Northern Pike Facts

Northern Pike | credit: USFWS

This post includes northern pike facts, fishing techniques, and other information.

The northern pike is one of the world's most popular freshwater game and sport fish.

Northern pike are found in cool freshwater lakes and rivers of  North America, Europe, and Russia.

This voracious predator is remarkably camouflaged, which makes it a highly effective hunter of fish, frogs, crayfish, small mammals, and birds.

Northern pike are often found among spatterdock (water lily), an aquatic plant found in lakes, swamps, and slow moving rivers.

Northern pike are also known as jackfish, jack, and pike.

The northern pike is the state fish of North Dakota.

Northern pike are caught with a variety of live and artificial baits, including large streamer flies.

Trolling and casting spoons, spinners, and crankbaits is one of the most popular techniques for catching pike.