Northern pike have light bars on an olive-green back.
Their fins have dark spots with a reddish tinge. Northern pike inhabit large, weedy bays of natural lakes in the northern U.S. and slow, meandering rivers with heavy weed growth. They can also be found in ponds, lakes, and streams. Northern pike live in shallow water in the summer and deep water in the winter. As the fish grow larger, they prefer colder water temperatures.