NAS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species

Common name: northern pike

Taxonomy: available through

Identification: Scott and Crossman (1973); Pflieger (1975); Becker (1983); Page and Burr (1991).

Size: 133 cm.

Native Range: Atlantic, Arctic, Pacific, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River basins from Labrador to Alaska and south to Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Nebraska (Page and Burr 1991). Native to Montana in the South Saskatchewan River Drainage (Holton and Johnson 1996). 

Means of Introduction: This species has been intentionally stocked as a sport fish in most areas. In some cases, introductions were illegal, and these include such sites as Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho; Keyhole Reservoir, Wyoming; and Beaver Creek Reservoir, Bitterroot River, and Flathead River, Montana (McMahon and Bennett 1996), and lakes in Alaska (Bell, personal communication). McMahon and Bennett (1996) gave a table of western reservoirs with introduced populations and the method of introduction for each one. First stocked in Arizona in 1967 (Rinne 1995). In addition to being stocked as a sport fish, Pflieger (1997) stated that Esox lucius was stocked in Missouri reservoirs to introduce a large predator that could more effectively prey on the large populations of carp and gizzard shad present in such artificial environments.

Status: Established in many localities. Extirpated in California (Hubbs et al. 1979).

Impact of Introduction: The piscivorous northern pike has been shown to significantly reduce prey density and has the potential to cause large-scale changes in fish communities, even resulting in species elimination (He and Kitchell 1990). A study conducted in Wisconsin showed introduced pike mostly affected four minnow species; redbelly dace Phoxinus eos, finescale dace P. neogaeus, fathead minnow Pimephales promelas, and brassy minnow Hybognathus hankinsoni. Pike apparently had less effect on other species in the pond (He and Kitchell 1990). Impacts can be either direct, such as by predation, or indirect, such as by causing prey fish to alter their behavior (He and Kitchell 1990). In Montana, northern pike commonly deplete their prey and become stunted (McMahon and Bennett 1996). A study conducted by T. Jones (University of Montana) in 1990, found northern pike eliminated most other fishes except for the pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus, which was likely protected by its deep body shape and stiff spines, making it difficult prey (McMahon and Bennett 1996). Northern pike may be responsible for declines of native westslope cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi and bull trout Salvelinus confluentus in the Stillwater lakes in Montana (McMahon and Bennett 1996). Northern pike are reported to be "a problem" in the Yampa River in Colorado (Whitmore 1997). Illegally stocked lakes in Alaska are home to unique populations of threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus. These populations have been isolated for 22,000 years and have evolved a number of striking phenotypic traits. The presence of nonindigenous pike in these same lakes threatens the stickleback's very existence (Bell, personal communication). Trapping in lakes where pike had not been stocked yielded sticklebacks and native salmonids. Trapping in adjacent lakes where pike had been stocked yielded nothing but pike (Bell, personal communication).  In Maine, the pike's presence in Pushaw Lake is suspected of destroying one of the state's premier landlocked salmon populations (Boucher 2003).  The Pushaw Lake population may gain access to the Piscataquis River.  Since the Northern pike preys upon the Atlantic salmon, the populations of this and other native species may be threatened. 

When northern pike are stocked in lakes containing native muskellunge E. masquinongy, the two species may hybridize. Although the male tiger muskellunge are sterile, females are often fertile and are capable of backcrossing (Becker 1983). Northern pike are replacing native muskellunge in many Wisconsin lakes (Becker 1983). It is also believed that because northern pike generally spawn a month earlier than muskellunge, the older pike may prey on younger muskellunge (Gilbert, personal communication).

Remarks: Tyus et al. (1982) gave a distribution map of this species in the upper Colorado basin.

References
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Other Resources:
Lake Davis Steering Committee Northern Pike Information (California Fish and Game)

Author: Pam Fuller

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