Northern Pike Native
🔬 Esox lucius
Aggressive predator found in weedy bays. Can reach 40+ inches in Michigan.
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Bite this month
Excellent
Best season
Spring, Fall
Keeper size
24" at ~4 yrs
Ice fishing
Viable target
Regulations
24" min · limit 5
Where to Catch Northern Pike in Michigan
Northern Pike Conservation Status
Native Northern Pike is native to Michigan waters. Abundant statewide. Strong predator populations in most Michigan lakes. Michigan requires a minimum length of 24" to keep. The daily bag limit is 5.
Northern Pike Habitat & Behavior
Shallow, weedy bays and slow rivers. Ambush predator hiding in thick vegetation near shore. DNR records show Northern Pike present in 667 Michigan water bodies. Highest stocking activity on record is in Oakland, Allegan and Alpena counties. Bite activity rates Good or better in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec. Northern Pike is a viable ice fishing target in Michigan.
Best Northern Pike Techniques
Spoons, large swimbaits, sucker minnows under a bobber
Best Northern Pike Baits
Large suckers, creek chubs, spoons, bucktail spinners, large swimbaits
Northern Pike Fishing Regulations in Michigan
24"
Minimum size
5
Daily limit
10
Possession limit
Year-round on most waters
Season
Minimum size is 24" on most inland waters. Some waters have special regulations: verify with the DNR Fishing Guide.
⚠️ Regulations shown are general statewide guidelines for 2025. Rules vary by water body and change annually.
Always verify current regulations in the official Michigan DNR Fishing Guide before you fish.
Michigan DNR Northern Pike Stocking Records
Northern Pike Stocking Events by Lake
| Date | Lake | County | Quantity | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 24, 2025 | Croswell Impoundment | 723 total | 11"–12" | |
| Nov 24, 2025 | stocking event | 223 | 11" | |
| Nov 13, 2021 | stocking event | 300 | 11" | |
| Nov 17, 2020 | stocking event | 200 | 12" | |
| Nov 26, 2024 | Thompson (Howell) Lake | 972 total | 11"–13.5" | |
| Nov 26, 2024 | stocking event | 72 | 13.5" | |
| Nov 23, 2020 | stocking event | 250 | 13.5" | |
| Nov 21, 2018 | stocking event | 250 | 11" | |
| Nov 7, 2016 | stocking event | 400 | 13" | |
| Jul 14, 2020 | Haithco Lake | 131 | 5" | |
| Jul 11, 2019 | Lake Nepessing Lapeer County | Lapeer | 1,646 | 5.5" |
| Jul 10, 2019 | Lake Minnewanna Lapeer County | Lapeer | 610 | 5.5" |
| Jul 10, 2019 | Grebe (Spring) Lake | 700 | 5.5" | |
| Jul 10, 2019 | Lodge (Loon) Lake | 151 | 5.5" | |
| Dec 1, 2018 | Middle Straits Lake Oakland County | Oakland | 150 | 11" |
| Nov 21, 2018 | Lake Metamora | 51 total | 10"–13" | |
| Nov 21, 2018 | stocking event | 17 | 10" | |
| Oct 29, 2016 | stocking event | 34 | 13" | |
| Jun 30, 2017 | Big Whitefish Lake Montcalm County | Montcalm | 164 | 4.7" |
| Jun 30, 2017 | Cedar Lake Leelanau County | Leelanau | 171 | 4.7" |
| Jun 30, 2017 | Cedar Lake Lapeer County | Lapeer | 171 | 4.7" |
| Jun 22, 2017 | Wildwood Lake Cheboygan County | Cheboygan | 720 | 4.7" |
| Jun 22, 2017 | Heron Lake Oakland County | Oakland | 1,320 | 4.7" |
| Jun 22, 2017 | Wildwood Lake Oakland County | Oakland | 720 | 4.7" |
| Jun 21, 2017 | Long Lake Grand Traverse County | Grand Traverse | 1,035 | 4.7" |
| Jun 21, 2017 | Long Lake Alpena County | Alpena | 1,035 | 4.7" |
| Apr 5, 2017 | Thornapple River Kent County | Kent | 28 total | 29.4"–30.6" |
| Apr 5, 2017 | stocking event | 19 | 29.4" | |
| Apr 3, 2017 | stocking event | 9 | 30.6" |
Showing the 25 most recent stocking events for Northern Pike, across 18 lakes. Lakes with several events can be expanded.
Northern Pike DNR Stocking History
Total stocked: 26,302,452
Stocking events: 1,175
Peak year: 1988 (5,910,278)
1,175
Historical stocking events
234
Lakes stocked
Apr
Next likely stocking window
Peak Stocking Months
May
Jun
Apr
Top Stocked Lakes
Long Lake
Alpena Co.
Long Lake
Grand Traverse Co.
Otsego Lake
Otsego Co.
Douglas Lake
Cheboygan Co.
Beaver Lake
Alpena Co.
Forecast based on historical DNR stocking patterns. Not a guarantee of future stocking. Verify with the Michigan DNR.
Estimated Mature Northern Pike, November
Based on DNR stocking records from 2020–2023 (3–6 years ago), these 3 lakes likely hold mature Northern Pike at or near 24" keeper size today.
1
Croswell Impoundment
~200
est. mature
→
2
Thompson (Howell) Lake
~100
est. mature
→
3
Haithco Lake
~20
est. mature
→
Estimates based on average stocking-size survival rates. Actual populations vary by habitat, fishing pressure, and lake conditions. Data sourced from Michigan DNR.
Best Times to Fish Northern Pike
❄️ Northern Pike is a popular ice fishing target in Michigan.
Angler Tips for Northern Pike
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