Pike · Esox lucius

Pike in England's Rivers

The largest recorded measurement is 144 cm (56.7 in), from Romsey Canal in River Test on 3 September 2002.

Median length: 33.2 cm (13.1 in)
Fish measured: 111,124
Named waterways: 854
Latest observation: 23 Jul 2026

Direct individual measurements

Largest pike by waterway

Ranked by the largest individual measured in EA surveys. The sample size shows how many valid length measurements underpin each waterway's figures.

Rank	River or waterway	Largest	Median	Measured	Measured at
1	River TestSouth East	144 cm (56.7 in)	29.1 cm (11.5 in)	124	3 Sept 2002Romsey Canal
2	River WharfeYorkshire and North East	120 cm (47.2 in)	51.3 cm (20.2 in)	596	20 Aug 2024Tadcaster post 2006
3	River NiddYorkshire and North East	120 cm (47.2 in)	30.3 cm (11.9 in)	344	3 Aug 2012Kirk Hammerton
4	River Bray - BoveneySouth East	120 cm (47.2 in)	59.4 cm (23.4 in)	285	2 Sept 2014Bray Weir Pool
5	River RmcSouth East	120 cm (47.2 in)	32.9 cm (13 in)	169	13 Apr 2010Appledore
6	River ThurneAnglian	117.5 cm (46.3 in)	75.3 cm (29.6 in)	37	26 Feb 2013Potter Heigham inner basin
7	River ThamesSouth East	115 cm (45.3 in)	46.1 cm (18.1 in)	5,116	8 Oct 2022Godstow to Osney
8	Whittlesey DykeAnglian	115 cm (45.3 in)	39.3 cm (15.5 in)	199	6 Jul 2023Engine Farm
9	River Boveney - RomneySouth East	111 cm (43.7 in)	63 cm (24.8 in)	231	11 Sept 2002Boveney Main
10	River Gipping (Main Reaches)Anglian	110 cm (43.3 in)	25.7 cm (10.1 in)	2,679	18 Aug 1993Sproughton B.S.C.

Equal maximum lengths are ordered by sample size. Measurements are shown as recorded and are not converted into estimated weights.

111,124 fish measured

Measured pike lengths

The median divides the measured sample in half. This distribution describes surveyed fish, not every pike living in England.

0–19 mm

20–39 mm

40–59 mm

161

60–79 mm

501

80–99 mm

1487

100–119 mm

2555

120–139 mm

3505

140–159 mm

4728

160–179 mm

6057

180–199 mm

6465

200–219 mm

6110

220–239 mm

5514

240–259 mm

4930

260–279 mm

4265

280–299 mm

3779

300–319 mm

3382

320–339 mm

3224

340–359 mm

3107

360–379 mm

2928

380–399 mm

2915

400–419 mm

2934

420–439 mm

2963

440–459 mm

2917

460–479 mm

2900

480–499 mm

3015

500–519 mm

3055

520–539 mm

3121

540–559 mm

2983

560–579 mm

2964

580–599 mm

2771

600–619 mm

2704

620–639 mm

2321

640–659 mm

2035

660–679 mm

1621

680–699 mm

1337

700–719 mm

1107

720–739 mm

932

740–759 mm

772

760–779 mm

615

780–799 mm

459

800–819 mm

395

820–839 mm

292

840–859 mm

274

860–879 mm

219

880–899 mm

186

900–919 mm

144

920–939 mm

109

940–959 mm

960–979 mm

980–999 mm

1000–1019 mm

1020–1039 mm

1040–1059 mm

1060–1079 mm

1080–1099 mm

1100–1119 mm

1140–1159 mm

1160–1179 mm

1200–1219 mm

1440–1459 mm

Only positive individual lengths that pass RiverFish's general measurement checks are included. Each bar covers a 20 mm range.

Latest EA evidence

Latest pike observations

The ten most recent survey visits that recorded pike in named waterways.

Date	River or waterway	Survey location	Fish recorded
23 Jul 2026	River Lee	Amwell Loop	26
22 Jul 2026	River Darent	Twitton Brook	2
21 Jul 2026	River Medway	Sovereign Way Tonbridge	10
21 Jul 2026	River Colne	Uxbridge	6
16 Jul 2026	River Colne	Watford M1 link road	12
15 Jul 2026	River Medway	Teston	3
14 Jul 2026	River Stour	Tendring Hall	2
7 Jul 2026	River Lee	Fishers Green	1
3 Jul 2026	River Stour	Higham Hall	6
2 Jul 2026	Chad Brook (Main Reaches)	Broad Meadows	6

A survey record confirms pike at that place and time. It does not show present-day abundance or fishing access.

16,914 positive survey visits

Survey distribution

EA surveys recorded pike at 4,106 locations across 854 named waterways represented on RiverFish.

Region	Waterways	Locations	Survey visits	Latest record
Anglian	295	1,719	8,238	14 Jul 2026
South East	234	1,102	4,766	23 Jul 2026
Midlands	141	667	1,901	21 May 2026
South West	84	260	641	2 Oct 2025
North West	53	109	187	12 May 2026
Yorkshire and North East	47	249	1,181	2 Jul 2026

503 detailed pages

Pike by river

Open any river-specific page for its measured lengths, largest surveyed individuals, locations and observation history.

Anglian 204 pages

Midlands 63 pages

North West 18 pages

South East 136 pages

South West 49 pages

Yorkshire and North East 33 pages

How to read this page

Survey measurements, not angling records

Environment Agency surveys are designed to monitor fish populations. Their largest measurement is not equivalent to a verified rod-and-line record, and the survey sample does not include every river or every pike.

Waterway groups with administrative or mixed-river labels are excluded from the headline national totals and rankings. Their eligible river-specific pages remain available in the directory so no published destination is hidden.

The fish records use the Environment Agency source snapshot dated 10 August 2026.

How RiverFish handles the data →