If I were a Northern Pike…
Given the fishing trip coming up, I thought I’d do a little research on one of our chief adversaries - the Northern Pike.
First - a short definition from Wikipedia:
The northern pike, Esox lucius, is a carnivorous fish of brackish and freshwaters of the northern hemisphere. It is also known by the somewhat misleading folk-name, “water wolf”. Its found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and isn’t in the least bit endangered.
Northern pikes are most often olive, shading into yellowish or whitish on belly with short, light barlike spots on body and some dark spots on the fins. The lower half of their gill cover lacks scales and they have large pores on their head and lower jaw. Unlike the similar-looking muskellunge, the northern pike has light markings on a dark body background and less than six pores on the underside of its jaw. Looks like a freshwater version of a barracuda.
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Pike grow to a relatively large size: lengths of 150 cm and weight of 25 kg are not unheard of. Currently, the IGFA recognizes a 55 lb, 1 oz pike caught by Lothar Louis in Lake of Grefeern, Germany on October 16, 1986 as the all-tackle Northern Pike world record. Northern Pikes in North America seldom reach the size of their European counterparts, however, one of the largest being a 20.9 kg (46 lbs) specimen from New York state.
Behavior
The Northern Pike is an aggressive predator, laying in wait for its prey in shallow weedy places, perfectly still, and then using explosive acceleration nabs its prey. It is also found in sluggish streams and cold, rocky waters. It goes in for the kill by biting at is prey with its razor sharp teeth sideways, before lining it up lengthwise to eat it.
What it eats
Just about anything. It eats fish, including each other. Its also been known to eat water voles and ducklings - which I guess is the point of the following bait:
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So how can I catch one (several)?
There are several types of baits that have proven to be effective against the northern pike:
Spoons - low-tech, but still one of the best overall ways to catch a pike, and a must have in the tacklebox. For the most part, the basic pike spoon should be between 4-6″ long - the heavier the spoon, the deeper and quicker it should run. Baits should be between 1 - 1.5 oz., as this will assure good spoon action, and make for easy casting. If you’re going to troll, then use a heavier spoon, so it reaches the desired depth quickly. As far as shape goes, the larger the bend the better - this generates more vibration and motion, which are two of the main things that attract pike
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Crankbaits - modeled after baitfish, a properly used crankbait can be quite effective, and can cover a range of depths with good action. As a jerkbait, it can be manipulated to simulate the behavior of a wounded baitfish, which allows the ravenous pike all the time they need to move in for the kill.
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Buzzbaits / Topwaters - Its a beautiful thing to watch a pike hit a topwater, when it crashes down on a surface bait. Pike love to hit prey on the surface, and its one of the more exciting ways to fish for ‘em when they’re feeding on the top, or especially when water levels are lower, and the fish are driven to the top anyway. Pike respond to speed and noise…so make sure you get baits with large props / buzzers as well as a large skirt.
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Others work well to - a soft jerkbait is good for when the pike are not overly active, or are sticking close to weeds, logs, or other cover. Colors? Bright colors are the best, but mostly for the fisherman, since it helps to see the lure and better control the action.
Eating the Pike
Northern Pike is one of the best tasting freshwater fish, provided its properly prepared. Bones can be tricky, but the flesh is white, firm, and flaky. Nutrionally, every 100g of meat contains 84 calories, 0.5g of fat, and 19g of protien, and is a great source of calzium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and B vitamins.
Preparing it can be done a few ways. If you’re boiling it, remove the skin; otherwise leave the skin on. The Pike has a second row of bones that can make it tricky to prepare, but with a little skill they can be easily removed. Just chew carefully when you eat it - and its taste and texture will keep you coming back for more.
Here it is strapped to a backpack…
