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Nature

Northern Pikeminnow

What is northern pikeminnow?

· James MacDonald

Key facts

Scientific name Ptychocheilus oregonensis[3]
Family Leuciscidae (minnow family)[1]
Native range Pacific slope of western North America[1]
Maximum length 63.0 cm TL[3]
Former name Northern squawfish[1]

The northern pikeminnow is a large predatory minnow native to the Pacific slope of western North America, scientifically named Ptychocheilus oregonensis. It is often confused with the northern pike by shape, but it is not the same species. It was formerly called the northern squawfish and is not the threatened Colorado pikeminnow.

Context

The northern pikeminnow is a large native minnow of the Pacific slope of western North America, with the scientific name Ptychocheilus oregonensis [3]. It belongs to the minnow family Leuciscidae [1]. The species was formerly known as the northern squawfish, and the name changed in 1998 [1]. It is a predatory freshwater fish, described as piscivorous and highly mobile [2]. In some situations, it eats young sport fish [5]. It is commonly confused with the Colorado pikeminnow, but it is not the same species [1]. It is also confused with the walleye by shape [1]. The northern pikeminnow is found in the Columbia River basin and other parts of western North America [1]. Management contexts include Washington, British Columbia, Montana, Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada [4].

Documented claims

  • It is a predatory freshwater fish that is piscivorous and highly mobile. [2]
  • It eats young sport fish in some situations. [5]
  • It is not the same as the threatened Colorado pikeminnow. [1]

Related

Northern PikeNorthern pike is a fish species that shares the word 'northern' and is also a freshwater fish, so readers interested in one may be interested in the other.

Questions and answers

How big does a northern pikeminnow get?

It can reach a maximum length of 63.0 cm TL [3].

Are pikeminnow invasive in BC?

The northern pikeminnow is native to the Pacific slope, including British Columbia, so it is not considered invasive there [1].

Can I eat northern pikeminnow?

The sources do not provide information on eating this fish, so no answer is given.

Sources

  1. Northern Pikeminnow - Montana Field Guide — fieldguide.mt.gov (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Northern pikeminnow | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife — wdfw.wa.gov (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. Northern Pike - Missouri Department of Conservation — mdc.mo.gov (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  4. Northern Pikeminnow Identification — pikeminnow.org (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  5. Ptychocheilus oregonensis, Northern pikeminnow - FishBase — fishbase.se (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Nature