Targeting Chain Pickerel

[SC53]

What inline spinners are you guys using? 
And is there a particular size and color?

[Deleted account]

13 hours ago, TheSwearingAngler said:

Seriously… I’m going to crush the barbs though, they were both very hard to unhook.

Also bend down one point or cut it off. 

[Further North]

4 hours ago, SC53 said:

What inline spinners are you guys using? 
And is there a particular size and color?

Keeping in mind that I am targeting musky and pike, and not chain pickeral, I am a fan of Mepps in-line spinners from #3 to #5.

My most productive colors are red/white and brown trout, though green/black is very effective on some waters here.  A bit of pink is never a bad idea herein WI either.

[Deleted account]

6 minutes ago, Further North said:

Keeping in mind that I am targeting musky and pike, and not chain pickeral, I am a fan of Mepps in-line spinners from #3 to #5.

Those are the sizes I use mostly for pickerel too. Smaller ones will work, but I don't see a reason to use them. I use 15-20 lb straight mono with a snap swivel, so no need for wire, can't remember last time I got bit off.

[padlin]

I tried the wire, for me it was too hard to tie so I gave up, it did certainly work. Started using 15 or 20 lb FC about half way thru the year, no further bite offs.

 

where I fish there are more pics then bass, I catch them on whatever I throw. The shallower the water, the smaller but more plentiful the pics.

[Further North]

2 hours ago, Deleted account said:

Those are the sizes I use mostly for pickerel too. Smaller ones will work, but I don't see a reason to use them. I use 15-20 lb straight mono with a snap swivel, so no need for wire, can't remember last time I got bit off.

That would get bit off right away here.

 

No wire = donated lures here.

[TheSwearingAngler]

6 hours ago, SC53 said:

What inline spinners are you guys using? 
And is there a particular size and color?

I picked up a 5 pack of size 2 (1/4 oz) Blue Fox tail whips at Walmart for $7ish. Caught fish on pink and black as the previous pictures show.. I’m not normally a snap swivel guy but running 8lb yozuri hybrid I figured it was my best shot at not getting bit off. The fish that hit the pink kind of choked it but with the extra length the swivel provided the line was never in danger.

[Deleted account]

36 minutes ago, Further North said:

That would get bit off right away here.

 

No wire = donated lures here.

I catch pickerel and pike over 30" and maybe get bit off once every 2 years or so, YMMVBIW.

[Kirtley Howe]

A classic and still successful lure for any member of the pike family is a good old red and white spoon.

 

[Further North]

On 1/22/2023 at 2:27 PM, Deleted account said:

I catch pickerel and pike over 30" and maybe get bit off once every 2 years or so, YMMVBIW.

I've seen people who didn't listen get bit off a half dozen times in one day.  I had a guy loose two Mepps and a Rapala in the first three hours of a  float this summer until he let me tie in some wire.  To be fair, I don't think any of those fish were under 30".  Which made it worse. ?

...but if it works for you, that's cool.

I get the YMMV, but the BIW eludes me?

On 1/22/2023 at 7:03 PM, Kirt Howe said:

A classic and still successful lure for any member of the pike family is a good old red and white spoon.

 

I agree, and with the exception of one trip, find Doctor Spoons more effective than the old reliable Daredevle.

[MassBass]

I try to use wire in places where there are big pickerel. You might not get bit off on an average size fish, but when those teeth have weight behind, like a quality or trophy size fish, they can bite off. Also if you are setting the hook, like with a weedless worm, if a big pic has it, likely a bite off there.   

[TheSwearingAngler]

I haven’t seen any “big” pickerel yet but I hope to. I’ve lost a lot of ned rigs to them usually just as I’m landing them, that’s why I got a net.

[padlin]

Have yet to have a pickerel chomp thru a spinnerbait.

[Further North]

8 hours ago, padlin said:

Have yet to have a pickerel chomp thru a spinnerbait.

Me either.

They cut the line above the spinnerbait.

[SC53]

I’ll run a foot of 30-40# flouro like I do for bluefish and mackerel.

It will get some shredding occasionally but I just replace when it does.

Rarely loose a lure even to them. And a pickerel’s teeth can’t compare to those two.

[TheSwearingAngler]

Went out for a few hours yesterday throwing a jerkbait and spinner bait… skunked. It’s starting to warm up so I’m really hoping the bass start getting active.

[Fallser]

On 1/22/2023 at 8:03 AM, SC53 said:

What inline spinners are you guys using? 
And is there a particular size and color?

These are some that I made up for the guys I fish with and myself when I'm not fly fishing for them.

These are Mepps style using a #3 blade.

I used barbless VMC treble hooks for the top four.

These are based on an in-line spinner I brought at a fishing flea market.  The guy selling them  was touting them as lures to use for striped bass in salt water.  The original is 9 inches long and weighs 2 oz.  He also used an in-line blade.  I made my first ones using in-line blades but didn't like the action.  I think they were too small.  I rebuilt them using French or Colorado blades on a clevis.  The action improved. 

Both the Mepps style and whatever the second style is have caught chain pickerel.