UTERNorthern pike fishing in Alaska freshwater
In Alaska freshwater, northern pike peak May–September and are around year-round, spawning in May, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Pike spawn at breakup in the interior lakes and the Mat-Su sloughs.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Northern pike in Alaska freshwater, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilAround
- MaySpawningPike spawn at breakup in the interior lakes and the Mat-Su sloughs.
- JunePeakMinto Flats, the Yukon and Kuskokwim sloughs — topwater pike in the midnight sun.
- JulyPeakSockeye peak on the Kenai. Flossing rigs in the travel lanes; dipnetting for residents.
- AugustPeakSilvers arrive; rainbows behind the spawners. Egg patterns behind the sockeye for big rainbows; silvers in every coastal stream.
- SeptemberPeakPeak rainbows and late silvers. Flesh and egg flies on the Kenai and the Bristol Bay rivers.
- OctoberAround
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish northern pike near Kenai River, Russian River, Susitna valley
More running fresh water than the rest of the country put together: salmon rivers from the Kenai to Bristol Bay, rainbow and grayling streams, and thousands of interior lakes with lake trout, pike and burbot under ice half the year.
What to use for northern pike
- Minnows (fatheads, shiners)Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 33–76°F water, best at 50–68°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch northern pike in Alaska freshwater?
Peak season is May–September, with fish spawning in May (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Northern pike are here year-round. May: Pike spawn at breakup in the interior lakes and the Mat-Su sloughs.
Where do northern pike hold in Alaska freshwater?
Look on lake, river — around Kenai River, Russian River, Susitna valley, Bristol Bay rivers, Chena River, Copper River.
What is the best bait for northern pike in Alaska freshwater?
Live bait: minnows (fatheads, shiners). Minnows (fatheads, shiners): Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers. Tackle: leader 10–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
What are the rules for northern pike in Alaska freshwater?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and change — read the current rule at https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishregulations.main before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=license.main.
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