by Jennifer L. Thompson

Created on: January 17, 2009   Last Updated: January 20, 2011

Fishing for Northern Pike can be a really fun and exciting experience. More commonly called Northerns, these fish are quick and strong, with inherent "fish smarts" that can easily make nearly any avid fisherman or fisherwoman spend long hours on many days, honing the skills it takes to catch a big one.

Though these are something of a big fish, generally averaging in the realm of two to about eleven or twelve pounds (although record fish are currently topping out at a whopping fifty-five pounds), they like to eat small fish, and will be found in places that will house such food. Northerns will also be found in a river, most often in areas where there are weed beds or some other type of cover, and that might be off the beaten path of some of its strongest currents.

To catch a Northern, first someone must understand one. The fish is first and foremost predatorial by nature, and will generally stay in one spot and watch for food to swim by. Once something is spotted, it will grab its prey in a swift attack and will quickly want to return to its original location to wait for more food to come by.

The nature of the world famous Northern Pike makes it more or less a logical choice to use spinner bait and spoons for these fish. Red and white daredevils are the most successful lures that this fishing fanatic has found for catching this type of fish, though some may not agree. With casting and reeling in at a good pace, the wobbling of its shiny underside combined with the quick movement of the lure is enough of an attention grabber to get the Pike out of his resting space and moving in for its swift attack.

Once the fish has attacked your bait, two more if its unique qualities come into play. The first is the strength of the fish, and the second is its razor sharp teeth. Once the fish has grabbed on, it will immediately make the about face that you need to set the hook. However, its strength and sharp teeth will quickly break any line that isn't ten pound test, or even sometimes higher.

In summary, an overview of these tips will help you to catch a Northern Pike like an old pro.

1) Fish in an area of a river where there is cover and where small fish are living

2) Use a red and white daredevil and quick movements

3) Use fishing line of at least ten pound test or higher

4) Revel in the adrenaline rush of catching a big one

In any event, this great fish is sure to give you a tale to remember.

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