How to Identify a Northern Pike
The northern pike's scientific name is Esox Lucius and this fish inhabits lakes, rivers and large streams. The northern pike is a highly sought after game fish that is located in the northern states of the eastern and central United States. It has also been successfully introduced to some western states. The northern pike resembles other fish that have similar habits but there are certain things that an individual can look for to identify this fish.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
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How to Identify a Northern Pike
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1
Use the color of the northern pike to help identify it. The color of a pike varies from light green to a darker shade that can be best described as olive green. The belly though will be white and the fins are yellowish-orange and appear to be striped.
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2
Check the sides of the fish for different colored spots. A northern pike has many yellow, white and greenish spots along its sides. Sometimes there are bars along the sides of a pike that are yellow as well.
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3
Closely observe the body shape when trying to identify a northern pike. The pike is a long fish with many muscles. The body will be quite elongated and the head will have a snout that resembles a duck's bill.
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4
Look to see where the dorsal fin is located. A northern pike's dorsal fin, the fin on the top of the fish, is all the way on the far back portion of the body. These fins will be soft as opposed to the hard dorsal fins found on many freshwater species of fish.
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5
When you catch a fish you suspect may be a northern pike beware of its teeth. The northern pike has rows and rows of tiny sharp teeth on its top and bottom jaws. Look on the roof of the mouth if you can and you will see a teeth there that are used to hold prey in place, almost like Velcro. Observe how wide the mouth is when compared to that of a similar fish, the pickerel.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Be wary of the many sharp teeth that belong to the northern pike.
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