Category: Fish Species

The Best Bait for Bluegill and Sunfish

If you’re fishing with your kids or even just fishing for dinner, chances are you’re trying to catch sunfish or bluegill. One of the main maxims of this website is, “When fishing with kids, get a fish — ANY FISH — into the livewell as fast as possible,” and sunfish and bluegill are perfect for that.

Regardless of where you live, there’s probably going to be some sort of sunfish species near you, or at least a small fish that is comparable. They’re extremely widespread, can be found in the shallow waters right off shore, and are quite accessible to the average angler. You don’t need ridiculous specialized tackle to catch them, either, though you’ll want to pay attention to hook size lest they still your bait! As long as you have the right bait, sunfish, bluegill, and other panfish like yellow and white perch are very keen to bite. All of this combines to make them ideal targets for any parent taking their kids fishing.

In this article, I’ll go over what the best live bait is for bluegill and sunfish. Then, I’ll explore artificial baits and lures for panfish in case worm guts make you squeamish. I’ll spend some time helping you zone in on where to find sunfish and other panfish to catch, and I’ll talk about the sort of gear I recommend and use with my children for fishing for them.

bluegill caught with the best bait ever: a simple nightcrawler
Who wouldn’t want to catch a nice chunky bluegill like this?

The Best Live Bait for Bluegill and Sunfish

While I hate to admit it, the best bait you can come up with for bluegill or sunfish is going to be live bait more times than not. While Gulp does come in a close second, you can’t argue with the natural smell, taste, and action of live bait when fishing for panfish. It’s simple to secure live bait for sunfish as virtually every tackle shop sells it and most gas stations near lakes do too. If you’re in a real bind, you can also find some great live bait options for bluegill and sunfish at your local pet store as they’re often used as feed for lizards and frogs. By the way — a pro tip from a parent — NEVER buy your son a frog. You’re going to live at that pet store buying crickets.

Nightcrawlers

Nightcrawlers are probably the best bait you can find for sunfish and bluegill. Not only are they inexpensive and readily available, but they just work. You’ll want to keep them cool and lively for the best action if you use a whole worm, but I’d advise that you break the live worm into small little manageable chunks rather than using the whole thing. You really don’t need a piece of worm much larger than a piece of corn. The trick is to just ensure it is nice, plump, and juicy, as a freshly broken off piece will be. Go ahead and thread this right onto the tip of your #6 hook, and you’re all but guaranteed to catch some sunfish.

If you use the entire worm instead of breaking it up, you’ll still catch sunfish and bluegill as nightcrawlers are simply outstanding bait for them. There will be two “catches” though. For one, you’ll go through a lot of worms because sunfish and bluegill are great at robbing hooks of bait, and they’ll tend to steal any worm not attached to the hook. Secondly, you’ll be more likely to have byproduct catches such as largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and channel catfish. I don’t know that I’d really call that a problem though!

If you do choose to use nightcrawlers (and you should) make sure you keep them fresh! While some fish, including sunfish, will eat dead worms, once a worm has been dead long enough it becomes too easy to remove from a hook. Vaunted hook robbers like sunfish and bluegill will easily steal the worm from your hook if it is too soft and malleable as dead worms tend to be. Instead, make sure you’re using worms that are fresh, cold, and juicy.

Red or Trout Worms

I know I just said that you should break your nightcrawlers into small chunks when using them as bait for bluegill and sunfish. This doesn’t mean that their smaller cousin, the red or trout worms are better. I have not had as much luck when utilizing this small 2 or 3 inch worms. They’re very thin which makes putting them on the hook more difficult than bits of nightcrawlers. I also think it has a lot to do with confidence just because the nightcrawlers work so well as sunfish bait that I don’t want to change it up. Now and then, the gas station only has red or trout worms in their cooler, and they do OK for catching sunfish and bluegill if you can’t get nightcrawlers. They just wouldn’t be my first choice.

Larvae

Many anglers swear by using larvae baits like mealworms or waxworms when fishing for sunfish and bluegill. It makes sense when you consider that many of the panfish kits of artificial baits for sunfish do their best to mimic these creatures. They’re small and are bait that will fit easily in the mouth of a sunfish or bluegill. Since they’re also bait these panfish are used to eating, you’ve got a real winner if you can find them.

On that note, do a little shopping around. While your tackle shop may have them, it’s also possible that a local pet store will too. One may have a better price than the other so it’s worth taking a gander.

Crickets

You can get crickets fairly inexpensively at many pet stores as creatures like frogs eat them. Fish will too. They can be floated on the surface, which is more natural, or you can bring them down below with a drop shot. The sunfish and bluegill don’t care — they’ll take the bait wherever they find it. What you want to do is hook the cricket through its thorax so it’ll keep wriggling about and be more enticing. This website has some good advice on how to rig a cricket up.

Minnows

Minnows can be pretty expensive bait for sunfish and bluegills as you’d really prefer something larger take them normally. Still, if you can find small minnows that will fit in a sunfish’s mouth, they will work. However, I’ve fished with these a decent amount of time in my years and I haven’t caught too many bluegill or sunfish with them. You’re more likely to get white perch. On the other hand, that might be testament to where I’m fishing them as I tend to fish minnows a little deeper near drop offs. Schools of white perch can really monopolize that area and you need to wade through a few of them trying to hook a bass.

The Best Artificial Bait for Bluegill and Sunfish

These days several manufacturers sell artificial bait. These fill the void between “lures” and actual “bait” in that while artificial, they’re somewhat organic. These can be an outstanding choice if you’re squeamish about worm guts or simply don’t want to take a life just to catch a fish. While other competitors have come and go over the years, Berkley Gulp is my standard go to. I love their 2.5″ minnows for all around action that puts every fish in the lake in play. If I was specifically seeking the best artificial bait for bluegill and sunfish, I’d buy Berkley Gulp Minnows in the 1″ size. These are bite sized and will get you way more panfish than bigger fish, but you probably still could find yourself with a bass on the line (smallmouth love them).

Gulp also offers other interesting artificial baits such as worms, but I haven’t had reason to use them. I’ll admit I can be a bit of a “meat and potatoes” kind of guy. When I visit a restaurant and find something I love, I tend to stick with it. I do the same thing with fishing gear, so at least you know everything I’m recommending on this website is something I’ve bought frequently!

As to what color Gulp minnows? Just grab something that looks natural in most cases, though I will say that I bought some pyrite ones on a whim (they look like little gold nuggets) and the fish were happy to eat them too!

The Best Lures for Bluegill and Sunfish

A medium to large bluegill or sunfish will occasionally take a bass lure, though it isn’t the most productive way to fish for them. If you insist on fishing for sunfish and other panfish with artificial lures, you should use ones designed for them. The best artificial lures for bluegill and sunfish tend to be variations of the panfish jig.

Panfish Jigs

Panfish jigs have been around for a long time. They can be as simple as a roundhead jig tipped with whatever grub or minnow lure you can find, or they can be intricate designs that rival fly tying and look like insects. There are also some that come with a spinner blade, such as this set of crappie baits. The blades on these acts to reflect light and attract panfish such as bluegill and sunfish to the lure.

My favorite panfish jig is called the marabou jig. I’ve been fishing with these artificial lures for bluegill and sunfish since I was just starting out as a kid. They work great on Lake Champlain and also work very well in colder water such as early spring. As a bonus, smallmouth bass also tend to love them! I’ve had the most luck fishing white and chartreuse marabou jigs, though black can be a good choice if the skies are overcast. This kit offers a hot pink and orange set up too, in case the fish are feeling frisky.

How to Catch Sunfish and Bluegill

It’s not particularly hard to catch sunfish and bluegill (after all, four-year-old’s do it all across the country each year), but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a learning curve. In this section I’ll discuss a few different techniques you can use to catch bluegill and sunfish like bobber fishing, drop shot fishing, and using a free worm. I’ll also briefly touch on where you can probably find them in terms of habitat and depth. Before we get to that though, let’s talk about the #1 and #2 mistakes I find people making while they fish for panfish.

Sunfish are the perfect fish to target with kids.

The Top Mistake Beginners Make Fishing for Panfish

The biggest mistake folks make when trying to catch sunfish or bluegill is to use too large of a hook. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been fishing a bank with my kids next to a parent just a few yards away and we are catching fish and they aren’t. When I go to help them out, it’s almost always that their hook is too big. Sunfish and bluegill will do a great job robbing a hook of its worm if you let them. They can peck around a big hook and just strip the worm off bit by bit. What you need are size 6 or 8 Aberdeen hooks with a long shank that are going to fit in the fish’s mouth easily. If you’re not catching bluegill or sunfish but feel them biting, odds are your hook is too big.

The Second Mistake People Make Fishing for Sunfish and Bluegill

The second mistake I see people making when they fish for sunfish is that they set their rod down and therefore don’t feel the bites. If you want to keep sunfish from stealing your bait, you want to hold your rod while you’re fishing instead of putting it down in a rod holder. Sunfish and bluegill are outstanding bait robbers and if you aren’t present while they’re nibbling, they’re known to completely strip a hook. By being there to set the hook when they bite, you have a much better chance of catching them and at the very least to keep sunfish from stealing your bait.

Bobber Fishing

I am not crazy about fishing with bobbers. I know that probably seems strange for a website dedicated to fishing with kids, but I find bobber fishing boring. What most people do is take a bobber or float, rig it 12-18″ above their hook with a worm, and toss it out waiting for a bite. I will grudgingly admit that this does work and it even has it’s place. For example, bobbers are quite useful tools when you’re fishing over weed beds or other snags because you can keep the bait presented for bluegill well above anything that can foul you up. Bobbers are also useful if your kids are distractible and need to spend more time playing with a ball nearby than fishing. At least with a bobber, you can toss out your bait and get some action while you’re hitting up the ice cream truck.

I just tend to find that you’re less successful when you set a rod down than when you hold it, which is something most folks do when they use a bobber. You won’t be there to detect the little nibbles and set the hook, as we’ve seen from mistake #2. This will mean you lose fish but it will also mean you hurt fish. You see, one of the big problems with live bait fishing is fish can swallow the hook. When a little fish like a sunfish or bluegill swallows the hook, it can be very hard to get it out safely. They’re much more likely to swallow the hook if you just leave your rod in a rod holder and let a bobber tell you when they’re on.

Drop Shot Fishing

My preferred way for catching bluegill is to use a drop shot. This is a hook that has a long strand of line dangling from it which you affix a sinker to. This brings the bait down towards the bottom where many fish hang out during the day. You can adjust how far down the bait will be pulled by adjusting the length of the line attached to the sinker.

I find the drop shot to be an outstanding technique for catching sunfish and bluegill. In fact, I like it so much that this is usually the technique I use when I’m exploring a new fishing spot to see if any fish are around! I figure if I can catch bluegill or sunfish, there will be other fish nearby.

I once wrote an article that went into depth about how to tie one of these set ups as its one of the things you need to know to take your kids fishing. Go check it out if you aren’t sure. If you have heard about it, rest assured, it’s not just for bass fishing!

Free Worm

If the drop shot is too much for you (or if you want a gentler approach) you can also just free worm fish. This is as simple as putting a worm on the hook and casting it out. While you might need to use a full nightcrawler to get any casting distance here, this technique works great for bluegill and sunfish as the worm will sink much more slowly than it would with a drop shot. Sometimes, this is just too much for nearby fish to ignore, and they hit it on the fall.

If you don’t get a bite on the fall, jerk your rod tip up to rip the hook and worm back towards the surface and let it fall again while reeling in some slack. Most fish will hit it as it is falling, but you will occasionally stick one on the rip as well.

Where to Catch Sunfish and Bluegill

The great thing about sunfish and bluegill is you can catch them pretty much anywhere in the lake assuming there is appropriate cover. They tend to get around and cover a lot of water and are much easier to run into than say a bass or pike. Still, if you focus on a few types of habitat and depth, you’ll have better luck.

Habitat

Remember that sunfish and bluegill are right there on the cusp of being predators and prey. While they like to pack up and pick on the little guy, they are the little guy to many other fish in the lake. Therefore, they like to stay near some sort of cover to hide in and provide them with a measure of protection. You can find sunfish and bluegill near all sorts of cover, be it weed beds, rocks, docks, and fallen trees. In the height of summer, check for cover that is going to produce more shade vs. cover that won’t.

In early spring, look for little circles in the weed beds in the shallows. This isn’t really cover, but the tell tale sign of a bass bed. Bluegill and sunfish will be nearby, trying to pick off the eggs and fry and get a quick and easy meal.

Depth

Bluegill and sunfish can be caught quite shallow for much of the year, though most of the larger ones are going to prefer deeper water. I’ve caught bluegill and sunfish in as little as 6″ or so of water. Often, you’ll catch them right near the shore. They do make some changes seasonally, however. Your best bet to find them shallow is always going to be in spring and fall, while they like most fish will search out deeper water in summer and midwinter. Note that this is relative, and “deeper water” may well be about 10 feet or so!

If you can find a floating dock that is in relatively deep (call it 6 – 8′) of water, you can find an absolutely amazing bluegill fishery in the summer. If you can find a pier with all the crisscrossed timbers you’d expect, you can absolutely clean up, assuming it isn’t a public spot that is fished out.

How to Spot (and Catch) Sunfish and Bluegill Easily

By far the easiest way to find and catch bluegill or sunfish is during the largemouth bass spawn. They’re extremely easy to spot if you keep your eyes and ears open, and when you find them, they are in full bloodlust mode and will hit a worm the instant it hits the water.

The way to spot them is to look for the tell tale sign of bass chasing them away from their nest. You see, bluegill and sunfish absolutely torment largemouth bass while they’re spawning. They’ll just stack up next to the bass bed just out of reach and wait for the bass to turn their back before rushing in to steal some eggs or fry. The bass parents do a decent job of preventing this and chase off the bluegill and sunfish from time to time. When they do, you’ll usually see a big swirl from the bass charging, immediately followed by a wider pattern of smaller splashes and waves of all the bluegill trying to escape the counter attack.

Catching sunfish while they’re trying to pick off bass fry also helps the bass out, so consider it allying with an old friend. Just make sure it’s legal to “target” largemouth bass during the spawn when you try this, as game wardens might not believe you that you’re really after bluegill (though an ultralight rod and an assortment of tiny hooks might save you).

Good Equipment and Tackle for Sunfish

In addition to choosing the best bait for sunfish and bluegill, you’ll want to make sure you have the right tackle and equipment to connect it to. Here are some rods, reels, fishing line, and hooks that I’ve used while fishing for sunfish and bluegill with my kids over the years. This stuff has never let me down and I’m sure you’d do great with it too.

Rods

It doesn’t take much of a rod to catch a sunfish. I enjoy fishing for them with ultralight rods about 5-6′ long as that lets the larger bluegill and sunfish put up a pretty good fight. These rods are also great for fishing with kids since children of any age can use them. My favorite brand is Ugly Stik. While they’re a “value” brand they have the perfect rods for this sort of fishing. I wrote a long review of the Ugly Stik Elite that you should check out here. Believe me, once you do, you’re going to run out to Amazon to buy one (or three).

Reels

You always want to match your reel to your rod, and it’s no different when considering tackle for bluegill. If you’re using a light or ultralight setup, you’re going to want a reel that matches well with it. I personally find the Plfueger President to be a wonderful reel that comes in plenty of sizes that match well to your bluegill tackle. If you’re throwing light or ultralight rods, I’d suggest buying one in the 20 or 25 series. These reels are high quality and can hold up to many seasons. They’re also smooth and capable enough of handling the occasional bass that hits when you’re fishing for sunfish or bluegill.

Fishing Line

Sunfish and bluegill aren’t very line shy so you can use pretty much any line you want while fishing for them. You’ll probably catch more bluegill and sunfish if you don’t go overboard, however. Trilene XL in 6lb test is pretty much the standard line you want when fishing for sunfish. While 6lb is probably a little stronger than you need, it will also hold up when you hook the occasional bass or catfish as a bycatch of bluegill.

Hooks

The biggest mistake I see people make when they’re trying to catch bluegill or sunfish is to use too big of a hook. The fish have to be able to fit the hook into their mouth, after all! Also, if you’ve ever observed panfish nibbling at a worm, you’ll see that they do a good job of hitting the edges and avoiding the pointy end of a hook. The way around this is to bury it in a nightcrawler where they don’t see it. You can’t do that with a larger hook. I recommend hooks of about size 6 or so. I personally choose the Eagle Claw Aberdeen style hooks as they fit in a sunfish’s mouth well and also have a decently long shank that makes unhooking them easier. This reduces fish mortality and saves you a lot of time. These hooks also hold up well when you get the occasional bass while you’re fishing for sunfish with your kids.

Other Relevant Questions About Sunfish and Bluegill

I thought I’d take a few moments to answer some other relevent questions you might have about how to catch sunfish and bluegill. If you think of any more I don’t cover, drop me an email and I’ll be happy to help.

How to Keep Bluegill From Swallowing the Hook

Bluegill and sunfish have a bad habit of swallowing the hook from time to time, especially if you’re using a bobber or aren’t there to set the hook immediately. To avoid this, use a long shank hook. This way, even a bluegill swallows the hook, you’ll be able to manipulate it and get it free with minimal injury to the fish. You should also avoid fishing with bobbers if you want to keep bluegill from swallowing the hook. Instead, hold your rod with your hand so you can set the hook immediately when a bluegill bites, before it has a chance to swallow and get itself in trouble. If you do find that a bluegill has swallowed the hook, consider a dedicated hook remover to retrieve it with minimal injury to the fish.

Detailed Tips for Keeping Bluegill From Swallowing the Hook

  • Use a long shank hook. A long shank hook will allow you to remove it from a bluegill much easier, even if they swallow the hook. While you could use small circle hooks when fishing for panfish, I don’t find them as practical. I’d just recommend sticking with an Aberdeen style long shank hook. Here’s a nice assortment of sizes depending on what you’re fishing for.
  • Don’t use a bobber. While bobbers can have their place in fishing, they’re also responsible for many gut hooked fish. The reason is that many folks who fish with bobbers just “set it and forget it.” Well, if they aren’t quick to set the hook when a fish strikes, they can swallow the hook easily.
  • Do set the hook immediately. If you’re actually holding your rod and feel nibbles, set the hook. This will not only help you catch more panfish, but it will prevent bluegill and sunfish from swallowing the hook simply because they won’t have the chance. Holding your rod and setting the hook on detected bites is a best practice for fishing for bluegill.
  • Use a hook remover. If all goes poorly, and a bluegill swallows the hook despite your best efforts, you’re going to want a dedicated hook remover like this one from Crazy Shark. As you can see, it is a narrow tool that will fit in the mouth of a bluegill and can go deep enough to grab the hook and retrieve it safely. This will put much less stress on the fish. I recommend picking one up from Amazon today. After all, there is nothing more distressing to a child on a fishing trip than seeing a fish they caught die.

What is the Best Time of Day to Catch Bluegill and Sunfish?

Bluegill and sunfish aren’t as picky about what time they’ll bite as, say, largemouth bass. You can tend to catch them all day. Having said that you will usually have better luck earlier in the morning or later in the evening due to low light conditions. Fish rely on these both to hunt and also to offer them some protection from predators out to get them. Having said that, it’s really not hard to catch bluegill or sunfish in the afternoon if that’s the only time the kids can get there. Just make sure you focus in on cover that is going to produce shade as you might find the fish closer to it when the sun is high.

Can you Catch Bluegill at Night?

While you can catch the odd bluegill looking for a midnight snack, nighttime is not your best best to catch bluegill. Trust me, over the years I’ve spent plenty of time on my dock fishing at night. The same nightcrawlers that catch bluegill all day suddenly fail to produce once the sun sets. Instead, you’re likely to get into a mess of bullhead.

You have to remember that bluegill and other sunfish are right on the razor’s edge of being “predator” and “prey.” Nighttime is often too much for them as this is when some real giants like catfish, huge largemouth bass, and bowfin start to roam hungrily about. Bluegill tend to shut down from my experience and are much less likely to bite.

If you absolutely have to try and prove me wrong, I’d wager your best bet would be casting as close to cover as possible. This is probably where most bluegill will be hunkered down for the night, and if you get some bait in close enough, they might figure it’s worth it and dart out for a snack. If you were dead set on catching a bluegill or sunfish at night, I’d definitely recommend using the best bait you could, to try and entice them. A big, juicy nightcrawler might do the trick.

Can You Catch Bluegill in the Winter?

Many an angler catches a fine meal of panfish such as bluegill through the winter ice. When you’re trying to find them, just pretend that the ice isn’t there. Bluegill are still going to need the same structure and cover as they had when there wasn’t ice over the water to help them hunt and survive. If you can locate any weed beds that still live, that’s going to be a great spot. If you combine it with some structural change such as a drop off where they can roam about and change depth as necessary, all the better.

Not all the aquatic vegetation is going to survive long during the winter. By the middle of the season, much of the cover available in the shallows will be dead, and bluegill will move out to other available structure. In most lakes, this is going to mean near drop offs. Bluegills can be a little tough to find this time of year but if you do, there’s a good chance you’ll run into a school of them. Flashers are definitely useful for cutting down the process.

As spring nears you’ll again find bluegill moving in to the shallows as they prepare for their yearly spawning ritual. At this time you might be able to catch them where the ice breaks up in your first open water. I’m usually dying for an open water fish by this time of year and any panfish that will strike an early season marabou jig is just fine with me.

How to Catch Bluegill in Summer?

Bluegill are easily caught throughout the summer. Many will remain in shallow water throughout the year though some of the larger ones go deep. Just remember that when fishing in the summer, shade is key. Look for bluegill under boat docks or on the edge of weeds or other structure. If you’re trying to catch larger bluegill in the summer, you might want to look for some drop offs as they’re going to seek the refuge of the cooler water. As with other species, a steep drop off near some deeper cover can be a fantastic place to load up on some fat panfish during the summer months.

You Can Catch Sunfish and Bluegill if You Try!

Sunfish and bluegill can be very rewarding fish to catch with your children, or even by yourself if you’re in search of a meal. While as with any species, the true lunkers are hard to come by, it’s not too difficult to catch a bunch of panfish if you have the right tackle and approach. Pick the best bait for bluegill you can find, ensure your hooks are the proper size as that seems to be a major hurdle for many folks fishing for sunfish and blue gill. Also, make sure your bait is fresh as they do better with live worms than dead! Bring rods and reels that are appropriately weighted for your tackle, and find areas where sunfish and bluegill might congregate to enhance your chances.

As always, if you are starting out and need some extra help, please feel free to reach out to me via email and I’ll do the best I can to help you.

Thanks,

John Paxton

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Why Are Northern Pike So Slimy?

If you’ve ever handled a northern pike or prepared it for dinner, you’ve probably noticed it is slimy. In fact, pike are such slimy fish that they’re sometimes referred to as “snot rockets.” This is a far cry from the more prestigious “water wolf,” but why are pike so slimy to earn it?

In short, northern pike are slimy because it helps them move through the water faster, protects them from fungus, parasites and disease, acts as a medicine against wounds, and affords them a measure of protection against predators. Read on to find out all about this in more detail.

What Is Fish Slime?

Fish slime is created when glycol-proteins that are produced in the epidermis combine with water to create a mucus coating for the fish. The point of this slime is multifold:

  • Slime acts as a natural barrier that helps protect fish from fungi, bacteria, and parasites.
  • A fish’s slime provides lubrication so it can move through the water with less friction.
  • Slime can sometimes contain medicinal properties for fish, which helps them heal their wounds.
  • The slime aids in balancing essential electrolytes for the fish by basically acting as a filter, and allows respiratory gases to move across a fish’s skin more easily.
  • As with other animals, some fish’s slime has toxins that either aid them in hunting or offer them some protection from predators.
  • A few fish are known to use slime to create nests, or even a food source for their offspring (source).

Clearly, slime provides many benefits to fish. One should therefore take care not to remove it unnecessarily when fishing.

Why Are Pike So Slimy?

Now that we know what fish slime is, the next question is why are pike so much slimier than many other fish? There are a few theories. First, a pike’s slime acts as a lubricant which helps it move through the water faster by reducing friction. Given that pike are speed hunters that chase down their prey, this makes a lot of sense. The less friction they have, the faster they can move through the water. Over time, pike that had more slime than others would likely thrive and thus the species has evolved to become the snot rockets we all know and love today.

Pike benefit from their slime in other ways. As with all fish, slime is basically an outer layer that offers a degree of protection from bacteria, fungus, parasites, and disease. Protecting a fish’s slime is a huge reason why Major League Fishing, for example, has rules that give anglers penalties if they treat a fish in such a way that would remove the slime, such as dropping it. While those rules are meant to protect bass, it stands to reason northern pike should have their slime protected for the same reason.

Some even theorize that a pike’s slime is a good way to protect its skin from damage, or even it from being eaten. Folks note that a pike spends a good amount of time in or near cover such as weeds and wood, and that their slime may help prevent them from bruises or cuts if they slide across the cover too harshly. Likewise, a pike’s slimy skin could, in theory, help them escape predation. This likely isn’t that big of a boost once a pike is fully grown, but on its way there, any little edge helps!

northern pike are slimy fish.

Tips for Handling Slimy Pike

Your approach to handling slimy pike is going to depend on if you intend to keep your catch or not. If you intend to release the fish, you should try and protect its slime as much as possible and not rub it off. Given that the pike’s slime is necessary to fight off bacteria, fungus and disease, as well as the benefits it gives the fish in terms of speed, it would be a shame to rub it off. Thus, you should handle pike with care while landing them. If you don’t feel comfortable landing them by hand, you should use either a net with rubber mesh, or, ideally, a landing cradle. These will help safely land the pike without wiping off too much slime or unnecessarily injuring it.

Frankly, if you fish for northern pike routinely, you should certainly consider buying the products I listed above. They make the landing process safer for the fish, and for you. Keep the slime on pike where it belongs and off your hands!

On the other hand, if you intend to eat your catch, you really won’t care if you wipe off some of the pike’s slime, as you’ll need to remove it prior to cooking, anyway. I personally don’t find it that difficult to handle pike regardless of how slimy they may be, but if you struggle, consider buying yourself some fishing gloves. They’ll give you a little bit better grip on slimy fish and keep your hands warm to boot.

Likewise, you can purchase yourself a good fileting glove so the pike doesn’t cut you from beyond the grave. These slimy fish are difficult to handle while fileting and accidents happen!

How Can You Remove Slime from Pike?

The slime from a northern pike smells and tastes awful, so if you intend to eat this fish, you need to remove it. Your options will depend on how you caught it and what you have at hand.

First, if you intend to eat the fish, kill it quickly so it will stop producing slime. You can do this by thwapping it on the head or by putting it on ice.

Once the pike is dead, some people then proceed to scrape the slime off where they are fishing. You can roll it in the grass or sand to accomplish this. Tossing them in an old gunny sack also helps remove the slime, and let’s you pretend you’re Huckleberry Finn to boot.

Many people simply swear by wrapping the pike in newspapers and waiting 20-30 minutes before attempting to clean them. It’s certainly a cost effective option assuming you still purchase a newspaper these days.

Others recommend freezing the fish and then as it thaws, wiping it down. Ice fishermen claim this takes the slime away easily and also stops the fish from secreting more.

A final option is to take a five gallon bucket, fill 1/3 of it with warm water, and another 1/3 with vinegar. Toss your pike in and stir it around. The vinegar helps the slime fall off of the fish which makes fileting it much easier.

Conclusions

While northern pike are so slimy that they deserve the name, “snot rocket,” the slime is there for good reason. It helps the fish move through the water quickly. The slime helps protect pike from bacteria, fungi, and parasites. It might just give pike a little extra edge when a predator is about to nab them. Finally, it can give northerns a good revenge, as the slime might cause an angler to cut themselves while fileting the pike for the table!

A pike’s slime is so important to its health that you should try to preserve it when practicing catch and release. If you do intend to harvest the fish, do so humanely and then practice the tips above for removing the smelly slime before you cook it. Otherwise, your dinner guests might have to leave unexpectedly.

I hope this article helped you understand why pike are so slimy. Feel free to leave me a comment below or send me an email with any other questions you have!

Thanks,

John Paxton

How to Tell Northern Pike and Pickerel Apart

Many people struggle with telling the difference between a northern pike and a chain pickerel. Some folks see a long, slender fish with a mouth full of teeth and automatically think it is a northern pike. Very often, they are wrong.

While a full-grown northern pike is much bigger than a chain pickerel, there are other ways to tell the difference. First, their body coloration and patterns are distinct, as northern pike have short, light dots on their side, whereas a pickerel’s side will have a large, chain-like pattern. Secondly, their fins are shaped differently, with the tail in particular shaped quite differently between the species. Finally, there are differences in their submandibular pores and gill plates that can help you correctly identify the species.

This article will help you correctly tell the difference between these awesome gamefish. Read on to learn more!

The Main Differences Between Northern Pike and Chain Pickerel

Some people struggling with telling northern pike (Esox Lucius) and chain pickerel (Esox Niger) apart. They are similar-looking fish, being of the same Esox genus within the wider pike family, Esocidae, and they’re even known to cross breed and hybridize! Despite these similarities, they are quite distinct fish. It’s important to properly identify your catch so you don’t accidentally keep a fish you shouldn’t. This article will help you determine how.

Size

The obvious difference between northern pike and pickerel is their size. Northern pike are substantially larger both in length and average weight. For example, a 10lb northern won’t turn any heads, while a chain pickerel would beat its current world record by nearly a pound! Pike average approximately 5 – 10lbs while chain pickerel are much, much smaller, averaging about 2-4lbs. Likewise, northern pike are substantially longer than chain pickerel. For example, the Vermont Master Angler Program recognizes a 36″ northern pike as a trophy, whereas a trophy chain pickerel can be a full foot shorter.

Coloration Differences Between Pike and Pickerel

One of the best ways to tell pike and pickerel apart is their color and spotting differences. Northern pike tend to be much paler than chain pickerel and have small white dots along their sides. Chain pickerel on the other hand are much darker and have green or yellow chains splotched across their sides. When viewed side by side, the difference is obvious as can be seen in the photo below.

Fin Shape

Another way to tell the difference between pike and pickerel is to look at their fins. A pike’s pectoral and pelvic fins are much rounder than a pickerel’s, which have a straight edge towards their rear. Likewise, a pike’s caudal (tail) fin has much more rounded ends. The pickerel’s is much sharper, though not as sharp as a muskie’s.

Submandibular Pores

A good way to tell a pike and pickerel apart is to flip it upside down and check its submandibular pores. These are little holes that are visible on what is essentially the fish’s chin, or the bottom of its mouth. Northern pike will usually, but not always, have two sets of five pores with one set on each side of the jaw. Chain pickerel, in contrast, have 7 or 8 submandibular pores.

Want to learn more about Chain Pickerel? Read this post on the Coyote of the Lakes!

Gill Plates

Another way to tell the difference between these fish is to check their gill plate. The lower half of a pike’s gill plate lacks scales, while a chain pickerel’s gill plate is completely scaled. Frankly, if you’re astute enough to check the gill plate, you probably already can tell which fish you’re looking at, but we might as well be thorough.

Distribution Range of Northern Pike vs. Chain Pickerel

One of the surest ways to tell whether you’ve caught a northern pike or chain pickerel is to ask yourself what continent you’re on. While northern pike are a worldwide phenomena found across North America, Europe, and Asia, chain pickerel are only found in the eastern and southeastern United States and Canada. Thus, if you’re sitting in Europe and wondering what you’ve just caught, it’s a pike.

Behavioral Differences Between Northern Pike and Chain Pickerel

Anyone who has caught many of these fish can tell you that they act differently when you get them in the boat. Pike tend to be fairly calm once caught, at least compared to their smaller cousins. Pickerel thrash about wildly, often tearing their fins in nets, cutting fingers trying to hold braided line still, and smashing themselves to high heaven. While it’s certainly not the most “scientific” way to determine which species you have, it tends to work.

What About Hybrid Northern Pike and Chain Pickerel?

Northern pike and chain pickerel are known to hybridize, though their offspring are sterile. This is a somewhat rare phenomena, though it does happen with some regularity in northern Lake Champlain. Fishing guides on that lake routinely post evidence of catches. The hybrid has a distinct coloration. A pike-pickerel hybrid tends to be green like a chain pickerel but with the northern’s spots. They also have a few diagonal lines across them along their side.

pike-pickerel hybrid
Photo courtesy of www.lakechamplainangler.com

Why It’s Important to Tell the Difference

Misidentifying gamefish can get you in quite a bit of trouble. The last thing you need is to keep what you think is a huge pickerel only to find out it is a pike that is below the length limit for your lake. Thus, it’s important to know the difference.

Other Good Resources

Now that you know how to tell the difference between these fish, you might want to learn how to catch them! I’ve written quite a bit about both species over the years. My kids used to call them both “boo boo fish” because of their sharp teeth, after all! Here are some articles that you might find interesting!

I hope this article helped you learn how to tell a pike and pickerel apart. If you have further questions, please feel free to drop a comment below or to send me an email. Otherwise, happy fishing!

Thanks,

John Paxton

50 Interesting Questions (and Answers) About Northern Pike

So I’m in a crazy kind of mood and thought I’d try something a little different for this article. I just went into Google, typed “northern pike” and then went down a giant rabbit hole of “People also ask.” I wanted to check out all the looking to see all the questions I could find about the water wolf and answer as many as possible. So, without further ado, here are a mess of interesting questions (and answers) about northern pike!

1. Are Northern Pike dangerous?

While there are certainly more than a few tales of Northern Pike attacking humans, confirmed incidents are extremely rare, and usually a case of a foot misidentified as a tasty minnow. Indeed, many of the attacks on humans may actually happen from the larger muskellunge.

Regardless, northern pike are a dangerous fish to land and handle for a few reasons. First, they have extremely sharp teeth and large specimens tend to deeply take your lure. You’ll want to ensure you’re removing your hooks with the help of long needle nose fishing pliers, and possibly a good fishing jaw spreader.

You’re better off using a net with these fish, but if you don’t have one available, make sure you check out my tips on how to safely land fish without a net.

2. Are Northern Pike Good to Eat?

Many people quite enjoy northern pike and find it a tasty. However, if you are not careful while dressing it, they do have tiny little “Y” bones that are easy to miss. This video from Thundermist Lures has a good demonstration of how to properly filet a northern so you don’t have this issue.

3. How Does Northern Pike Taste?

Many people quite enjoy the taste of pike, finding it a white-fleshed fish with a fairly mild flavor. You might be surprised by this if you ever smelled one that was being cleaned as it is quite pungent. Still, some folks feel northerns taste even better than walleye. It’s likely they aren’t more popular table fare given the issues with the y-bones described earlier as well as their scent and slimy texture prior to cleaning.

4. Are Northern Pike Invasive?

While northern pike have an extensive range across the entire northern hemisphere, there are certainly some lakes and other water bodies where they are considered invasive. For example, northern pike are an invasive species in the Columbia River in British Columbia. They are doing so much damage to local trout populations that in 2019, a $10 bounty was offered for each pike caught.

5. Can a Pike Bite Your Finger Off?

Northern pike are very unlikely to bite your finger off, but their teeth are super sharp and they could do significant nerve and tendon damage if they bit you. Under no circumstances should you place anything you don’t want destroyed into a pike’s mouth.

6. Are Pike Aggressive?

Northern pike are extremely aggressive fish that will often hit lures repeatedly even close to the boat. They, like muskie, are often caught by using a figure 8 sweeping motion of the rod near the boat to get them to come and attack a lure they missed the first time. In clear water it is incredible watching a large northern dart out from the depths to hit your lure. They will routinely chase down spinnerbaits and other fast-moving lures and strike viciously.

Northern pike caught on Lake Champlain near Crown Point.
Northern pike are extremely aggressive fish. This is sure to put a smile on your face when they hit your spinnerbait!

7. How Long Do Pike Live For?

The typical life span of northern pike is anywhere from 7 to 15 years, though there are reports of some living to 25 years or longer (source). There was, of course, also the celebrated myth of the “Mannheim Pike” which allegedly lived to the age of 267, though this was later proven to be a fabrication.

8. How Old is a 40 Inch Pike?

The age of a 40 inch pike is going to change depending on the body of water it is caught. For example, in Northern Ontario, it is estimated that a 40 inch pike is approximately 20 years old. However, there has been some discussion that the same-sized pike would only be a few years past 10 in Lake Champlain. In general, northern pike grow a bit slower the further north you go than in the south.

9. Do Pike Eat Pike?

Yes, northern pike are known to eat other pike basically from as soon as they fit one of their siblings into their mouth. If you fish long enough in pike-infested waters, you might even see the phenomena yourself as a giant comes and smacks a smaller pike near the boat. Northern pike are voracious feeders that prefer cylindrical soft-finned prey. This, coincidentally, is exactly what a northern pike itself is, so they’ll have no qualms about cannibalism.

10. Do Northern Pike Eat Muskie?

While muskellunge or “muskie” typically grow much larger than northern pike, and thus are usually the predator throughout much of their lives, the tables change when they are young. Because the pike spawn happens so much earlier than the muskie spawn, baby pike prey on baby muskie. The predation is so bad that fishery managers are careful not to stock muskie near well-known pike lairs.

11. Do Pike Eat Baby Ducks?

Northern pike are a main predator of a variety of ducks across their range. There are plenty of YouTube videos out there showing pike prey on ducklings. I will not share these given they are graphic and this is a family site, but it certainly occurs.

Because of that, many anglers use topwater lures that are shaped like ducks. You’ll want to use a leader with these as they are expensive. They also require heavy gear to throw as they are heavy. You can check out one of those lures at Amazon to see if looks like something that would work for you.

12. Why Are Pike So Slimy?

The coat of a northern pike is extremely slimy. Like most fish, one reason for the slime is to protect pike from bacteria, disease, and fungal infections. However, the a pike’s slimy coat offers the additional benefit of reducing friction in the water which allows it to reach explosive speeds when striking prey (source). This slimy coat is quite important to northerns, which is why many pro guides use a landing net, or better yet, a fish landing cradle.

If oyu want to know more, check out this blog post about why northern pike are so slimy.

13. Do Pike Eat Snakes?

Given that they’re the top of most food chains, northern pike will eat nearly anything, and snakes are no exception. In fact, several manufacturers make snake fishing lures that can produce some explosive action for pike! Here’s an interesting YouTube video by The Ginger Fisherman showing them in action:

14. Do Pike Eat Trout?

Pike are very capable of eating trout, and in fact prefer them. When given the opportunity, a northern pike will attack soft rayed fish such as trout long before they’ll go after something spiny like a sunfish (source). In fact, they’re so good at it that in certain areas where they are invasive (such as the Columbia River in British Columbia), bounties have to be offered for northern pike to protect the local rainbow trout.

15. Do Pike Eat Sunfish?

Pike will certainly eat sunfish if that is the forage available, but they much prefer soft-scaled fish as these are easier to swallow. If given the chance, pike can be quite selective of their meals, but when faced with the prospect of starving, they’ll have no issues chocking down a spiny sunfish.

16. How Quickly Do Pike Grow?

While it depends on location, northern pike generally grow quickest in the first three years of their life, reaching about 25 inches in that time. They then grow more gradually (about 2 – 4″ per year) after that. There is some evidence that the further north you go, the slower pike grow, though they often reach a larger size overall. A good average however, comes from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources which provides the following chart for northern pike growth rates:

Age (years)Length (inches)
110
218
325
428
532
635
737
Source: Wisconsin DNR

17. What Colors Do Pike See Best?

Pike are visual hunters and in clear water they will look for a flash of silver or such that reminds them of their prey. This is why white spinnerbaits with tandem willow leaf blades are such phenomenal lures for northern pike. Chartreuse also works well in more stained water. Because pike’s eyes don’t adjust well to seeing in low-light conditions, you really want a lure that presents a better silhouette. This is why colors like red and black perform very well on overcast days or in very stained water.

18. Are You Supposed to Kill Pike?

No! While some anglers (particularly bass fishermen) think that they should kill northern pike, this could wreck havoc on an ecosystem. Northern pike are a valuable predator that keeps pesky panfish from becoming too prevalent. Without pike in the lake, these panfish can devastate bass beds. Thus, do your best to return northern pike safely to the water.

19. Do Northern Pike Have Predators?

Northern pike have many predators when they are young, as pretty much anything in the lake that can fit pike fry into their mouths will do so early and often. This is a good way to prevent these fish from growing into a troublesome apex predator. Some common animals that prey on young pike include perch and aquatic birds. As pike grow, they are typically the top predator in their lake with the only fish that could reasonably continue to prey on them being muskellunge.

20. Do Northern Pike Bite at Night?

Northern pike are site hunters who rely on catching a glimpse of their prey and then ambushing it with a burst of incredible speed. Thus, they are much less active at night. While you can often catch them early in the evening, they are not renowned for producing a fantastic night bite, like largemouth bass. You will note that many of the best pike lures are designed to produce a great flash and this requires sunlight. Once it starts getting darker you’ll have far less pike (and chain pickerel for that matter) start to bite.

21. How Can You Tell the Difference Between a Northern Pike and Pickerel?

Many people commonly misidentify chain pickerel as northern pike. The chain pickerel is a smaller member of the Esox family. It has a much brighter green coloration and a chain like “bar” pattern whereas northern pike are spotted. Additionally, you can look at their submandular pores (basically, little holes on their chin). Northern pike tend to have 10 submandular pores while chain pickerel have 7-8.

Northern Pike caught on Lake Champlain
Northern Pike
Chain Pickerel caught on Lake Champlain
Chain Pickerel

If you still need help, check out my more detailed blog post on how to tell northern pike and pickerel apart.

22. Where Do Pike Hang Out?

Northern pike hang out in different parts of a lake depending on the time of year. Right after ice out, you can find them in extremely shallow water at the backs of bays. They are difficult if not impossible to catch at this time as they are spawning. They then move out to deeper areas in the 8-15′ range, usually over some sort of cover like weed beds. During the height of summer, they will seek out cooler water which is often in the 30 – 50′ range. During the fall, they return to those same marginally deep weed beds to hunt food and prepare for winter.

23. What’s the Best Bait for Pike?

The best bait for pike is something they’d want to eat naturally. Pike prefer soft-rayed fish such as smelt over pointy fish like perch or bluegill. Use a cylindrical-shaped soft rayed bait fish that has oils that will permeate into the water attracting pike to them for the best results. Smelt, alewives, small whitefish, chubs, and chubs all make great baits. Many people specifically fish for suckers too as they believe these to be amazing pike baits.

24. What is the Best Time of Day to Fish for Pike?

As with most fish, you’ll have your best luck catching pike during the early morning or evening, when they are most active. However, pike can be caught throughout the day and many people claim mid-morning is the best time. There may be some merit to that as pike are sight hunters and the mid-morning sun will give your lure’s flash the best chance to catch their eye. Most agree that pike aren’t particularly active at night and the bite will drop off.

25. What Time of Year are Pike Most Active?

The two best times of year to catch a quality northern pike are going to be the spring and fall. At these times, the waters near the shore are cool enough that even big pike will come up relatively shallow where it is easier to catch them. Pike will also be in the mood to eat, either trying to replenish themselves after spawning in the spring, or trying to beef up for the long winter ahead.

26. What Water Temperature do Pike Like?

Large northern pike are considered a cool water fish and will often seek out cold waters, especially during the height of summer. While many people consider the pike’s preferred temperature range to be about 60-65°F, Dick Sternberg was quoted in In Fisherman – Pike: A Handbook of Strategies as having found pike stacked closely together in water much colder (closer to 50°F!) during the summer. The bigger the pike are, the cooler the temperature they prefer.

27. What is Considered a Trophy Northern Pike?

What is considered a trophy northern pike is going to be different in different places, but most North American anglers would consider any pike over 20lbs to be a true trophy. Another indicators is how long it is. Not everyone has a scale on them but many anglers have a ruler. A pike over 40″ would be considered a trophy by most, but this is again dependent on where you’re fishing. For example, to qualify for the Vermont Master Angler Program, a northern pike must be at least 36″.

28. Are Pike Active in Winter?

Pike feed very actively compared to most gamefish in winter. They are more active early and late in winter, but can be caught in midwinter too, assuming you can find them. They are easier to locate early and late in the winter as they’ll be in the same weedy bays you’ll eventually find them in the spring.

29. What Depth do Pike Like in Winter?

During early winter, you’ll find pike in shallow weedy bays, but by midwinter most have moved out into deeper water and concentrate on rock piles, humps, and deep points. They then return to the shallows in late winter and start feeding heavily to prepare for their spawn which happens shortly after ice out.

30. How Deep do Northern Pike Go?

Northern pike can be found at all depths of the lake throughout the year. During their spawn, they will be extremely shallow in the backends of bays. In the spring and fall, you will often find them in 8 – 12′ of water at the edge of weedlines. During the height of summer, they will seek out cool water zones and can be found as deep as 30 – 50′ in search of it.

31. Do I Need a Leader for Pike?

Most dedicated pike anglers would recommend that you use a wire leader when fishing for these toothy predators. Certainly, this will help save you money on lures, and disappointment at seeing a once doubled-over rod suddenly straighten. Pike lures can be very pricy, especially larger jerkbaits, so the peace of mind a leader provides can be well worth it.

With that said, I don’t generally put leaders on spinnerbaits, even if I’m fishing for pike. These lures move so rapidly through the water that they generally are fine without a leader. The only time I’ve had a pike break me off with a spinnerbait was when they hit right as the lure landed and before it could get to speed.

32. Are Spinners Good for Pike?

Inline spinners are, along with spoons, some of the more traditional “pike lures.” Spinners are great at attracting pike as they have a lot of flash and also are generally retrieved quickly through the water. This provokes the predator’s instinct to hunt, chase, and kill. The only problem with inline spinners is that they are much more likely to be bit off than a spinnerbait because they don’t have a wire arm protecting the line. Accordingly, consider using a wire leader when fishing for northern pike with a spinner.

33. Do Pike Hit Topwaters in the Fall?

Fall is a great time to catch northern pike as they are extremely aggressive at this time of year. While they will hit all lures, topwater lures can provide some amazing action in the fall. One of my favorite fishing YouTubers, NDYakAngler, posted this video in early fall. As you can see, northern pike had no issues attacking his offerings that time of year.

34. What is the Best Lure for Northern Pike?

My favorite lure for catching northern pike is the simple spinnerbait. While it isn’t as glamorous as a giant musky lure, nor as traditional as a spoon, the spinnerbait has some key advantages. For one, it rarely requires the use of a leader as the bent wire frame offers some protection from the pike’s teeth. Secondly, it is a lure that allows you to catch many other species at the same time. Whereas a largemouth bass might have doubts about hitting a huge pike jerkbait, they’ll surely hit a spinnerbait. Finally, these are durable lures that can stand up to repeated punishment from pike. Certain jerkbaits, in contrast, have such thin hooks that they’re constantly breaking each time a pike hits, which can get annoying quick.

35. How Do You Dead Bait for Pike?

Some ice fishermen feel that dead bait works better for nothern pike than live bait, especially when the pike are inactive and don’t want to chase their food. However, there is a trick to hooking them you should be aware of. Many times, the initial strike of a pike will hit a baitfish from the side. To ensure a proper hookup, you will want to pause and allow the fish to take some line until they have a chance to move the bait in their mouth and successfully eat it before setting the hook.

36. How Do You Catch Northern Pike From Shore?

The trick to consistently catching northern pike from shore is finding a section of shoreline that has access to deep water. Larger northern pike are rarely in the shallows, so you’ll want to fish somewhere that you can cast into 6-20′ of water easily. If you can find a shoreline that has a weed edge abutting the deeper water, all the better.

While a good pair of waders will help in extending your reach, look on topographic maps for points and such that drop into deeper water quickly to enhance your chances.

37. Are There Pike in Canals?

There are northern pike in canals, especially in Europe. These are essentially man-made rivers and so long as there is enough structure, cover, and food, pike will be present. Further, canals often connect other waterbodies to each other. There is no reason pike wouldn’t follow along if their habitat requirements are met.

38. Where Do Big Pike Go in the Summer?

During the summer, big pike go deep. They are often caught by folks trolling for salmon by accident and can be found at depths of 30 to 50′ with some even lower. They are usually cruising around deep underwater islands searching for cisco or other prey. The water temperatures are much cooler down there, which larger pike certainly prefer. If you want to catch a true monster in the summer peak you should consider searching for these underwater islands and points and seeing what you can jig up.

39. What is a Good Pike Rod?

There are a few qualities to look for in a fishing rod for northern pike. First, it should be long enough that you can cast your lure out far to cover a lot of water. It should also be strong enough to throw the big lures that you’ll often use when casting for pike, and to handle them when they attack. While you could use a dedicated muskie rod, that might be a bit overkill for the situation. I tend to use medium-heavy rods by St. Croix when I’m fishing for northerns. The St. Croix Premier model is a reliable rod you can trust and that will stand the test of time.

While many folks would consider baitcasting reels the better option for fishing for pike, it really doesn’t matter. Most guides out there who are in the business of taking novices out are going to be using spinning rods, and they land plenty of fish worthy of a photo. Use whatever makes you comfortable.

Northern pike caught on Bulwagga Bay in Lake Champlain
I had no issues catching this northern pike on a regular old bass rod.

40. What Do I Need For Pike Fishing?

There is no reason northern pike fishing can’t be accessible to everyone. All you need to get started are the following five items:

  1. Fishing license or permit;
  2. A good rod and reel combo (a medium-heavy rod works great).
  3. Some braided line (20lb test on a spinning rod, 30lb test on a baitcaster).
  4. A spinnerbait with tandem willow blades (1/2oz works well for starters).
  5. A good pair of long needle nose plyers.

Additionally, some sort of net would come in handy. I prefer nets with a rubber coating as they are easier on the fish.

Note that I didn’t mention a leader. While these are useful for some lures, I don’t find them as necessary when tossing spinnerbaits.

41. Are Pike Active in the Fall?

Fall is one of the best times of year to catch northern pike. The water cools down and the toothy critters start chomping at everything they can to prepare for the long winter ahead. Try throwing a white tandem willow spinnerbait over submerged weeds near a drop off and hold on.

42. What is a Good Hook Size for Pike?

You will want to use larger hooks when fishing for northern pike. Hooks in the 1/0 to 3/0 range work well when ice fishing for them. When you are casting, use hooks that are about the same size as those on a spinnerbait. You’ll want something strong enough to handle this fish as they are known to bend and destroy lesser offerings. Also, ensure you’re using a leader if there is any chance the pike’s razer sharp teeth can get near your line.

43. Do Pike Swim in Schools?

Northern pike do not generally swim in schools, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be several hanging around the same area. It’s not uncommon to catch several in the same bay or along the same drift, and occasionally they’ll be quite close to each other. With that being said, they don’t normally follow each other around throughout a lake as true schooling fish do. They simply are willing to tolerate each other in the same general area.

44. When Do Pike Spawn?

Pike spawn very early in the year (typically March – May) when the water temperature is between 40 to 45 degrees. In some parts of the country, this means shortly after ice-out, or even while there is still some ice on the surface. They tend to spawn in very shallow bays that are thick with vegetation.

If you’re interested in knowing more, I also wrote a full article about when northern pike spawn.

45. Do Pike Live in Saltwater?

When I went to research this, I thought for sure the answer would be no, but I was wrong. An angler from Europe has written a great article on fishing for northern pike in saltwater, or more specifically, brackish water. It seems that there are plenty northern pike swimming around the brackish waters near Denmark, Northern Germany, and Sweden in the Baltic Sea.

According to that author, many rivers dump freshwater into the generally sheltered Baltic Sea which makes several marshes tolerably brackish for northern pike. Thus, if you’re seeking a saltwater pike it would seem heading across the pond is going to be your best bet.

46. What are Hybrid Pike?

Northern pike can breed with several other species in the Esox family, but their offspring are sterile. This makes such hybrids quite rare. The most common hybrid pike is a cross between a northern pike and a chain pickerel. They basically look like bright green pike but often have some stripes across them along with their bars. Their tails also have a distinct shape from northerns.

If you’re interested in catching a hybrid pike, one of the better places to search is Lake Champlain. Captain Mick Maynard of www.LakeChamplainAngler.com routinely pulls these in throughout the year. Granted, it is a bit of a lottery, but your chances are better there fishing with Captain Mick than going it alone. Book your trip with him today!

Northern pike - chain pickerel hybrid
Photo credit of Captain Mick Maynard of www.LakeChamplainAnger.com

47. Do Pike Have Anticoagulant?

While many fishermen swear northern pike have an anticoagulant that makes you bleed more, there is no scientific evidence to support this fact. Pike do not have saliva to hold an anticoagulant in the first place. The reason pike bites make you bleed so much is because pike have razer sharp teeth. When viewed under an electron microscope, their teeth look like blades. Other fish who are thought to have “sharp” teeth, such as walleye, don’t even come close when viewed under the same microscope. If you want more details, check out my post on if northern pike anticoagulant is true or just a bloody myth.

48. What are Good Books About Northern Pike?

There are several great books about northern pike that have been published over the years. My favorite, hands down, is In-Fisherman’s Pike: A Handbook of Strategies. However, this can be hard to find at times as it goes in and out of printing. Another good one is The Freshwater Anglers’ Northern Pike and Muskie by Dick Sternberg. There are several others for sale, but these are two I keep going back to. I have several copies of the In-Fisherman book and it was one of the first fishing books I loved and adored as a kid!

49. What is the World Record Pike?

The IGFA keeps detailed records of northern pike in various categories.

The IGFA All-Tackle World Record for a northern pike was a 55lb 1oz specimen caught by Lothar Louis on October 16, 1986 on Lake of Grefeern, Germany.

By length, the IFGA All-Tackle World Record northern pike was 124 cm (just under 49 inches) caughy by Michelangelo Schenone on September 23, 2021 on Lake Maggiore, Italy.

To me, one of the more impressive records comes down to line class. On August 10, 1990, Rick Townsend caught a 23lb 15oz northern pike on just 2lb test line! That’s a true example of mastery!

If you’re interested in checking out the rest of the records, the IGFA keeps an extensive list that can be found here.

50. Where Do Northern Pike Grow the Biggest?

Northern pike grow significantly larger in Europe than the United States. If you’re looking for your best shot at catching a true giant, Ireland and Germany are both great places to start. Indeed, in years before IGFA records started being kept, there were reports of pike approaching 100lbs coming out of Ireland. Some of these “records” are from hundreds of years ago at this point, so it is anyone’s guess just how factual they are.

Conclusions

Hopefully you had as much fun reading this as I did typing it. While it might just be a collection of tidbits, at least you didn’t have to scroll through endless pages to read the information! Have any other questions about northern pike that I didn’t answer? Leave a comment or drop me an email and I’ll look into it for you!

Thanks for reading,

John Paxton

Pike Anticoagulant: A Myth, or the Bloody Truth?

I had an idea awhile back to write an article filled with questions and answers about northern pike. I ultimately decided to break it up into several larger blog posts, so I could answer each question in detail. Of all the things people asked, “Do pike have an anticoagulant on their teeth,” was, by far, the most interesting to me.

Apparently, many fishermen are convinced that northern pike have an anticoagulant on their teeth, either in their saliva (which fish don’t have, to spoil things) or from some sort of bacteria. They swear this is true because they claim that when a pike bites you, the wound takes longer to heal than one would think it should. But is there any actual evidence that this is the case?

Well, in short, I certainly wasn’t able to find any evidence, whatsoever, that pike really have an anticoagulant on their teeth. I scoured the internet for an answer to the question, but was unable to find any scientific backing for the claim. Even when I really dressed things up and searched, “Esocid anticoagulant” I found nothing regarding the fish (though, of interest, there is a medicine of a strikingly similar name with these properties). The nearest thing I could find to an “authority” was this article by Outdoor Canada, but it didn’t provide any source or backing for its claim.

Why Do People Think Pike Have Anticoagulant on Their Teeth?

When a northern pike bites you, the wound bleeds badly and for a long time. It’s no wonder pike get romanticized as being dangerous to humans. There are multiple anglers on various fishing forums who attribute this to an anticoagulant, or bacteria. They often remark that they don’t bleed nearly as badly when a walleye bites them. This despite the fact that walleye also have sharp teeth, at least to the naked eye.

However, on page 18 of in The Freshwater Angler’s Northern Pike and Muskie, you’ll clearly find the actual reason. The teeth of Esocids like northern pike and muskie are significantly sharper than a walleye’s. Indeed, this book has images of both side by side. While I’m not at liberty to reproduce the photo, I can describe them. The Esocid teeth are shaped like razor blades with a sharp cutting edge. In contrast, walleye teeth are round.

Think of it like this. Have you ever cut yourself badly while shaving? Just how long did that take to heal? Likely longer than if you nicked yourself on a sharp piece of plastic, right? This is because the razor blade cut so much cleaner. Northern pike have the same thing going for their teeth.

Other Theories

People also think northern pike make you bleed so much because they have some sort of bacteria on their teeth. They very well may. Still, I wasn’t able to find any scientific research stating such bacteria acted as a coagulant.

A more likely theory is very simple. You’re most likely going to be cut by a pike on a wet hand, right? Well, the water on your hand mixes with the blood and makes it appear worse. Further, the water inhibits your blood from drying and clotting.

Conclusions

While there is no lack of people claiming pike have an anticoagulant, there is a complete lack of scientific evidence to support it. First, fish don’t have saliva. Secondly, I was unable to locate any research pinning bloody pike bites on their bacteria. Instead, the reason why pike bites bleed so much is simple. Pike have razor sharp teeth. It’s not rocket science that getting bit by one is going to hurt and bleed like crazy!

I hope this helps assuage your fears.

Thanks for reading,

John Paxton

When Do Northern Pike Spawn? A Complete Guide

While most anglers have heard stories of fishing for bass on the beds, you don’t often hear of people fishing for northern pike during their spawn, and for good reason. Throughout much of their range, pike spawn very early in the season before most casting anglers are seriously thinking of fishing.

What Time of Year Do Pike Spawn?

Northern pike spawn at different times of year depending on the ice breakup as well a latitude and climate. A good rule of thumb is that northern pike spawn shortly after ice out. In parts of Ireland, this can mean February. In New England, it is March to April. Deep in Alaska or Russia, some pike have been observed to spawn into July. It really depends on where you are.

If you aren’t quite certain when pike spawn in your area, a good rule of thumb would be to check if there are any local regulations prohibiting fishing for them at certain times of the year. Some states and local waterbodies prohibit fishing for pike during the spawn. The closed pike season is when pike normally spawn in a given area.

Where Does Pike Spawning Take Place?

Northern pike tend to spawn in weeds in the shallows. They’ll either swim up streams to find backwater marshes, or find shallow water bays off a main lake. They prefer silted and sandy bottoms to rocks, and will look for areas that are about 40 to 45° F, which generally means locations that have recently experienced ice out.

In rivers, pike seek out calmer areas in the shallows to give their eggs, and eventual fry, a better shot at survival

Do Pike Spawn at a Certain Depth?

Pike tend to spawn in very shallow water. Ideally, they deposit eggs in waters from about 6″ to 3 feet in depth. Their eggs sink slowly and are quite sticky, so they tend to attach to the vegetation found at these depths early in the year. This gives the eggs a better chance of survival.

How Do Pike Spawn?

Unlike bass which build nests, northern pike are random spawners, meaning that they deposit their eggs across a wide range. The process by which pike spawn is as follows:

  • Male pike move into the spawning area a few days before the females.
  • Spawning takes place over a period of about 5 to 10 days, during which it’s very difficult to get a pike to bite.
  • As the females release eggs and the males release milt, the males go crazy, thrashing their tales to try and help scatter the eggs to give individuals a better chance of hatching. Sometimes, they over do it and injure themselves (on occasion, mortally)!
  • The females leave the spawning area before the males do. While the male pike stick around for several weeks after the spawn, they don’t actually protect the eggs like bass do.

How Long Do Pike Spawn For?

The actual act of Northern Pike spawning takes about 5 to 10 days, but they’re in the spawning grounds for longer than that. Males show up a few days earlier than females to stage, and stay a few weeks after spawning completes. Thus, you can find pike in spawning areas for approximately a month or so.

How Long Does it Take Pike Eggs to Hatch?

A 1965 study by D.R. Swift (source) found that water temperature was key to determining how fast northern pike eggs would develop and hatch. Swift found that the number of days it took for pike eggs to hatch ranged from 26 days in 43°F water to only 5 days once the water temperature reached 61°F. Granted, in most waters, pike prefer to spawn in water much cooler than 61°F, so the likely egg incubation range is between about 12 to 26 days.

What Spawns First, Pike or Muskie?

Northern pike tend to spawn earlier than muskie. This is because pike prefer to spawn in water temperatures of about 40 to 45°F, whereas muskie prefer 49 to 59°F. While muskie usually spawn a bit deeper than pike, this doesn’t save their young from predation from the older pike fry. As a consequence, fishery managers need to be cognizant of this when selecting areas to stock with muskies. When placed in waters with high populations of pike, it can be challenging for muskie to survive.

Can You Catch Pike During Their Spawn?

By all accounts it is extremely difficult to catch pike during the actual spawn. Indeed, if you are catching a northern pike during their spawn and in their spawning marsh, chances are you’ve caught one that either hasn’t started spawning yet, or has already finished. During the act itself, pike rarely bite. However, they can be caught prior to and after completing their spawn.

northern pike caught during post spawn
Judging from my toasty outfit, this pike was likely caught not too long after spawn.

You should certainly check your local regulations before attempting to fish for pike during their spawn. Some countries, states, or even specific lakes within states forbid fishing for pike during their spawning season. Others don’t bother regulating it. It all comes down to how the locality treats the resource.

For example, in Connecticut, you can fish for northern pike year round in most waters, but not in Bantam Lake. This is because Bantam Lake is designated as a northern pike lake, and fishing for the species is prohibited between March 1 to April 30 in an effort to protect the spawn.

SHOULD You Catch Pike During This Vulnerable Time?

While many places prohibit fishing for pike during their spawn, others don’t. However, just because you can do something doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. Pike are quite vulnerable during their spawn. They are stacked up and relatively easy to find when you know where to look. While you probably won’t have luck catching them while they’re spawning, they will feed before and after the act.

Unfortunately, the act of spawning in and of itself is exhausting for pike. Males thrash so violently during the act that they often injure themselves severely. Catching one could plausibly put one over the edge. If you’re interested in maintaining quality fishing for years to come, I would suggest you avoid fishing for pike during their spawn, even when it’s legal.

By taking this simple step, and giving these important creatures a fighting chance, you can help quality preserve fishing for your children and grandchildren for years to come.

Thanks for reading,

John Paxton