Geography

• The northern pike looks for habitat featuring cool water, shallows and plenty of weedy vegetation for cover. In the summer the pike searches for the streams and springs with cooler water that run into lakes where the pike spends its winters.
  
  

Hunting

• Pike hunt by sight, hiding in weeds and attacking when prey ventures by its location. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources notes pike will eat anything it can swallow.
  
  

Eating

• Pike procure prey by grabbing it by its middle. Once the fish has a secure grip, it will maneuver its victim so it can swallow it headfirst. The northern pike will attack and eat such aquatic animals as fish, frogs and snakes, as well as birds such as ducks.
  
  

Time Frame

• In winter, anglers have good success catching pike as food is at a premium under the ice in lakes and river coves. Ice anglers will utilize large shiners, chubs and suckers to catch the northerns, as opposed to the large surface lures and spoons that anglers use for pike during the open water season.
  
  

Spawning

• The spawning of northern pike takes place in later March or in early parts of April. The female lays eggs in water about a foot deep. The males follow close behind and fertilize the eggs.