Are There Pike in the Wandle?

Sightings of pike in the River Wandle are rare. One angler told me that in 35 years of fishing on the Wandle, he had only ever seen and handled three pike.

This post contains information on where in the Wandle you could find pike, as well as how to identify one.

Are there Pike in the Wandle?

Catching a pike in the Wandle is not easy as they are rarely ever seen. There have been reports of pike in the lower end of the Wandle near The Causeway, near Groton Road in Earlsfield, above Durnsford Road, in Wandle Bank, and at the weir by Merton Abbey Mills.

What Does a Pike Look Like?

The northern pike is one of the largest freshwater fish in the UK. They are an olive green colour with a white or yellow belly. Their bodies are marked with short bar like spots, and they have dark spots on their fins.

They are big fish with elongated bodies. Their heads are usually very distinctive as they have large, wide mouths. The photograph below shows what a northern pike looks like.

Are Pike Dangerous?

Northern pike can be vicious to smaller fish, but they are not dangerous to humans. There are some reports online of northern pike biting people, however these cases are extremely rare.

In one report from 1999, a man was bitten by a giant pike when he was water skiing on Llangorse lake, near Brecon, Powys. Since pike have sharp, fang like teeth they can cause injury if they were to bite.

When pike have bitten humans it is because they have mistaken the person for prey. They usually bite fingers and toes, and immediately let go when they realise the subject is heavier than expected.

How Long do Pike Live?

Northern pike usually live for 10-15 years, but can live for up to 25 years in rare cases.

Where do Northern Pike Spawn?

Pike spawn between March and May and can produce up to 500,000 eggs.  They lay their eggs in shallow, slow moving water that is rich in vegetation.

This is because the eggs attach to grasses or reeds, and the shallow water provides an environment where the baby pike are more likely to survive.

Pike also lay their eggs over several days in different locations, so they are spread out in different parts of the river or pond.

Where Can you Catch Pike?

If you want to catch a pike, the River Wandle might not be the best place since there have only ever been a few sighting of pike here.

According to the Angling Times, some of the best places to catch Pike, that are close to London are, Majors Lake at Beaver Fishery in Surrey, or the Main Lake at the Warren Fishery in Essex.

Other Useful Articles

• A Guide to Fishing on the River Wandle
• Brown Trout vs Rainbow Trout – What’s the Difference?
• What is a Fishing Leader?
• Best Places for Barbel Fishing on the River Wandle

This post was about fishing for Pike in the River Wandle

Thank you for reading my post about fishing for pike in the river Wandle. If you have ever found a pike in the Wandle please leave me a comment below and let me know. Also, if you fish in the Wandle and want to contribute photographs for the website, then please get in touch.