Northern pike limits by state
Check before you keep a fish. These are statewide rules. Lakes, rivers and coastal zones often have their own limits, and rules can change during the year. Each state below has a link to its official rules.
- Free
- Official sources first
- Checked monthly
- Independent, not a state website
| State | Where | Size | Daily bag | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Northern pike |
Susitna River drainage, Unit 1 default (2026) | – | No limit | Open all year |
| Live release of pike is prohibited in this drainage. Other areas have bag limits. Official source ADF&G official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Arizona Northern pike |
Statewide | – | Unlimited | – |
| Pike must be killed immediately or released. Secondary source: Arizona Fishing Regulations (eRegulations) AZGFD official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Colorado older data Northern pike |
Statewide | – | No limit | – |
| Note on this data: These limits come from a 2023 copy of Colorado's regulations, the newest we could check. Some may have changed since. Secondary source: Colorado fishing regulations (eRegulations) CPW official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Connecticut Northern pike and tiger muskie |
Statewide | 26" minimum | 2 | – |
| Bantam Lake, Little Pond, the Connecticut River and Lake Lillinonah have their own rules. Official source CT DEEP official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| Idaho Northern pike |
Panhandle | – | No limit; harvest encouraged | All year |
| Official source IDFG official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Illinois Northern pike |
Statewide | 24" minimum (none on the Mississippi River) | 3 | – |
| Official source IDNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Indiana Northern pike |
Statewide | 24 in; no more than 1 of 30 in or over | 3 | All year |
| Secondary source: Indiana Fishing Guide (eRegulations edition) Indiana DNR official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| Iowa older data Northern pike |
Inland waters | – | 3 (possession 6) | All year |
| Iowa | Mississippi and Missouri rivers | – | 5 (possession 10) | All year |
| Iowa | Big Sioux River | – | 6 (possession 12) | All year |
| Note on this data: Size limits aren't shown: we couldn't confirm them from an official source. Bag limits and seasons are shown where we could. Many waters have exceptions (Iowa Admin. Code 571-81.2) not shown here, including length limits. Secondary source: Iowa Administrative Code 571-81.1 (Cornell Legal Information Institute) Iowa DNR official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| Kansas Northern pike |
Statewide | 30" minimum | 2 | – |
| Official source KDWP official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Maine Northern pike, crappie and other species not named in the general law |
General law | No minimum | No limit | – |
| Species not listed fall under 'inland species not listed', with no general bag or size limit. Individual waters may differ. Redfin pickerel: no fishing. Official source MDIFW official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Maryland Northern pike |
Non-tidal waters | 30" minimum | 2 | – |
| Secondary source: Maryland fishing guide 2026 (eRegulations) Maryland DNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Massachusetts Northern pike |
Statewide | 28" minimum | 1 | – |
| Official source MassWildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Michigan Northern pike |
Statewide | 24" minimum | 2 | – |
| Many named waters have a 24" to 34" protected slot, or allow 5 with only one 24" or larger. Secondary source: Michigan fishing regulations (eRegulations) Michigan DNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Minnesota Northern pike |
Northeast zone | Release all 30-40"; only 1 over 40" | 2 | – |
| Minnesota | North-central zone | Release all 22-26"; only 2 over 26" | 10 | – |
| Minnesota | Southern zone | 24" minimum | 2 | – |
| Official source MN DNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Montana older data Northern pike |
Western District | – | 15 | – |
| Montana | Central and Eastern districts | – | 10 | – |
| Note on this data: These limits come from a 2023 copy of Montana's regulations, the newest we could check, and FWP has proposed changes. Some limits may now be different. Secondary source: Montana fishing regulations (eRegulations) FWP official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Nebraska Northern pike |
Statewide | No minimum; only 1 of 34" or longer | 3 (10 in possession) | – |
| Official source Game and Parks official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Nevada Northern pike |
Statewide | – | No limit | – |
| It is illegal to release a northern pike alive into any Nevada water. Secondary source: Nevada Fishing Regulations 2026 (NDOW guide on eRegulations) NDOW official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| New Hampshire Northern pike |
Statewide | 28" minimum | 1 | – |
| Secondary source: New Hampshire Fishing Digest 2026 (eRegulations) NH Fish and Game official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| New Jersey Northern pike |
Statewide | 24" minimum | 2 | All year |
| Secondary source: NJ Fish & Wildlife freshwater fishing digest 2026 (eRegulations) NJ Fish & Wildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| New Mexico Northern pike |
Statewide | No minimum | 10 | – |
| Eagle Nest Lake: no limit, and pike may not be returned to the lake. Official source2 NMDOW official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| New York Northern pike |
Statewide | 18" minimum | 5 | May 1 to March 15 |
| Official source NYSDEC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| North Dakota Northern pike |
Statewide | No minimum | 5 (10 in possession) | – |
| North Dakota | Red and Bois de Sioux rivers | No minimum | 3 (3 in possession) | – |
| Official source NDGF official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Pennsylvania older data Northern pike |
Statewide | 24" minimum | 2 | – |
| Note on this data: Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and their tributaries aren't covered here: their limits differ from the inland rules shown. Figures from the 2025 summary; the Commission's 2026 book confirms the dates noted. Check the current summary book before fishing. Secondary source: Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (eRegulations, 2025 edition) PFBC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Rhode Island Northern pike |
Statewide | 24" minimum | 2 | No closed season |
| Official source2 RIDEM official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| South Dakota Northern pike |
Statewide | No minimum | 6 (possession 12) | – |
| Official source2 SD GFP official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Utah Northern pike |
Statewide | Only 1 over 36" | 20 | – |
| Secondary source: Utah Fishing Guidebook (eRegulations) Utah DWR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Vermont Northern pike |
Statewide | 20" minimum | 5 | All year |
| Secondary source: Vermont Fishing Regulations 2026-27 (eRegulations) Vermont Fish & Wildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Vermont Lake Champlain (Vermont waters) |
Walleye | 18" minimum | 3 | First Saturday in May to March 15 |
| Vermont | Black bass | 12" minimum | 5 combined | Second Saturday in June to November 30 |
| Vermont | Lake trout | 15" minimum | 3 | All year |
| Vermont | Landlocked salmon | 15" minimum | 2 | All year |
| Vermont | Northern pike | 20" minimum | 5 | All year |
| Vermont | Yellow perch | No minimum | No limit | All year |
| Secondary source: Vermont Fishing Regulations 2026-27 (eRegulations) Vermont Fish & Wildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Virginia Northern pike and chain pickerel |
Statewide | No minimum | 5 | – |
| Kerr and Gaston: no daily limit. Official source DWR / VMRC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Washington Northern pike |
Statewide | No minimum | No limit | – |
| Invasive: pike must be killed before leaving the riparian area. Secondary source: Washington Sport Fishing Rules 2026 (eRegulations edition) WDFW official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| West Virginia Northern pike |
Statewide | 30" minimum | 1 (possession 2) | – |
| Official source WVDNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Wisconsin older data Northern pike |
North of US Highway 10 | Varies by water; check the DNR lake lookup | 5 total | – |
| Wisconsin | South of US Highway 10 | Varies by water; check the DNR lake lookup | 2 total | – |
| Note on this data: Only statewide daily bag limits are shown. Size limits, and many bag limits, are set lake by lake, so they aren't listed here. Official source WDNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Wyoming Northern pike |
By drainage area | See area rules | No statewide limit; see drainage area exceptions | – |
| Secondary source: 2026 Wyoming Fishing Regulations (eRegulations edition) WGFD official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||