the river
Water & habitat
Flooded vegetation, water temperature, depth transitions and cover can be more important than a main-channel flow number.
Seasonal life
Adults move into shallow tributaries, flooded marshes and vegetated shorelines shortly after ice-out to broadcast adhesive eggs.
Before you go
Northern pike are native in some waters and introduced in others. Regulations and management goals can differ sharply by drainage.
Use the linked agencies and the relevant river guide for current regulations, closures and consumption advisories. A species profile is not a fishing license or a statement that harvest is allowed.
Editorial review: . Regional size examples are labeled; maximum lengths are not typical sizes.
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