Northern, Snake, Slime, Gator, Esox lucius (or whatever the hell that Latin name is) I don’t care what you call it, it’s one of my favorite fish to go after. I’m not into fly fishing for Brook Trout. A Brook Trout never bit through my 50lb leader.  I don’t remember a Brook Trout ever shredding my hand when I picked it up by the gill plate.  I’ve also never had a Brook Trout drag my boat across a lake.  Because they cant, they are Brook Trout. Let me put it to you this way, people that fish for brook trout, use landing nets. Alright, Enough about the inferiority of the Brook Trout, this is supposed to about Northern.

 

All the members L.N.S. Fishing Team agree the Northern Pike is the most exciting fresh water fish to catch. It is found through out the Northern Plains in Lakes, Reservoirs and Rivers.  The Northern Pike can be caught all year around.  From the shore, from a boat, or through the ice.  Live bait, dead smelt, Spoons, Soft Baits, Spinners, Trolling, Casting, Jigging, Bobber Fishing, off of the bottom, top water, 2’ of water or 75, it really doesn’t matter how you like to fish, Northern Pike aren’t picky.  Just be sure to have some strong line, Rod, and a strong reel with the drag adjusted properly. (I have seen too many people loose a Pike because they think it’s not much of a fighter, until they get it to the boat. When a Pike comes up, it turns and takes line faster than you can grab for your drag.)  And be sure to use a strong leader.  I say strong because I have had plenty of 20-30lbs test leaders bit off without even feeling a tug.

 

Common Name: Northern Pike

Scientific Name: Esox lucius

Range: Truly a northern fish, this pike is found in all of the Canadian provinces up to Alaska. In the continental states, distribution is in the north and central Mississippi River and Missouri River basins, much of Montana, and in the eastern states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York

Habitat: Swims in smaller lakes and shallower bays of larger lakes where good amounts of cover and vegetation exist. Found to some extent in rivers and backwaters