Northern Pike in Idaho
Gem State northern pike: region lines, waters, stocking.
- no limitbag
- 49.75 inches2026 record
Pick for northern pikePiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of the fish, not an Idaho water: Aszazin, CC BY-SA 3.0
What Idaho says about Northern Pike
The Gem State lets anglers keep northern pike without a count limit, region by region. One region, the IDFG Panhandle Region, says "No bag, length, or possession limits. Harvest is encouraged".
IDFG names it a recommended game fish on 21 Idaho water pages here, Lake Pend Oreille, Coeur d'Alene Lake and Hayden Lake first. IDFG pairs it with the scientific name Esox lucius.
For the northern pike herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 Region-by-region Northern Pike rules for Idaho
| IDFG region | Line as printed |
|---|---|
| IDFG Panhandle Region | No bag, length, or possession limits. Harvest is encouraged |
Region bag limits from Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules, 2025-2027, as printed on IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (the brochure PDF on idfg.idaho.gov was unreachable during site maintenance), read November 7, 2026.
Northern Pike records IDFG announced in 2026
| Listing | Mark | Category | Water | Caught | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Pike | 49.75 inches | catch-and-release (length) | Lake Pend Oreille | June 13, 2026 | Outdoor Life (Jul 23, 2026), reporting IDFG certification (article), read November 8, 2026 |
Records announced by IDFG in 2026 as reported in the dated releases and articles linked in each row, read November 8, 2026; a partial list, since the full IDFG record lists at idfg.idaho.gov/fish/record could not be opened during the November 2026 site maintenance. Angler names are left off.
Picking Idaho water for northern pike
Idaho lakes with northern pike as a pick
- Lake Pend Oreille92,764 acres
- Coeur d'Alene Lake27,911 acres
- Hayden Lake3,797 acres
- Chatcolet Lake1,643 acres
- Round Lake (Benewah County)801 acres
- Cave Lake750 acres
- Anderson Lake541 acres
- Upper Twin Lake525 acres
- Killarney Lake499 acres
- Black Lake (Kootenai County)402 acres
- Lower Twin Lake390 acres
- Medicine Lake238 acres
- Blue Lake (Kootenai County)226 acres
- Benewah Lake178 acres
- Thompson Lake174 acres
- Bull Run Lake101 acres
- Blue Lake (Bonner County)67 acres
- Freeman Lake53 acres
Idaho rivers with northern pike as a pick
- Clark Fork RiverBonner County
- Saint Joe RiverBenewah County
- Saint Maries RiverBenewah County
IDFG Fishing Planner recommended game fish on each water page, read November 7, 2026; largest lakes and best-served rivers first.
Camera stops along the water by Northern Pike
Photo: Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Visitor7, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 4.0
Idaho northern pike queries with plain answers
Which Idaho limit covers northern pike?
No limit at all: "No bag, length, or possession limits. Harvest is encouraged".
Has IDFG certified a northern pike record lately?
Yes, 49.75 inches out of Lake Pend Oreille (catch-and-release (length)).
Which Idaho pages list northern pike as a pick?
Lake Pend Oreille, Coeur d'Alene Lake and Hayden Lake lead the 21 pages where IDFG recommends it.
Has IDFG released northern pike recently?
The Planner tables read here list no release of it.
Do some Idaho waters set their own northern pike rule?
The region line holds on every built water.
Is northern pike federally listed?
It carries no federal status.
What does an Idaho license for northern pike cost?
Fishing here takes an Idaho fishing license; Idaho Code 36-416 sets the annual statutory fee at $28.75 for residents and $106.25 for nonresidents, and steelhead or salmon fishing takes its own permit.
What does an Idaho northern pike record need?
IDFG offers certified scales at its Panhandle, Clearwater, Nampa, Boise headquarters, Jerome and Pocatello offices.
Line up a Gem State northern pike outing
The waters above link to maps and rules.