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Pike: Learn The Facts To Help
You Catch Trophies
This voracious and carnivorous fish live in freshwaters on
the Northern Hemisphere. Northern Pike (Esox lucius) is also
known by its folk name of "Water Wolf". Pikes grow as large
as 150 cm in size and 25 kg in weight (1' to over 4', and
weigh 50 pounds), although larger sizes have been reported,
particularly in the Great Lakes area, making people believe
in a misidentification or folk tale.
The color of Northern Pikes is olive shading into whitish or
yellowish on belly, with spots on their body and some dark
ones on the fins. Pikes have large pores on their head and
lower jaw.
This characteristic make Northern Pike a close relative to
Muskellunge, similar-looking, but Northern Pike have light
markings on their dark body backgrounds and less than 6
sensory pores on the underside of their jaw. |
Usually found in cold, clear, rocky waters, lakes and
streams, Northern Pike are usually hidden waiting for their
prey, which are caught sideways with their sharp teeth.
Pikes eat mainly fish and ducklings, although they are also
cannibals, part of their nature, which serves in maintaining
the Northern Pike population.
Some anglers have photographed Northern Pikes eating other
pikes of a similar size, but also leeches and insects,
because they are well known for their tremendously voracious
appetite.
Northern Pikes are some of the biggest freshwater fish that
anglers like to catch due to the challenge involved while
facing their aerial acrobatics and explosive hits.
Fishing for pike is an exciting sport in North America,
where anglers usually do not eat the catch, but northern
pike is usually filleted for the purpose of European
cuisine, particularly popular in many German dishes. There
are references traced back as far as the Romans, depicting
pikes served at festivities.
In America, Northern Pike lives in northern New England,
Eastern New York, Minnesota and the Ohio Valley, the Great
Lakes basin and also the surrounding states of Nebraska and
Missouri. Toward the north, pikes are also found in Alaska
and Canada, except, British Columbia, were they appear
rarely.
Northern Pike breed with Muskie to produce the Muskellunge
subspecies known as Tiger Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy
immaculatus), and there is also a mutation of Northern pike
known as the Silver Pike, silvery-blue or silver in color,
often referred to as Silver Muskellunge, occurring in
scattered populations, lacking the rows of spots.
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The name of Northern Pike was
given to this specie after its North American habitat
resembling the pole-weapon known as pike.
This fish is also known as Common Pike, Snake, Great
Northern Pike, American Pike, Jackfish, Great Lakes Pike,
Grass Pike, and Pickerel.
There is a website that has great information on most
species of freshwater fish. It has details that pertain to
each species of fish such as habitat, spawning, eating
habits, the best lures and baits and more, the website is
called: Fishing Stringer, and can be found at
www.fishingstringer.com.
By Robert W. Benjamin
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