Best time to catch pike in summer

Nick Baggaley, one of our fisheries co-ordinators, looks at summer pike fishing - should you do it?

Traditionally, fishing for pike has pretty much always been a winter pursuit.

When are pike most active in winter

When are pike most active in winter

When does pike season start

Can you catch pike in summer

Best time of day to catch pike

Best pike fishing in united states

In general terms, the pike ‘season' begins 1 October and runs until the close of the river coarse fishing season on 14 March.

Why the tradition?

The reason for this traditional pike ‘season' is perhaps lost in the annals of time.

Maybe it's just that other fish species become harder to catch so historically people used to divert their attention to pike? It could be down to a view that pike do not respond well to being caught in the warmer months suffering from a build up of lactic acid after a titanic struggle.

Or perhaps there are more selfish reasons at play ie.

Best temperature for pike fishing

it's the lure of catching a pike when they are at their fattest and heaviest prior to spawning in the spring? After all, a big female pike may weigh 5 or 6lb more due to the weight of spawn.

Seasons and locations

There are of course lots of casual pike anglers who target the species at all times of the year.

The current

when is pike season open in ontario

when is pike season in ny