Pickerel or pike

[Beetlebz]

So lets lay out what we know about the difference between pickerel and pike from what I've been told... I'm not sure I have gotten all good info. I caught this guy last week up on a shallow flat where pickerel and bass cruise. 

 

I've been told that pike do moving water, pickerel do still water, and I've been told that you won't find both in the same place. I was told that there are no pike in this water, only pickerel. I've been told that this fish must be a pickerel just because there are no pike there and theres no, or very very little, non-wind current. I will say this, I've caught a lot of pickerel, this hit like I snagged a passing 18 wheeler. You can see the damage his mouth caught when I set the hook thinking it was a world record bass.

 

Sorry it's such a bad photo, I was doing what I could in a hurry. He was thrashing all around, I couldn't grab him and my phone so I just snapped a quick potato. That's a pike, or the biggest pickerel I've ever seen and with spots.

[mattkenzer]

Looks Pikey to me ....

[Dwight Hottle]

Looks like a pike to me based on the fins & body coloration. Tough to tell without a side angle. 

[soflabasser]

Do you have pictures of this fish on its side? 

[jbmaine]

It's a pikerel?

[Beetlebz]

1 hour ago, mattkenzer said:

Looks Pikey to me ....

 

1 hour ago, Dwight Hottle said:

Looks like a pike to me based on the fins & body coloration. Tough to tell without a side angle. 

Legit. If you click on the picture for the high res and zoom in, you can see that the circular spots extend into the dorsal and anal fins. If I'm not mistaken, that's a pike trait. 

 

But this is currentless water. Its fed by creeks, not a river. I have no idea how a pike would even get in there.

1 hour ago, soflabasser said:

Do you have pictures of this fish on its side? 

I wish. I should have just grabbed it and threw it in my lap for a better picture but I dont mess with dem teeth.

33 minutes ago, jbmaine said:

It's a pikerel?

LOL 

[Fishingmickey]

I think it is a pickapike! JB, I'll be up in your neck of the woods next week, Fishing Long pond and maybe China lake and Cobboseecontee.

Fishingmickey

[NHBull]

If it looked like this, it's a pickle 

[Beetlebz]

10 minutes ago, NHBull said:

If it looked like this, it's a pickle 

Hmm. See that there looks like a pike pattern to me. Hard to tell because I can't really zoom in. Also, keep in mind the fish in my picture (its hard to tell from the angle) is about 30-36". That's a monster pickerel.

 

also, I love your hat @NHBull

[jbmaine]

2 hours ago, Fishingmickey said:

I think it is a pickapike! JB, I'll be up in your neck of the woods next week, Fishing Long pond and maybe China lake and Cobboseecontee.

Fishingmickey

Welcome in advance to Maine.

 We have them here too.

[Jar11591]

Coloration and pattern on the sides and fins tell me it’s a pike, no doubt. 

[Arcs&sparks]

Pike

[NHBull]

On 8/22/2018 at 6:42 PM, Beetlebz said:

Hmm. See that there looks like a pike pattern to me. Hard to tell because I can't really zoom in. Also, keep in mind the fish in my picture (its hard to tell from the angle) is about 30-36". That's a monster pickerel.

 

also, I love your hat @NHBull

For me the easiest way to identify a chain pickeral is the black line from the eye to the jaw. I look for a white belly for pike...

[HookRz]

Pickeral have that Alice Cooper eye make-up!

[gim]

The easy way to tell is to use your nose.  Those pike are covered in reaking slime.  If it stinks and drips like a bad sinus infection...

[Beetlebz]

13 minutes ago, HookRz said:

Pickeral have that Alice Cooper eye make-up!

That's just it. Every characteristic says pike, but it looks like it has black bars under the eyes like a pickerel. But it has body patterning into its fins like a pike. 

 

If I'm making a comparison chart, its 4 for pike and 2 for pickerel. 

[NHBull]

8 hours ago, Beetlebz said:

That's just it. Every characteristic says pike, but it looks like it has black bars under the eyes like a pickerel. But it has body patterning into its fins like a pike. 

 

If I'm making a comparison chart, its 4 for pike and 2 for pickerel. 

Nose and length suggest pike, as mine would, but I had a NH State record that I tossed back as the record is 26".....note to self......side pics?

[tipptruck1]

It could be a hybrid. Over here I caught what they call a tiger muskie. Mix between a pike and a muskie. Neat looking fish. Here is a pike. I know this for sure, as prickle are rare over here, and I have caught hundreds of these guys.  Going by your pic. I would say its a pike.

[pok3y]

Pike and Pickeral live in same lakes. I catch them all the time always have. The fish in picture is a pike.