When EXACTLY do Pike Spawn??

[fishnut]

Iv'e never witnessed the Northern Pike Spawn.  Iv'e tried a few times to see them, but have not been able to.  Iv'e either been 2 or 3 days too late or 2 or 3 days to early, or just have not been able to find the spawning grounds. 

Iv'e read alot on the internet about this.  All it says is "pike will spawn just after ice out"  When exactly is "ice out"?  After most of the ice leaves the lake?  After All the ice leaves the lake, but has some along the shoreline? Or after the lake and shoreline is completely %100 free of ice?  Anyone know the true awnser to this?

[MickeyFinn]

Ummm april 13 at 2:28 pm in the afternoon.  sorry I had to


I think a lot of things go into the mix like the amount of daylight, water temp what body of water they are in river, res, big lake with alot of tribs, what may hold true in a lake 20 miles away may not be the same as a lake in your back yard.

[Fishingking]

What if the lake didnt have any ice this year?? then they dont spawn at all

[grumpymoe]

as soon as the creeks, and rivers are free from icefloes, the pike start moving up for the spawn....take the time and watch the edges....bright sunny afternoons are prime......as far as lakes that havent frozen over?...I would suspect fresh inflow would also trigger the spring spawn.....anyone else?....Grump

[Water Wolf]

Pike are some of the first fish to spawn in the spring. They usually spawn in creeks or shallow bays. They they will even spawn under the ice but generally they like the bays or creeks to be ice free and it the temp has to be at least 50 deg F. They can be done there spawn while the ice is still on the main lake body.

I read that there eggs are sticky and adhere to the old vegetation and other objects.
The young pike hatch in 10-12 days. The young fry have an adhesive organ at the top of there snout, they use this to attach themselves to underwater plants and stay that way for a week until they use up there egg sac.

WW

[pikemaster789]

its a water temperature thing

[fishnut]

Pike are some of the first fish to spawn in the spring. They usually spawn in creeks or shallow bays. They they will even spawn under the ice but generally they like the bays or creeks to be ice free and it the temp has to be at least 50 deg F. They can be done there spawn while the ice is still on the main lake body.

I read that there eggs are sticky and adhere to the old vegetation and other objects.
The young pike hatch in 10-12 days. The young fry have an adhesive organ at the top of there snout, they use this to attach themselves to underwater plants and stay that way for a week until they use up there egg sac.

WW

Thanks waterwolf, that's the awnser I was looking for.   

[Water Wolf]

No problem fishnut.

WW

[fishnut]

With all this warm weather,  I wonder if the Pike are spawning yet??  I guess it varies from lake to lake depeding on size of Lake.