It’s a fishing day

Northern pike Esox lucius

6 of 15worth the trip today

Best right now at Lake Oahe, South Dakota. Water is inside the 50–70° range northern pike like at 2 of the 2 spots with a live reading.

Go 0Worth the trip 6Marginal 4Sit it out 5Click to zoom in, drag to move, right-click to zoom out
Where northern pike score best right now
Northern Pike

About northern pike

A toothy, torpedo-shaped ambush predator that lurks in weed edges and drop-offs and strikes large spoons, spinnerbaits, and live suckers. Spawns in shallow flooded vegetation right after ice-out, holds shallow in spring and fall, and slides deeper through summer. Caught year-round, including through the ice — the prairie reservoirs of the northern plains, Fort Peck chief among them, grow trophy "gators" past 20 lb.

Esox lucius, family Esocidae.

Northern pike, spot by spot

All 15 spots with northern pike in season, scored for northern pike, best first.

Lake Oahe (Oahe Downstream, Pierre)Hughes County, South DakotaNorthern pike

9 mph wind

82Worth the trip
Lake Francis Case (Chamberlain)Brule County, South DakotaNorthern pike

10 mph wind

82Worth the trip
Harlan County ReservoirHarlan County, NebraskaNorthern pike

5 mph wind

82Worth the trip
Ludington State ParkMason County, MichiganNorthern pike

7 mph wind

78Worth the trip
Lake Coeur d’AleneKootenai County, IdahoNorthern pike

3 mph wind

74Worth the trip
Lake Champlain (Burlington)Chittenden County, VermontNorthern pike

53° water · 17 mph wind

73Worth the trip
Navajo LakeSan Juan County, New MexicoNorthern pike

5 mph wind

68Marginal
Shawnee State ParkBedford County, PennsylvaniaNorthern pike

17 mph wind

60Marginal
Prince Gallitzin State ParkCambria County, PennsylvaniaNorthern pike

13 mph wind

60Marginal
Yellow Creek State ParkIndiana County, PennsylvaniaNorthern pike

12 mph wind

60Marginal

The water they want

Northern pike feed from about 50° to 70°F and best near 63°. Each pin is one spot’s water right now, from NOAA and USGS gauges; 2 of 2 are inside the range.

ideal 63°
50°70°

How they feed

  • Water50–70°F, best near 63°
  • TideEither, as long as it moves
  • MoonEither
  • DepthUsually 4–30 ft
  • Active monthsYear-round

Scored against their own temperature range and tide preference first, then wind, weather and warnings. Solunar periods only break ties. How the score works

Keep or release

  • Idaho non-tidalno daily limitIdaho Panhandle Region: no bag, length or possession limit on northern pike, and harvest is encouraged; pike were stocked illegally. Spearfishing is allowed on some waters.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source · 15 days since checked
  • Michigan24" minimum · 2 a dayLower Peninsula Great Lakes: 24" minimum, 2 a day, open all year.Great lakes waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source · 15 days since checked
  • Montana Eastern District10 a dayEastern District: 10 northern pike a day and in possession.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source · 15 days since checked
  • Nebraska non-tidal3 a dayNebraska: 3 northern pike a day, 10 in possession, no minimum, only one 34" or longer. Several lakes have their own rules, including a 24–34" protected slot on some Sandhills refuge lakes.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 20 days since checked
  • New Mexico non-tidal10 a dayNew Mexico: 10 northern pike a day, 20 in possession. Eagle Nest Lake alone has no limit, and pike there may not be released.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source · 15 days since checked
  • North Dakota non-tidal5 a dayNorth Dakota (2026–28 proclamation): 5 northern pike a day, 10 in possession.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source · 15 days since checked
  • Pennsylvania24" minimum · 2 a dayLake Erie and Presque Isle Bay: 24" minimum, 2 a day, open all year.Great lakes waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source · 15 days since checked
  • Pennsylvania24" minimum · 2 a day24" minimum, 2/day. Open year-round.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source · 17 days since checked
  • South Dakota non-tidal6 a daySouth Dakota: 6 northern pike a day, 12 in possession, the Missouri River reservoirs included.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source · 15 days since checked
  • Vermont non-tidal20" minimum · 5 a dayVermont: 20" minimum, 5 northern pike a day, open all year. Missisquoi Bay on Lake Champlain is legendary pike water.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source · 15 days since checked

Rules change, and they differ by state and often by water. Each spot page shows the limits for its own water. Northern pike are fished at spots in 9 states: Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Vermont.

Waters with their own rules

These waters set limits for northern pike that differ from the rest of their state.

Reports that mention northern pike

1 state agency named northern pike in their latest reports, newest first, linked to the source.

IndianaOct 30

12 species named: channel catfish, chinook salmon, coho salmon, crappie, lake trout, largemouth bass, muskellunge…

Read at Indiana DNR

Fished in the same water

Species people target at the same spots as northern pike, and how they’re doing today.

WalleyeSander vitreus

63 of 81 spots worth the trip

Best now at Marquette Park Beach, IN100

Bites in 50–72° water

Smallmouth bassMicropterus dolomieu

51 of 118 spots worth the trip

Best now at Broken Bow Lake, OK94

Bites in 55–78° water

Common carpCyprinus carpio

44 of 147 spots worth the trip

Best now at Conowingo Dam Tailrace, MD96

Bites in 52–86° water

Yellow perchPerca flavescens

34 of 69 spots worth the trip

Best now at 31st Street Beach, IL100

Bites in 45–70° water