Pickerel

[George DeHaven]

The last 4 or 5 times out, I have been catching these nasty Pickerel. They've got a good fight in them and they're never small so I'm not complaining! The teeth are a bit of a bummer because they'll really tear you up if you're not wearing gloves. (Learned that the hard way)

 

I wanted to bring this up because I have a question...

 

Pickerel are obviously predator fish. Would it be smart to move to another spot after hauling one in? I figure that they've probably claimed that spot and have cleared the area of anything else. I've never had any luck after catching one of those suckers.

[AK-Jax86]

If you are not having luck after catching pickerel I would move.

In NJ we had this one spot that we would fish after high school that was the ideal bass spot. Then one day we pulled in a big pickerel... After that no bass and pickerel EVERY CAST. They must have eaten all the bass because these pickerel were huge could pass for pike

[SirSnookalot]

As I strictly fish for fun, I want the biggest and best fighting fish, don't care what the species is.

[bigbill]

I been catching some pickerel between 29" to 32" at two of my hot spots. Inbetween catching bass. The pickerel just show up. A few weeks ago I went out and watched the minnows on there tails jumping out of the water all over in front of me. I put on a bomber citrus crankbait and went to work. As I reeled in my crank the minnows were jumping behind it so the predator was following my lure. He hit it and I landed a decent pickerel about 18"/20". He inhaled the whole bomber crank. Funny I just purchased a long surgical

Pliers from eBay. I needed it really bad. I took the lure out without hurting him but he was biting at me the whole time. He was the most feisty pickerel I ever caught. This place is where I seen a monster pickerel or a Hugh northern pike attacking the stocked hatchery trout in the cattails. He was making 10' to 14' 180 degree turns and striking.

I knew it's a large pickerel or pike. I threw all my monster lures for nothing. This place is stocked with trout but I hardly see any trout being caught there. Gee I wonder where there all going? We have great northern pike here someday I'll target them.

[Marty]

In the lake that I've fished the most over the years, pickerel would be found anywhere bass would and they take any lure. It's a crapshoot. We'd make our casts and it would be equally likely for bass and pickerel. I've always thought that pickerel fight better than largemouth.

[Mike2841]

As I strictly fish for fun, I want the biggest and best fighting fish, don't care what the species is.

I second this. In my area pickerel are my favorite fish to catch because they put up the best fight.

Also I have pulled bass and pickerel out of the same spot in an outing. And as far as dealing with their teeth just get a firm grip on them with one hand and use some pliers to get the hook out with the other

[Lil'Gunner]

I catch bass and pickerel in the same spots. I enjoy it; they're great hitters and fighters. Just grab them at the back end of the gill plates to freeze em; I've handled 45-50 inch musky this way; works great.