Modern large pike species are native to the Palearctic and Nearctic realms, ranging across Northern America and from Western Europe to Siberia in North Asia.

Pike have the elongated, torpedo-like shape typical of predatory fishes, with sharply pointed heads and sharp teeth.

Their coloration is typically grey-green with a mottled or spotted appearance with stripes along their backs, providing camouflage among underwater weeds, and each individual pike marking patterns are unique like fingerprints.

Pliny uses the Latin form Esox in reference to a large fish in the Rhine normally identified with Salmonidae (lax or salmon).

[1][2] A Northern English and Lowland Scots name for the pike, ged, similarly derives from Old Norse gaddr (spike) (cf.

the modern Swedish name for the pike, gädda, the Danish "gedde", the Norwegian "gjedde" and Scottish Gaelic: geadais).

They will also prey on insects and amphibians such as newts or frogs in times when their usual food is scarce, and occasionally on small mammals like moles or mice when caught water-borne.

The current recommended method of grasping pike is to close the hand firmly over the gill covers, and to make the period of handling as short as possible before release.

Dutch research shows that cutting the line immediately when the fish is gut hooked will still give low mortality (14%).

The taste of pike and pickerel is highly esteemed, but the "multitude of long, fine, forked bones" are problematic.

[14] [15] The dish of quenelles de brochet (pike dumplings), which puts the meat through a sieve, was invented to deal with this.

The Soviet Iosif Stalin tank (IS-3) was also nicknamed Shchuka, in reference to its sharply pointed hull front.

Russian fairy tales, on the other hand, also tell about an old wise pike that can fulfil wishes of the one who catches it, if its catcher releases it back into its habitat.

[citation needed] In George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series of epic fantasy novels, both the seat and the highborn bastards of the Iron Islands are named "Pyke", likely inspired by the pike fish since the islands are inhabited by Viking-like seafaring warriors who frequent pirate ships and raid the coastal regions.