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| Recognition | The pike is the largest natural predator found in the UK. It has a perfect natural camouflage and will blend in well with weeds from where it ambushes its prey. Its colourings are a combination of green, yellow and grey on its flanks with a silvery sheen overlaid. The dorsal fin is set to the rear, close to the tail, and directly below is the anal fin, providing very powerful acceleration from a standing start. The head of a pike is long and flattened, its mouth equipped with a fearsome set of needle-sharp teeth. The roof of its mouth and its tongue are also equipped with teeth. The pike is able to consume prey up to 25% of its own body weight. |
| British record | 46lb 13oz |
| Location | Found in most waters, be it rivers, lakes, ponds, lochs or streams. Pike are adaptable and one of the most widely distributed species in the UK. |
| Behaviour | Solitary fish but will at times feed in groups, usually close to spawning or main feeding areas. |
| Preferred Habitats | They ambush and hunt from reed beds, sunken tree roots, weir pools, depressions or slacks and creases. |
| Best Feeding Times | Generally dawn and dusk. |
| Natural Food | Fish, including smaller pike, small mammals and worms. |
| Maturity | 2 – 3 years, male and female. |
| Spawning Times | March to May |
| Preferred Spawning Areas | In dense weed beds such as Elodea or Phragmites. |
| Fecundity | 15,000 to 30,000 eggs per kg of body weight. |
