Capture by angling was used to induce burst exercise in northern pike. By 3 h after exercise blood lactate had risen to levels of 15.2 mmol l−1 (Fig. 2), which greatly exceeded the maximum post-exercise levels (4.0 mmol l−1) previously reported for muskellunge, a close relative of pike. White muscle lactate level was high, 41.8 mmol kg−1, immediately after capture but declined to 23.2 mmol kg−1 by 6 h (Fig. 2). Blood glucose level more than doubled after exercise and remained elevated even after 96 h of recovery (Fig. 2).