Esox Lucius-Northern Pike

The Pike is an aggresive, solitary hunter, and its torpedo-shaped body is built for short bursts of accelaration rather than sustained speed. It is usually found in or near weedbeds that provide it with cover, but in large lakes it ventures out into open water to feed on salmon, trout, and other fish (including its own species). Growth rates for pike vary enormously and are directly independant on the available food supply, but an annual weight gain of 910g to 1.4kg (2 to 3lb) is fairly typical. The maximum weight is thought to be 34kg (75lb), but most are much smaller and a pike of 4.54 to 9.1kg (10-20lb) is a worthwhile catch.

Facts and figures about pike

Species - Pike, Esox lucius (L.)
Weight - rarely 13.6kg (30lb), few males over 4.5kg
(10lb)
Length - rarely exceed 130cm
Age - rarely exceed 18 years
Location - rivers, lakes, canals and ponds. Adaptable
Behaviour - solitary, occasional groups near feeding or
spawning areas
Preferred habitat - juveniles: shallow, weed. Adults:
open water.
Feeding - dawn and dusk
Natural food - fish, including small pike
Maturity - males and females 2-3 years
Fecundity - 15,000 to 30,000 eggs per kg of body weight
Spawning times - March to May, rise in temperature 6 -
10oC
Spawning - dense weed, for example Phragmites or Elodea
Migratory habits - seasonal spawning migrations up to
10km