Northern Pike

The Northern Pike (Esox lucius) is a largethe pool and attacked their victims from ambush.
carnivorous fresh water fish. Pike usually can beAfter the attack the pike returns to its place
found in the coastal zones, in weed beds, inagain. Chasing the victim is not something that
stagnant waters. It is widespread in the freshsuits the pike. Very specific is also the way of
waters of Eurasia and North America. They maycapturing the fish it wants to eat - usually the
also occur in parts of desalinated sea waters - fororiginal grip is crosswise of the body, then it takes
example, in Finland, Riga and the Curonian Lagoonit head-on. This is a consequence of the specific
of the Baltic Sea, in the Taganrog Bay of the seastructure of its jaws and teeth. They are not
of Azov. You can find it up to 1 500 m above seamade for chewing. The Northern pike swallow
level in small alpine rivers, sluggish streams, lakestheir victims whole.
as well as in rocky waters. Pike well withstand anDuring the spawning pike is rubbing against the
acid reaction in water - they can live comfortablybushes, roots, stems of reeds and cattail. A
in water with a pH of 4.75. An interesting fact isfemale is usually accompanied by 3-4 males. In
that the Northern pike may occur in completelysome cases the number of males is reaching 6, 7
isolated ponds distant from rivers. This is due toor even 8. They swim in groups and the male is
the fact that the caviar of the pike is very stickyconstantly rubbing in the female. Pike is not
and is carried by waterfowl.staying long in one place, it moves spawning
They can reach over 150 cm in length and weighgrounds and spawn. At the end of spawning all
up to 35 kg. There is evidence even forspecimens rush in different directions, causing a
significantly larger specimens. Females areloud splashing, while females often jump out of
generally much larger than males. After hatching,the water in the air. The female, depending on the
the small fish must be fed with zooplankton, thesize shed 40 000 - 250 000 caviar grains per
eggs of other fish and small crustaceans. Whenkilogram of weight. The grains have a size of
they reach the size of 5-6 cm pike began to eatabout 3 mm. The Northern pike throw the caviar
very small fish. A larger population of pike in thein the shallows on the aquatic vegetation. The
reservoir is able to destroy quickly the fishreproduction period is earlier than the one of
breeding material. As a whole the benefit of theother fish in the pond. It starts from late
pike is great because it destroys most of theFebruary-early March and lasts until late
inferior and diseased fish and regulates theMarch-early April.
balance of the ecosystem of the basin.There are many Northern Pike Fishing Tips and
The Northern pike is a typical predator. The casesTechniques on the Internet or in certain fishing
of cannibalism are not rare, when large specimensbooks where you can learn a lot about the
are fed with the small ones. The Northern Pike isNorthern Pike fish - places you can find the pike,
omnivorous - its menu includes also frogs, mice,how they play with their preys, maximizing the
and the babies of waterfowl. Unlike the otherattraction of a DareDevils, and many more.
predators, the pike is held in certain locations in