It would seem that a northern pike can eat a fish that is up to 25% of its own body weight!
That means that a 20-pound pike (44 inches in Red Lake), perhaps like this one caught and released by Bow Narrows angler Paul Heneise, could eat a five-pound fish.
Often these really big meals are other pike. Northern pike have no qualms about cannibalism!
Although pike do eat walleye, they are almost always smaller ones. A 20-pound pike probably wouldn't consider a five-pound walleye. The walleye's dorsal fin is a formidable weapon against predators chomping down on it. Northern pike always grab their prey right in the middle and then swim off with them crossways in their mouths. After a few minutes it will release the fish and in a flash grab it headfirst. It needs to swallow it headfirst so all the fins collapse against the prey's body on the trip to the stomach.
Lots of our guests have northern pike attack the walleyes they are reeling toward the boat. These walleyes are almost always small ones, say, about a pound (12-14 inches). But rarely they can be as large as three pounds. I don't believe I have ever heard of a pike attacking a five-pound (25 inches) walleye.
When we clean northern pike caught in Red Lake, the most common bigger fish we find in their stomachs are, in order:
northern pike, white suckers, whitefish or tulibee (a type of herring).
Smaller prey found in the stomachs are, also in order: crayfish, perch, northern pike, walleye, smelt, rock bass.
Of all things found in Red Lake's pike stomachs, the most numerous are crayfish. This could be explained by the fact it takes a long time for the pike to digest the crayfish with their armoured shells.
Perch, usually about 4-6 inches long, are the most common fish found.
Common-size walleyes found are eight-to-12 inches.
Rock bass, although a widespread small fish, reaching lengths up to eight inches, are rarely found. This could be due to their own spiny dorsal fin.
Click to go back to our website
Click to see the latest on the blog
1 comment:
Dan, Last year while trolling for walleye, I hooked a small pike. While bringing the small mpike to the boat, I witnessed two walleye following right along trying to attack my bait as it hung out of the pikes mouth. I thought it very strange to see it the other way around. Dave M.
Post a Comment