Northern Pike in Pennsylvania
northern pike under the 2026 Summary.
- 2; minimum 24 incheslimit
- 35 lbrecord
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A Pennsylvania profile of northern pike
Under PFBC rules Northern pike (Esox lucius) is game fish, covered by 4 water classes. Inland, on commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under lake erie, pymatuning, conowing, the rule is 2; minimum 24 inches; season open year-round.
The state record weighed 35 lb, caught by Carl Stoltz at Allegheny Reservoir in 2003. 32 lake pages on this site carry it in their PFBC species list. PFBC 2026 stocking lists name it on 1 rows across 1 water.
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| Water class | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth inland waters | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or | 2; minimum 24 inches | Open year-round |
| Conowingo Reservoir (Susquehanna River boundary) | Conowingo Reservoir up to Holtwood Dam | 2; minimum 30 inches | Open year-round |
| Delaware River and estuary | Delaware River, West Branch Delaware River, Delaware River tributaries to the limit of tidal influence, and the Lehigh R | 2; minimum 24 inches | Open year-round |
| Lake Erie | Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and peninsular waters and tributaries | 2; minimum 24 inches | Open year-round |
2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (PA Fish and Boat Commission; in effect or proposed as of October 1, 2025, PDF revised February 27, 2026), page 10 to 14. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
Pennsylvania record northern pike
| Entry | Weight | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike, Northern | 35 lb | Carl Stoltz | Allegheny Reservoir | McKean | 2003 |
PFBC State Record Fish page, retrieved October 23, 2026; records are kept by weight only.
Lakes on the northern pike list
| Lake | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Allegheny Reservoir | Warren | 12,081 |
| Shenango River Lake | Mercer | 3,559 |
| Lake Arthur | Butler | 3,224 |
| Youghiogheny River Lake | Fayette | 2,840 |
| Lake Wilhelm | Mercer | 1,739 |
| Glendale Lake | Cambria | 1,600 |
| Ontelaunee Lake | 1,082 | |
| Conneaut Lake | Crawford | 929 |
| Quemahoning Reservoir | Somerset | 899 |
| Yellow Creek Lake | Indiana | 720 |
| Conemaugh River Lake | Indiana | 640 |
| Shawnee Lake | Bedford | 451 |
| High Point Lake | Somerset | 338 |
| Mahoning Creek Lake | Indiana | 279 |
| Black Moshannon Lake | Centre | 250 |
| Howard Eaton Reservoir | Erie | 246 |
PFBC warmwater/coolwater species listing per lake (WWCW layer), retrieved October 23, 2026; largest lakes first.
Planned northern pike releases by water
PFBC adult and fingerling trout stocking schedules and warmwater/coolwater current year stockings, retrieved October 23, 2026; PFBC prints dates but no per-event numbers.
Keystone lakes and creeks holding northern pike
Lake pages naming northern pike
- Allegheny Reservoir12,081 acres
- Shenango River Lake3,559 acres
- Lake Arthur3,224 acres
- Youghiogheny River Lake2,840 acres
- Lake Wilhelm1,739 acres
- Glendale Lake1,600 acres
- Ontelaunee Lake1,082 acres
- Conneaut Lake929 acres
- Quemahoning Reservoir899 acres
- Yellow Creek Lake720 acres
- Conemaugh River Lake640 acres
- Shawnee Lake451 acres
- High Point Lake338 acres
- Mahoning Creek Lake279 acres
- Black Moshannon Lake250 acres
- Howard Eaton Reservoir246 acres
- Walker Lake239 acres
- Long Arm Dam225 acres
- Lake Canadohta170 acres
- Kyle Lake ** Temporarily lifted**165 acres
- Lily Lake161 acres
- Long Pine Run Reservoir150 acres
- Two Mile Run Reservoir144 acres
- Clear Lake117 acres
Stream pages naming northern pike
- Allegheny RiverPotter County
- French Creek, Crawford CountyCrawford County
- Conewango CreekWarren County
- Cussewago CreekCrawford County
- Mahoning Creek, Armstrong CountyArmstrong County
- Sandy Lick CreekJefferson County
- Brokenstraw CreekWarren County
- Tionesta CreekForest County
- Neshannock CreekLawrence County
- West Branch French CreekErie County
PFBC species listings, Class A and stocked trout layers, the 2026 stocking schedule and state records; largest waters first.
Fish that share rules with northern pike
- Largemouth Bassgame fish
- Smallmouth Bassgame fish
- Spotted Bassgame fish
- Rock Bassgame fish
- Striped Bassgame fish
- White Bassgame fish
- Bluegillgame fish
- Pumpkinseedgame fish
- Redbreast Sunfishgame fish
- Crappiegame fish
- Yellow Perchgame fish
- White Perchgame fish
Ridges, rivers and lakes around Northern Pike, pictured
Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Dough4872, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: George Neat, CC BY-SA 4.0
Questions on catching northern pike in Pennsylvania
What size limit covers northern pike in Pennsylvania?
2; minimum 24 inches on commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under lake erie, pymatuning, conowing, season open year-round; other water classes have their own rows.
Who holds the Pennsylvania northern pike record?
35 lb from Allegheny Reservoir in McKean County, caught by Carl Stoltz in 2003.
Which pages name northern pike?
42 water pages here list it, led by Allegheny Reservoir, Shenango River Lake and Lake Arthur.
Is northern pike on the 2026 stocking lists?
Yes; the 2026 lists carry 1 rows on 1 water, most on Lily Lake.
Which Latin binomial does the PFBC print for northern pike?
Esox lucius; listed as game fish.
Can I fish for northern pike all year in Pennsylvania?
Open year-round on commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under lake erie, pymatuning, conowing.
How much does a license for northern pike cost?
Anyone 16 or older needs a Pennsylvania fishing license: $27.97 for residents, $60.97 for nonresidents and $14.47 for resident seniors, fees included.
Is there a guide for northern pike here?
No permitted guide lists it.