Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
Esox lucius is not currently threatened by extinction. The Departments of Natural Resources in states where they occur keep a close watch on population levels and can augment populations by stocking streams with Esox lucius raised in hatcheries.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
State of Michigan List: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
There are no negative effects of northern pike on humans.
Esox lucius is a prized game fish throughout its range and is a commercial food fish in eastern Europe.
Positive Impacts: food
Esox lucius are a carnivorous fish. Equipped with sharp teeth and very complex skull and jaw structures they are predators of smaller fish, frogs, crayfish, small mammals and birds.
Animal Foods: birds; mammals; amphibians; fish; aquatic crustaceans
Primary Diet: carnivore (Piscivore )
Esox lucius are native to North America and Eurasia. They are found from Labrador west to Alaska, south to Pennsylvannia, Missouri and Nebraska. In Europe they are found throughout northern and western Europe, south throughout Spain and east to Siberia.
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); palearctic (Native )
Other Geographic Terms: holarctic
Esox lucius are found in almost every type of freshwater, from cold deep lakes, to warm shallow ponds, to muddy rivers. Having a broad range of tolerances for water temperature, clarity and oxygen content allows E. lucius to be "one of the most adaptable freshwater species" (Steinberg, 1992, pg. 20).
Aquatic Biomes: lakes and ponds; rivers and streams
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 10.0 years.
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 6.8 years.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 24.0 years.
Northern pike average 46-51 cm (18-20 inches) in length. They can be identified by their single dorsal fin and light-colored spots along their dark body. They are also recognized by scales that cover their entire cheek and the upper half of their gill covers. Their close relative, the muskellunge (Esox masquinongy), have scales covering only the upper half of their cheek and gill covers. The sides of E. lucius vary from dark shades of green to olive green to brown, with 7 to 9 rows of yellowish, bean-shaped spots. The underside is white to cream-colored.
Range mass: 0.5 to 1.4 kg.
Other Physical Features: bilateral symmetry
Northern pike are considered random spawners not nest builders. Spawning occurs in the shallows when the water temperature reaches 4-7 degress Celsius (40-45 degrees Fahrenheit). Spawning lasts for 5 to 10 days after which the female leaves. Males remain in the spawning area for several weeks, but do not protect the eggs. At this stage the eggs are vulnerable to predators. The eggs that do survive hatch in about 2 weeks. With their insatiable eating habits young E. lucius grow rapidly in both length and weight. Males become sexually mature at 2-3 years-old and females at 3-4 years-old.
Breeding season: Spawning occurs in the spring.
Average gestation period: 2 weeks.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 3-4 years.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 2-3 years.
Key Reproductive Features: fertilization (External ); oviparous
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male: 889 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 1116 days.
