Species

Northern pike

A fast ambush predator with a duck-bill mouth that strikes from cover and is one of the most popular predatory fish.

Esox lucius

Photo: Arnstein Rønning, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, adjusted to 3:2

Spawning: March to May (general guide, varies with water temperature and region)
German Red List: not threatened
Typical method: Lure fishing (spinning)
Top bait: Soft plastic shad

Plan a day fishing for Northern pike

How to recognise it

Long, cylindrical body with a flat, duck-bill mouth
Dorsal and anal fins sit far back, close to the tail fin
Green-brown back with pale spots, light to white belly

Easily confused with: Young pike are sometimes mistaken for zander: the pike has just one dorsal fin set far back, the zander has two, the front one spiny.

How to catch it

Methods: Lure fishing (spinning), Static fishing with a dead bait fish, Fly fishing with streamers

Baits: Soft plastic shad, Spoon, Plug (crankbait), Dead bait fish

During the day and at dusk, especially in spring after spawning and in autumn.

Habitat and food

A resident fish of lakes, ponds and calm river stretches, often close to the bank near reeds and plants. Some pike hunt in the open water of large lakes, and it also lives in brackish water.

Eats mainly fish, including its own kind, plus frogs, young waterfowl and small mammals.

Size and age

Older pike usually 60 to 100 cm, in good conditions up to 150 cm and over 20 kg (Wikipedia). FishBase: max. 150 cm (females), heaviest published weight 28.4 kg, maximum age 30 years.

Protection and rules

Conservation status: German Red List (freshwater fish 2023): not threatened. IUCN: not threatened (Least Concern, 2022).

Check the rules

Closed seasons and minimum sizes are set by each German state (and by each country abroad) and can be stricter on individual waters. We are building an overview with sources and check dates. Until then, check the local fishing regulations and the rules of the club or permit for your water.

In the kitchen

Lean, rather dry flesh, good for dumplings or fillets; watch out for the Y-bones along the back, which you can remove in a neat strip.

Sources (3)

Last checked 2026-10-10. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].

Know more?

Additions, photos of your catches or a mistake in the text: write to us and we will gladly credit you as a helper.

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