Pike

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The sharp-toothed predator pike has been familiar to almost everyone since childhood; one only has to remember the fairy tale about Emelya. Many would like to catch such a magical specimen that makes wishes come true. In our country, this fish is not at all uncommon; it prefers freshwater bodies of water. But besides the common pike, there are other species. Let's learn everything about this predatory fish in more detail by analyzing its habits, life rhythm and other important features.

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Pike

Pike is a predator fish belonging to the pike family, the class of ray-finned fish and the order Pike-shaped. To move on to the description of this fish, it is necessary to characterize its varieties, because they differ from each other not only in their places of distribution, but also in their external features. The pike genus has seven varieties of this fish. Two species of pike live on the territory of our country - common and Amur, and the remaining five are registered on the North American continent.

The common pike is the most numerous and has settled in both North America and Eurasia. We will look at this variety in more detail later; using its example, we will consider the external features of the fish.

Redfin pike (American) has a permanent residence in the east of the North American continent and is classified into two subspecies: northern redfin pike and grass (southern) pike. The length of these subspecies can reach up to 45 cm, and the weight is about a kilogram. A distinctive feature of these pikes is their shorter head. The grass pike does not have an orange color on its fins.

Video: Pike

Musking pike are very rare. She is the largest in her family. Its name means “ugly pike” in the Indian language. It is also called giant, because mature specimens can be more than one and a half meters long and weigh about 32 kg. The color can be silver, greenish, brown, and the fish is striped or spotted on the sides.

The striped (black) pike is very similar in appearance to the common pike, its body length can reach up to 60 cm, and its weight is about 2 kg, although there were also specimens weighing more than four kilograms. On the sides of this pike there is a pattern similar to a mosaic, and an almost black stripe runs over the eyes of the fish.

The Amur pike is smaller in size than the common pike; the largest specimens can reach a length of slightly more than a meter and weigh about 20 kg. The scales of the fish are small and have a silvery or greenish-golden color; brownish spots are located throughout the body of the pike, which makes its color similar to the color of taimen.

There are also pike hybrids bred by humans. Such individuals are not adapted to reproduction in the wild, and therefore are not an independent population.

Pike fish

The common pike belongs to the pike family. It is common in many fresh water bodies of Eurasia, as well as North America. Often, along with the common pike, in some reservoirs, its individual subspecies are found. Most often, pike stick to coastal zones. Here she finds shelter from the sun's rays, and also organizes an ambush for small fish. This fish is also found in some areas of the seas, in those areas where large freshwater rivers flow into the seas. Pike tolerate slightly brackish water. But if the water is not highly saturated with oxygen, then respiratory depression occurs and the fish dies. This explains the fact that in many stagnant reservoirs, pike die in winter if there is no access to oxygen.

Appearance and features

Photo: Pike fish

We will describe the appearance of the pike and all its characteristic features using the example of the common pike, the weight of which varies from 25 to 35 kg, and the length of the body reaches one and a half meters. The pike has a torpedo-shaped figure, the head of the fish is of considerable size, it is slightly elongated, because has elongated jaws. The upper jaw is flattened to the lower jaw, which, in turn, protrudes forward. This is the distinctive feature of the toothy predator. The teeth on the lower jaw have different dimensions, which makes it easier to capture the victim.

From above, the teeth are much smaller and point directly into the throat of the fish. Because of this feature, the caught victim is easily swallowed, but it is almost impossible for it to escape. Changing teeth is very typical for pikes, but the teeth do not change all at once, this process occurs in stages. The predator's eyes are rather large and set quite high, this helps her gaze at a large area without turning around.

If we talk about the colors of pike, they come in different colors. It depends on the body of water where the fish has settled, on the vegetation that predominates there and on the age of the predator itself.

The main tone of the fish can be:

grayish green;
yellowish-gray;
grayish-brown;
silvery (found in lake fish).

On the back, the pike always has a darker color, and on the sides of the fish there are brownish or greenish spots or stripes located across. The paired fins of the pike are orange, while the unpaired fins can be brown or gray with a yellowish tint. All fins have a rounded, streamlined shape, including the tail.

It has been noticed that female pike individuals are larger in size than male ones, their physique is not so elongated and their life expectancy is longer.

The urogenital openings are different in males and females. In males it is narrow, slit-like, has the color of the womb, and in females it looks like an oval depression, around which a pinkish ridge is visible.

An unusual classification of pike regarding its size exists among fishermen.

They highlight:

grass, which lives in small rivers and lakes, its length in rare cases reaches half a meter, and its weight does not exceed two kilograms;
deep-sea pike, which is found in deep-water rivers and large lakes, where the depth can be more than five meters. Such individuals grow up to one and a half meters in length and weigh about 35 kg, but are more often caught weighing from two to five kilograms.

This division of fish is arbitrary and not scientifically supported in any way. Most likely, the young live in shallow water so as not to become dinner for their large relatives, and there is more food near the shore. Adult pikes go deeper, choosing pools and underwater holes.

Maximum size and lifespan

The maximum length of pike reaches one and a half meters. In this case, the weight can reach up to 30 kg. But more often there are individuals up to 1 m 30 cm long and weighing up to 15 kg. Pike lives on average up to 20-25 years. Of course, in some old fishing books you can find information about simply amazing specimens over 200 years old. But this data is rather a myth and should not be taken seriously.

We recommend reading: Detailed description of carp fish and its species with photos

By the end of the first year of life, the pike has a length of 15 - 25 cm. Size and weight directly depend on the habitat. The presence of a good food supply has a positive effect on the growth rate of fish. The same can be said about the appropriate temperature. Therefore, in the southern regions it grows much faster than in the northern regions. Reaches sexual maturity in the third year of life. At this point, its length ranges from 32 to 41 cm. In the tenth year of life, the pike usually reaches the mark of 1 meter. From this moment on it is considered a truly trophy specimen.

Where do pike live?

Photo: Pike animal

Pike is a typical inhabitant of freshwater bodies of water in Eurasia and North America. It can choose both coastal areas, which are overgrown with thick grass and reeds, as well as pools and holes located at great depths.

Grass (southern) pike live in the Mississippi River and other rivers flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. Black (striped) pike prefers to settle in lakes and overgrown rivers located from the south of Canada to the American state of Florida; its habitat reaches the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. Amur pike lives in the reservoirs of Sakhalin Island, as well as in the Amur River. Italian pike has chosen the waters of northern and central Italy.

Pike also feels great in the waters of desalinated seas. For example, in the Finnish, Curonian, Riga bays of the Baltic, in the Taganrog Gulf of the Sea of Azov.

In our country, the common pike inhabits almost every second body of water. She lives in large and small rivers, reservoirs, ponds, and lakes. This toothy predator is unpretentious in choosing its permanent place of residence; here it can be compared with an ordinary crucian carp.

In lakes, young pike live close to the shore in grass, under snags, and sunken boats. Growing up to three to four kilograms, they move deeper into the lakes, finding their refuge in holes and pools. In rivers, both juveniles and adults live near the banks.

Many people mistakenly believe that pike can live for several centuries; this is not true at all. Usually pike live from 18 to 20 years, there are some specimens that live up to 30, but this is extremely rare. Often, when there is a lack of oxygen in the water, pike die, usually in winter in small enclosed reservoirs.

Common pike

The origin of the name of this fish is unknown. Some fishermen, especially Russian ones, believe that the predator was named after the shape of its body. Regardless of size, pike is always thin or frail (photo below). They claim that this is a derivative of the Old Slavonic “kill”, “cut”.

Description, appearance

Depending on growth conditions and food supply, pike in nature can grow up to 150 cm and weigh 35 kg. The pike's body shape resembles a torpedo. The head is large, with a very wide mouth. The color of the predator depends on the main colors of the soil of the reservoir, the transparency of the water and the colors of the main aquatic plants. The color of pike varies from gray-brown to gray-yellow.
The back is painted in darker colors, and olive or brown spots are scattered on the sides. The paired fins of the fish are colored in orange shades, while the unpaired fins are yellow-gray or dark red with dark spotting. You can catch an albino pike, its color is silver.
The female can be identified by the shape of the reproductive and waste openings. In them it looks like an oval depression in the body, which is surrounded by a pink cushion. In the male it has the shape of a narrow slit.

The lower jaw protrudes slightly forward; teeth are located here, capturing peaceful fish. They have different sizes. In general, the entire mouth and even the tongue of the pike are covered with several rows of teeth, the main purpose of which is not chewing food, but reliable fixation.

What family of fish do pikes belong to?

This question can be answered short and concisely. Pike are bony fish:

class Ray-finned,
order Pike-like,
Pike family.

Types and varieties of pike

There are 5 main species of pike in the world's waters.

Two species have spread across Eurasia:

ordinary, or northern;
Amur

The three remaining species have spread across the waters of the American continent:

the largest freshwater one is the Muskinong;
striped species of predator;
redfins.

One of the most common fish that lives in rivers and lakes of the Asian, European and American regions is the northern or common fish. The Amur species of predator is distributed throughout the Amur and its tributaries and on the Sakhalin Peninsula.

Redfin pike and its two subspecies (northern and grassy) are found in water bodies of the northern part of the American continent.

The largest freshwater pike is considered to be the muskie, but there is also an armored one that can live in the sea. These species, having reached 300–400 mm in length at 4–5 years, begin to spawn. The striped species of predator can be found in lakes with stagnant water or in river dams. It actively feeds on various types of invertebrates.

Predators of all species can interbreed with each other, this is due to the same number of chromosomes. But this can be done in fish nurseries. Small species become sexually mature at 2 years.

Shelled pike

This predator has not changed over the entire period of evolution. She lived on the planet during the era of dinosaurs. It can reach a length of 3 m, and inexperienced fishermen may mistake it for an alligator. Its second name is alligator fish. You can catch such a trophy on the coast of Cuba and the Caribbean. The eastern coast of Central and North America is a place where fans of catching trophy armored pike can enjoy landing a particularly large specimen.

Black pike

One of the striped subspecies, found in all freshwater rivers and lakes of North America. It is caught in Canada, on the Mississippi, and the Great Lakes. This small predator, 600 mm long and weighing up to 4 kg, is a desired trophy for every angler. This is a very beautiful fish, with a beautiful mosaic-like color on its sides, resembling an ordinary pike in appearance. The main distinguishing feature is a dark stripe on the head near the eyes.

Chukotka and Amur pikes

This fish is especially loved by our fishermen. Lives on the Amur. It is slightly smaller in size compared to the northern pike, but can provide many unforgettable minutes when fishing for a 20-kilogram predator that is 1 m tall. A distinctive feature is golden-green or silvery small scales with many black or brown dots on the body. In the wild you can find Amur or Chukchi pike aged 14 years.

What does pike eat?

Photo: Pike in the water

The usual feeding hours for pike are early in the morning and evening; during the day, the predator is engaged in digestion, resting in a secluded place. Pike eats three times a year, then it feeds around the clock. The first zhor occurs before spawning (usually in March-April), the second occurs after spawning (in May-June), and the third occurs in August-September, sometimes in October.

The menu of this avid sharp-toothed predator includes a huge variety of fish; pike feeds on:

roaches;
perches;
ruffs;
breams;
silver bream;
bulls;
minnows;
loaches;
pike.

It should not be surprising that this predatory fish happily eats its relatives. Cannibalism flourishes in the pike environment; a larger individual happily eats small pike, which is why these fish stay solitary and live apart from each other. In spring or at the very beginning of summer, pike can feast on both frogs and crayfish that are in the process of molting.

There have been cases when pike caught and pulled under the water small ducklings, rats, squirrels, mice, and waders swimming across the river.

Large pike individuals can attack ducks; this often happens when birds molt and cannot take off into the air. Also, large predators successfully catch fish whose size is half the size of the toothiest hunter or even a little more. Scientists studying the diet of pike have found that the menu of medium-sized pike consists mainly of fish, which are of no value and are numerous, so pike is very important for many fisheries, because it prevents the stocking of water bodies.

How long does he live?

During the first 10 years of life, pike actively grows. As the maximum size is reached, the ontogenesis of the fish slows down and stops. Linear and weight growth are influenced by two indicators:

temperature is the main climatic factor;
food in a pond - all plants and organisms available for food.

Ichthyologists determine the age of a fish by scales taken under the dorsal fin. Using a microscope, dark narrow and light wide rings are visible on them. Each such couple is one year lived. The method is used when the pike has not yet reached large sizes. How old a trophy predator is is determined by otoliths or ear stones and after dissection of the head.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Pike fish

As already mentioned, pikes prefer living alone, this is no wonder, because they always run the risk of becoming victims of their larger relative. Only sometimes very small squirrels can hunt, forming small flocks. In any body of water, pike searches for dense aquatic thickets, where it freezes, waiting for its next victim. Seeing its snack, the pike makes a swift attack with one sharp jerk.

Medium-sized fish acquire their own territory, ranging from 20 to 30 square meters, and larger individuals have plots reaching up to 70 square meters. Several toothy predators can live in one area at once. They hunt in turns, while the sated one is busy digesting, the other one waits for prey. Not only their acute vision helps pikes make successful attacks, but also their lateral line, which improves orientation in space (seismosensory orientation).

The pike always swallows its prey, starting from the head, even if it was captured across the body.

When the weather is calm and sunny, even very large pikes appear in shallow water to sunbathe, so sometimes you can see whole clusters of such large fish basking. The saturation of water with oxygen is of the utmost importance for pike, because the fish is very sensitive to this indicator and can die if there is a lack of it, this often happens in small reservoirs during harsh winter periods.

In general, pike is a cold-loving predator. It has been established that the fish that lives in the northern regions grow over a longer period and live much longer than the pike living in the southern waters, this is how nature arranged it.

Vision and other senses

Pike has excellent eyesight and is able to spot prey from a long distance. The viewing angle of the eyes is wide, thanks to this it monitors prey located on any side.

The predator distinguishes colors and is able to change the shade of its own body depending on the surrounding background. Fishermen have long been using pike's love of certain colors for their personal interests. Most of all, the toothy one loves colors that remind it of a natural fish. These are the baits that are often used by spinning fishermen. In addition, you can seduce the toothy one with bright red or yellow shades. The fact is that bright colors arouse her banal interest, and also provoke a predator. Lures of these colors often work in cloudy weather.

But to a greater extent, when hunting, pike rely on the lateral line. This is a special sensory organ of fish that allows them to sense vibration. The movements made by a fish swimming past become a source of vibration to which the predator reacts.

When hunting, pike also rely on their sense of smell. True, this sense organ is far from in first place. Sometimes the predator spits out the artificial bait immediately after grabbing it. This is partly explained by the fact that such an imitation does not smell like real fish. But even if the artificial bait has a natural smell, the attack occurs more often. It is for this reason that spinners often put pieces of fresh fish on the tee of their spinners.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Pike

Female pike become sexually mature around four years of age, and males at five years of age. The suitable temperature for starting spawning is from 3 to 6 degrees plus. Spawning occurs immediately after the ice melts, near the shore, where the water depth does not exceed one meter. At this time, pike can be seen in shallow water, where violent splashes are heard. Usually the small specimens begin to spawn first, then the heavier fish join them.

Despite the fact that pike is a solitary fish by nature, during the mating season these fish form small schools consisting of several males (from 3 to 5 pieces) and one female. The female, as the leader, swims in front, and the males follow her, clinging to her side or being above her back. Spawning pike can rub against snags, roots, reed and cattail stems, which is how they spawn. When the spawning process comes to an end, strong splashes are common, and some pikes make high jumps.

The fry develop from one to two weeks, and the young fish's menu includes small crustaceans, and a little later - fry of other fish.

One pike can lay from 17 to 215,000 sticky eggs, the diameter of which is about 3 mm. Their number directly depends on the size of the female. First they cling to aquatic plants. After a few days, the eggs cease to be sticky and sink to the bottom, detaching from the plants, where they continue to develop. If after spawning the water begins to rapidly subside, then the eggs mostly die.

It happens that the eggs stick to the paws of the birds that eat them, so they are transferred to other bodies of water where pike have not previously been observed.

It is worth noting that in those reservoirs where the food situation is difficult, pike fry, reaching sizes of only half a centimeter, begin to eat each other at such a young age.

Pike breeding

In the southern regions, pike spawning sometimes begins under the ice. But usually it begins to spawn when the ice melts. In this case, the water temperature is usually within 4 - 7 degrees. As a spawning ground, the fish chooses shallow water areas with a depth of 0.3 -0.8 m. The smallest individuals usually spawn first. Then medium-sized pikes come out to spawn, and large ones spawn last. During spawning, pike stay in groups consisting of several males and one female. Moreover, if the female is very large, then she is accompanied by up to eight males. The spawning process of pike is quite noisy. Dorsal and caudal fins can be observed at spawning sites. During spawning, fish rub against each other, as well as various water obstacles, such as reed stems, tree roots and branches fallen into the water. During spawning, the toothy one never stands in one place. The group quickly moves throughout the spawning area.

Natural enemies of pike

Photo: Animal pike

Despite the fact that the pike itself is very voracious, toothy and quite bloodthirsty, it has enemies who are not averse to feasting on it. Among the pike's detractors are otters and bald eagles, which love to eat all kinds of fish, including toothy pike. In Siberian rivers, pike compete with taimen, which copes excellently with predators of identical size, so in those places pike rarely reaches very large dimensions.

For pike living in southern waters, another enemy awaits them - large catfish. If large fish have enemies, then it is even more difficult for fry and young fish to survive; they often become prey for perches, rotans, and large pike perch. We should not forget that the pike itself eats its fellows, paying absolutely no attention to family ties.

In some northern lakes, pike cannibalism flourishes, where pikes feed only on their own kind. The food chain in those places looks like this: the fry eat small crustaceans, the fry are eaten by medium-sized relatives, and the latter become a snack for their heavier relatives.

Humans can also be considered the enemies of this toothy predator, because it is an honorable trophy for many fishermen who hunt for it. In some regions, pike fishing is not controlled in any way and is often massive. In addition, many fish die due to winter death, which usually occurs in small bodies of water.

Pike lifestyle

Pike leads an active lifestyle throughout the year. After the end of spawning, the green predator remains for some time near the spawning areas, waiting here for the fish. At this time, she actively feeds, restoring strength after spawning. Then it gradually begins to slide down to its summer camp sites. Here toothfish are caught until autumn. Moreover, it is worth remembering that if the water temperature rises above 25 degrees, then it practically stops feeding. In the summer heat, fishing often does not bring results. You can achieve success at such times with the help of surface baits, which simply provoke the toothy fish to attack with their arrogant behavior.

Migrations

With the first cold snap, the green torpedo begins to actively feed, preparing for the winter period. In the first half of autumn, it stands at its summer mooring sites. But when the water temperature drops to below 10 degrees, it begins to slide into deeper areas. For this reason, fishing for pike in late autumn is more effective when the angler fishes from a boat. In winter, the toothy fish stays in relatively deep areas. It does not feed as intensively as in open water, but at the same time it does not fall into a state of suspended animation. In winter, the angler can also count on a bite. Well, after the ice melts, the pike goes to spawning grounds.

Behavior at different times of the day

Pike activity also varies depending on the time of day. It is a known fact that the peak bite occurs in the morning and evening. This statement is true for times when the temperature is high. In summer, you should fish at dawn and early evening; during the day, pike practically do not bite. But when the water temperature drops a little, this gradation loses its relevance. At low water temperatures, the bite peaks are not so pronounced, which means you can catch a freshwater shark throughout the daylight hours.

Beginning fishermen often ask the question: is it worth trying to catch pike at night? The answer to this question is exclusively negative. Unlike such nocturnal predators as catfish and burbot, pike do not feed at night. And even accidental bites are extremely rare. So it’s better to forget about the idea of catching pike at night.

Factors influencing pike activity

There are a huge number of different factors that directly or indirectly affect pike activity and bite. Let's consider the most significant of them.

If the water in the fishing area is saturated with oxygen, then the pike bites quite actively. But when the saturation decreases, the bite subsides. Typically, this dependence can be observed in the dead winter months and at the height of summer. The fact is that in winter the reservoir is completely covered with ice, which impedes the supply of oxygen. In mid-summer, the water in stagnant bodies of water often turns green. The flowering process reduces the amount of oxygen, while microalgae release carbon dioxide. Of course, during this period the pike’s appetite drops significantly.

Water temperature also affects the intensity of pike biting. At cold temperatures, the bite weakens, but does not disappear completely. But in the summer heat, fish may stop feeding for a long time.

In general, in the summer it is worth catching predators in the so-called thermocline zone. This is the name given to the horizon of water located between the upper warm and lower cold layers. It is in the thermocline zone that pike usually stay and this is where it is easiest to catch.

Even novice fishermen know that atmospheric pressure has a strong influence on the intensity of fish biting. And the point here is often not whether it is high or low, but in its sudden change. The fish need to get used to the changed conditions. And if you go fishing when the weather changes, then most likely you will return home empty-handed. Pike need an average of two days to get used to a specific pressure level. So for fishing it is better to choose a calm period without sudden changes in the weather.