Good observation, skinnybass. Yes, northern pike definitely slow their movements and activity during hot weather. They are a cool water fish. Even in our research lakes down in north-central Nebraska, they are very hard to catch in mid-summer. They also get quite thin -- water too warm, metabolism is high, yet they aren't feeding or moving much. However, they sure are plump in fall and spring!
Given your location, I suspect you are dealing with water that is too warm for the pike, but not high enough for a long enough time to kill them.
