Northern Pike are ferocious predators. From an early age they’re fearless. With a mouth full of teeth designed for grasping, puncturing, and slicing prey, their aggressiveness works in their favor to grow quickly but against them in being caught by anglers prior to reaching top-end size.
The North American record is 46 pounds 2 ounces and dates to 1940. But across the Atlantic Ocean, pike have been captured to nearly 70 pounds—on par with the IGFA all-tackle muskie record. In recent years, photographs of European pike in the 40- to 50-pound range appear regularly on the Internet. Pike the size of trophy muskies exist and should be found more frequently in North America.
American pike are handicapped by a general lack of highly protective regulations and the failure of anglers to embrace the same catch-and-release mentality as they do with muskies. For this reason, a tiny percentage of pike in the lower 48 states reach 40 inches. In prime Canadian waters, fishing pressure is far less and pike routinely top 40 inches.
Along the 52nd to 56th parallel of Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, 45-inch fish occur with regularity and pike of 50 inches are a possibility.
Whether it’s a 45-inch pike in U.S. waters or 50-inch fish in Canada, these are rare fish—a fish of a lifetime even on the continent’s finest fisheries. But if your passion runs deep for giant pike and you have the perseverance to put in the work, the following fisheries offer an opportunity to make those dreams a reality.
Taltson River, NT
Many of the world’s finest pike anglers consider the Taltson River the premier trophy pike fishery in North America. They also tout these river fish as the thickest, most muscular, and strongest anywhere. Pike in this tributary of Great Slave Lake live to old age in these cold clear waters with an abundant food supply neatly funneled into current seams.
There is no bad week of the season for pike on the Taltson or the delta area along the southeast shore of Great Slave Lake. Casting and trolling Bull Dawgs is popular among lake anglers to connect with pike surpassing 50 inches, while river anglers downsize to Mepps Cyclops and Luhr Jensen Krocodile spoons.
Contact: Taltson Bay Big Pike Lodge, 867/394-3141, taltsonbaypike.com; Aurora Nights Lodge, 867/394-4001, auroranights.ca.
Featuring some of finest lodges and fishing in Northwest Saskatchewan, Wollaston is a jewel to be admired at least once by every serious pike angler. Big water means plenty of sumo-sized pike. The fishery is so large that Wollaston Lake Lodge offers daily fly-outs to two locations on the north end of the lake. Whether you prefer fishing rocks or vegetation, Wollaston delivers trophy fish in both settings. Top producers on a recent trip included 4.8-inch Kalin’s Sizmic Shad swimbaits and Biwaa 6.5-inch Strout articulated swimbaits, while super-sized lures failed to produce more or bigger fish.
Contact: Wollaston Lake Lodge, 800/328-0628, wollastonlakelodge.com; Minor Bay Lodge, 888/244-7453, minorbay.com.
Lake Athabasca, SK/NT
Lake Athabasca ranks among the largest lakes in North America. More known for its outstanding lake-trout fishing, pike over the coveted 50-inch mark live here. If one topping the North American record exists, Athabasca is not a bad bet. Having produced a 101-pound laker, 29 pounds heavier than the world record, who’s to say a 50-pound pike isn’t possible. Rivermouths on the east shore stack with fence-post pike in spring, while the vast bays at the south and west end teem with big fish all summer.
Contact: Lakers Unlimited, 306/864-8087, lakersunlimited.com; Blackmur’s Athabasca Fishing Lodges, 877/922-0957, athabascalake.com; Jug Bay Sportfishing, 780/792-6761, jugbaysportfishing.com.
Kesagami Lake, ON
It’s likely the finest drive-to pike fishery in central Ontario. For a crack at a 50-incher, get here during late summer. Days are long…
