The northern pike is probably the best suited to ice fishing of all Nebraska gamefish.
Northerns feed often and aggressively, giving fishermen a good chance of hooking one.
Northerns are fairly well distributed across the state, but most Nebraska pike fishing occurs in Sandhills lakes and Box Butte Reservoir. Sherman, Swanson and Elwood reservoirs and Alkali Lake, where fewer but bigger fish are taken, are also popular. Most fishermen use a fairly large hook, such as a No. 1 or No. 2 short-shanked single hook or a No. 1 or No. The steel leader keeps the northern's formidable teeth from cutting the line. Tip-ups are the nearly unanimous choice among pike fishermen, although their rigs vary.