What is a mesotrophic lake, and is it good pike water?
It is the middle of the fertility scale — richer than a clear, sterile Canadian Shield lake, leaner than a green, weed-choked one — and for pike it is often the best compromise. A pike lake needs two things that pull in opposite directions: shallow, weedy, marshy bays to spawn in and to raise young, and cool, oxygenated water for big fish in summer, since large pike are stressed as the surface passes about 21 °C (70 °F). Fertile lakes supply the first and lose the second as the deep water runs out of oxygen; infertile lakes keep the second but have fewer nurseries. A moderately fertile lake with weedy bays, deep weed edges and a breathable cool layer offers both, plus the perch and sucker forage that goes with it.
The full story
This answer is one piece of a longer lesson — setups, diagrams and the reasoning behind it.
More questions about Territory & aggression
Same topic, other species
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- Where do largemouth rest, and will a resting fish still bite? — Largemouth Bass
- Are muskie territorial? — Muskellunge (Muskie)
- Are perch territorial at all? — Yellow Perch
- Does catching a bed-guarding male doom the nest? — Smallmouth Bass
- Is there really a pecking order among trout in a pool? — Trout (Rainbow · Brook · Lake)
- Are walleye territorial? — Walleye