Northern pike

Esox lucius

Русское название: Щука обыкновенная

An ambush predator with an elongated body and large jaws. Often occupies weedy lake margins or quiet river sections. Spawning closures and minimum size rules vary widely by location.

✳ Scientific names are used to reduce confusion between local names.

◎Distribution

Europe, northern Asia and North America

♧Habitat

Lakes, rivers and vegetated shallows

✺Identification limits

Images and brief descriptions are for learning, not for reliably identifying a specimen. Take particular care with poisonous plants and mushrooms.

Further reading and image creditsEsox lucius — Wikipedia overview ↗Photo, author and license — Wikimedia Commons ↗

Identification is never guaranteed by a photo. Scientific names are used to reduce confusion between local names.

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Guides from this topic

Six common freshwater fish in Europe: names and habitatsMeet pike, perch, trout, zander, tench and carp with scientific names and conservation context.Fishing responsibly: clean gear before moving between watersRods, boots, nets and boats can transport organisms that harm another lake or river.Catch and release: how to reduce harm to fishWet hands, minimal handling and quick release can make a real difference.