Uh, northern pike, pickerel, and any other fish in the family Esocidae are illegal where you are... By the way, I remembered seeing one of your
posts in the gar forum, so that's where I got your location information.
Here's the thread with fish legality for every state:
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36365
CALIFORNIA:
Prohibited fish species -- illegal to import, transport, or possess live specimens w/o a permit
(4) Class Agnatha - Jawless Fishes
(A) Family Petromyzontidae - Lampreys All nonnative species (D).
(5) Class Osteichthyes - Bony Fishes
(A) Family Percichthyidae - Temperate Basses
1. The species Morone americana (White perch) (D).
2. The species Morone chrysops (White bass) (D).
(B ) Family Clupeidae - Herrings Dorosoma cepedianum (Gizzard shad) (D).
(C ) Family Sciaenidae - Drums Aplodinotus grunniens (freshwater drum) (D).
(D) Family Characidae - Characins
1. Astyanax fasciatus (Banded tetra) (D).
2. All species of the genera Serrasalmus, Serrasalmo, Pygocentrus, Taddyella, Rooseveltiella, and Pygopristis (Piranhas) (D).
3. Hoplias malabaricus (Tiger fish) (D).
(E) Family Salmonidae - Trouts Salmo salar (Atlantic salmon) - Restricted in the Smith River watershed (D).
(F) Family Lepisosteidae - Gars All species (D).
(G) Family Amiidae - Bowfins All species (D).
(H) Family Poeciliidae - Livebearers Belonesox belizanus (Pike killifish) (D).
(I) Family Channidae - Snakeheads All species (D).
(J) Family Cyprinidae - Carps and Minnows
1. Leuciscus idus (ide) (D).
2. Ctenopharyngodon idellus (Grass carp) (D), except that permits may be issued to a person, organization or agency for possession of triploid grass carp, under conditions set forth in Section 238.6.
3. Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Silver carp) (D).
4. Aristichthys nobilis (Bighead carp) (D).
(K) Family Trichomycteridae (Pygidiidae) - Parasitic Catfishes. All species (D).
(L) Family Cetopsidae - Whalelike Catfishes. All species (D).
(M) Family Clariidae - Labyrinth Catfishes All species of the genera Clarias, Dinotopterus, and Heterobranchus (D).
(N) Family Heteropneustidae (Saccobranchidae) - Airsac Catfishes All species (D).
(O) Family Cichlidae - Cichlids
1. Tilapia sparrmani (Banded Tilapia) (D).
2. Tilapia zilli (Redbelly tilapia) (D), except permits may be issued to a person or agency for importation, transportation, or possession in the counties of San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial.
3. Tilapia aurea (Blue tilapia) (D).
4. Tilapia nilotica (Nile tilapia) (D).
(P) Family Anguillidae - Freshwater Eels. All species of genus Anguilla (D).
(Q) Family Esocidae - Pikes all species (D).
(R ) Family Percidae - Perches
1. Perca flavescens (Yellow perch) (D).
2. Stizostedion vitreum (Walleye) (D).
(S) Family Catostomidae - Suckers All members of the genus Ictiobus (Buffalos) (D).
(T) Family Cyprinodontidae - Killifishes Cyprinodon variegatus (Sheepshead minnow) (D).
(6) Class Elasmobranchiomorphi - Cartilaginous Fishes
(A) Family Carcharhinidae - Requiem Sharks All species of genus Carcharhinus (Freshwater sharks) (D).
(B ) Family Potamotrygonidae - River stingrays All species (D).
Source: California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 671. These regulations are promulgated by the California Fish and Game Commission pursuant to statutory authority set forth in the California Fish and Game Code. (There's a statutory list too, but the one from the regulations is more complete. The statutes only contain the original list, whereas the regulations also include all species added by the Commission.)
Please read through this list in order to avoid any trouble with your Department of Fish and Game. It would be a shame for you to invest money in some fish that then turn out to be illegal and then get taken away.
