Northern Pike

If there’s a harder hitting fish in our region I haven’t found it yet!   These fish are native to the region and are never stocked. Big pike love soft-finned forage fish and cold water. They find plenty of each here in the Finger Lakes. Pike are neglected in this area due to the fact that most anglers target trout, salmon, bass and perch!

Seneca Lake provided some pike fishing that had to be close to world class over the past three years (from 2006 to 2008.)   We had some 20 to 40 fish HALF days (!) with fish running 25" to 32".  Unfortunately that fishery appears to have crashed in 2009 due to some kind of bacterial virus.  Pike are around, but action is much slower than in previous years.   Look for some 15 to 20lb fish out of Seneca over the next few years, but they will be few and far between.  The habitat remains there on Seneca and hopefully the fishery will rebound soon!   

Cayuga Lake provides solid pike fishing every year - it isn't great, but it's not bad and there always seem to be some fish around in the 32" to 36" range.   Owasco has some good pike fishing and Keuka Lake offers an occasional bonus fish.   Pike love just about any lure, especially flashy, gaudy colored ones. Fly-fishing is deadly for pike of all sizes and I consider fly-fishing for pike one of my specialties.

Fishing during the winter is one of the most productive times to chase pike in the Finger Lakes region.   Fish are often quite active and the weed growth is limited - concentrating the fish.  

The photo is of my buddy Dave holding a nice 37" Cayuga fish from November of 2007.  It hit a Lunker City Shaker in Atomic Rooster (color.)