pickerel as bait

[the ohh face]

I dont know how u all feel about live bait fishing (ive heard some people look down on it) but ive caught very small pickerel 5-8" and thrown em on the biggest hook i had in the box. The bass seem to go crazy for the injured pickerel, more so than any other live bait i've used.  Is this because theyre a fish the bass naturally feed on in the pond?

[Other.]

uhh ever hear of REGULATIONS!!! I dont know what state you are in but Im sure the regulations are bigger then 5 inches!!!

[bocabasser]

i don't know about pickerel, but every time i hook into a dink (very small bass), i reel him in nice and slow. i once had about a 12 pound hog come up and make a swipe at it. so i am sure it works. i don't know if it is legal though.

[BucketmouthAngler13]

I dont know how u all feel about live bait fishing (ive heard some people look down on it) but ive caught very small pickerel 5-8" and thrown em on the biggest hook i had in the box. The bass seem to go crazy for the injured pickerel, more so than any other live bait i've used. Is this because theyre a fish the bass naturally feed on in the pond?

i do the same with sunnies.

the problem with it is it's hard to tell if you have a fish or a fish on... :-/

[the ohh face]

uhh ever hear of REGULATIONS!!! I dont know what state you are in but Im sure the regulations are bigger then 5 inches!!!

Yeah i guess your right, but i can catch about 30 pickerel a day in this pond so i dont think im hurting fish populations by killing a couple a month

[Guest bigtex]

If Im not mistaken, I don't believe that Texas has a regulation on Chain Pickeral.  

I don't know about other states.

But if I'm wrong about my states regulation then I can honestly say that nobody monitors it.  Some people don't care that much about those kinds of fish including me.  I have never tried to fish with them as bait so I will be giving them a shot.  

[Thatcher]

I hate picks! I catch about 10 picks to every 1 bass. wouldnt be so bad if they were good eats.

[George Welcome]

Mass. is five over 15" for pickerel keeper limit so you are breaking the law.

Chain Pickerel are very good eating - you just need to learn how to clean them.

My feelings on fishing: If you can't fish within the laws of your state you should get out of fishing. Whether you like the law or not, violating it is serious business. Coming here and in effect saying or professing that irregardless of your states laws you do what you want to do, is pretty dumb.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

And pretty illegal.........

and pretty uneducated.

Pickerel often maintain a critical balance in many ponds and lakes, killing them because you "hate" them is pretty sad........ and unethical.

Aside from size and creel limits,let's not forget that in many states including RI and Massachussettes, it is illegal to use a gamefish as bait.

Regardless of size

Regardless if you don't "like" them

Regardless of the fact that you can buy live bait if you can't catch with artificials.

Please do some research before you kill any more living things in your lake.

but i can catch about 30 pickerel a day in this pond so i dont think im hurting fish populations by killing a couple a month

That's just scary ignorant. (ignorant meaning uneducated,not an insult) Please talk to a state biologist before continuing these practices.

Some people don't care that much about those kinds of fish including me. I have never tried to fish with them as bait so I will be giving them a shot.

I care and I'm sure the other people who fish Texas care. I'm positive your local DNR guys care.......and they have guns!

All the fish that live in a nice balanced pond would care too, especially the bass whose eggs would get wiped out with an uncontrollable sunfish population due to lack of pickerel that used to be there.

[Skwerl]

Regarding using gamefish as bait- In Florida the law states that you cannot keep gamefish caught with a cast net. There is absolutely nothing in there regarding using gamefish as bait, you just can't net them. I'm sure it's the same in most states unless you're in an over-regulated liberal state like MASS.  

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I'm sure it's the same in most states unless you're in an over-regulated liberal state like MASS.

Or one that cares about it's natural resources,....like RI.  

It is illegal here, regardless of how you caught it.

[Guest avid]

I hate picks! I catch about 10 picks to every 1 bass. wouldnt be so bad if they were good eats.

Contrary to popular belief, chain pickerel are excellent tasting fish.  Much better bass.  The problem with eating them is they are boney.  But if you have experience eating trout or other non-filleted type fish, then you should not miss out on Pickerel.  The meat is very white, juicy, and sweet.  I used to eat them alot.  I would cook them camp style, meaning after cleaning I would place the fish whole into a frying pan with lots of butter, some salt and pepper and lemon juice.  Another great camp recipie is to fry bacon and then use the bacon for frying and just butter the fish itself.  Add a few eggs toward the end and you have one wholaciously deliecious streamside breakfast.

[nboucher]

Avid, bacon can make shoe leather taste good!  ;D

As for pickerel, I'm with LBH. I don't understand many bass fishermen's distaste (no pun intended) for them. Sure they're slimy, they mess up our lines, and they're not the intended gamefish most of us are after, but they're fiesty fighters, which I appreciate. Also, in my view, it's important to remember that as far as our nation's wildlife is concerned, pickerel were here before bass, at least in the north. I don't know about you guys, but any attempt to mess with nature by killing one species that has evolved here and substituting one we prefer is messing with a system we inherited and have a responsibility to care for. I'm no biologist, but I do think that introducing bass in the northern U.S. has been pretty successful, in that the bass haven't messed up what's already there. So let's give those pickerel a little respect. They've been around here an awful long time, and before we introduced bass, were the top of the food chain.

[Troutfisher]

Mmmm if it says not to keep pickerel, then don't do it.  

[Keithscatch]

Regarding using gamefish as bait- In Florida the law states that you cannot keep gamefish caught with a cast net. There is absolutely nothing in there regarding using gamefish as bait, you just can't net them. I'm sure it's the same in most states unless you're in an over-regulated liberal state like MASS.  

Not so. Here is what the manual says for Florida:

USE OF FISH FOR BAIT

Black bass, peacock bass or any part thereof may not be used as bait.

Live goldfish or carp may not be used as bait.

Whole pickerel or bream (e.g., bluegill, redear sunfish, redbreast sunfish, spotted sunfish, flier, warmouth) or parts thereof may be used as bait for sportfishing by he angler who caught them.  Whole pickerel or bream or parts thereof may not be used as bait for trotlines or bush hooks or any method other than by rod and reel or pole and line.

Just saying "gamefish" as you said could lead someone into believing that a small Bass could be used as bait. It is afterall a gamefish. However here in Florida Pickeral are legal to use as bait as are sunfish. What I find interesting is that goldfish are not allowed to be used as bait. I know in Texas goldfish are legal to use as bait.

[Guest bigtex]

Lets back up a minute LBH.  I never implied that I kill chain pickerel just because I don't like them.  I don't like them because they are nasty, they smell and they can kill out a pond pretty quickly.

I have never heard of people using them as fishing bait but I sure will give them a shot.

[Troutfisher]

Ok, anyway, if the laws and regulations of a state strictly forbids using gamefish as bait, then hey, don't do it. As far as using them for bait if it IS legal, then do what you want, but remember, most fish have a purpose in the pond/lake, that is, except bait that has been imported illegally.

There's my take.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I care and I'm sure the other people who fish Texas care. I'm positive your local DNR guys care.......and they have guns!

For those of you that somehow mistook this as a threat,...c'mon.  Be real, we are talking about fishing, this is called a "sense of humor".  My point to bigtex was that although he may not care, the guys that enforce the law do and,...be prepared,..humor coming,....they have guns.  

[Poor Richard]

What I find interesting is that goldfish are not allowed to be used as bait. I know in Texas goldfish are legal to use as bait.

[Troutfisher]

My point to bigtex was that although he may not care, the guys that enforce the law do and,...be prepared,..humor coming,....they have guns.

C'mon guys, I hope no one took the guns statement seriously; if you did, then you have some issues. I actually thought it was pretty funny.   :

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Lets back up a minute LBH. I never implied that I kill chain pickerel just because I don't like them. I don't like them because they are nasty, they smell and they can kill out a pond pretty quickly.

Not to offend you BT, (gotta be careful here, don't want to hurt anyones feelings ...I'm serious, I think most here know that's not my style) but in a pond that has had pickerel in it for years, and is stable,...removing them is what will kill your pond.

[Whopper-Stopper]

The law here says that you can use gamefish for bait as long as it meets size and bag limits.

I have a Pike swimbait from bass pro. It is deadly on bass. Maybe you could give that a try.

Big tex, I don't think LBH would shoot you over a pickerel.

He meant that while we cannot do anything about it, the DNR will.

[Troutfisher]

I don't think LBH would shoot you over a pickerel

Mmm neither do I.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Tex, you thought I wanted to shoot you? C'mon man,I can't even figure out my nieces super soaker!

I don't want to shoot anyone,...not even an Austin Powers "karate chop".

I will make a deal though, meet me 1/2 way in a challenge....for every 5 pounder I get a pic of me releasing, you get a pic of a release pickerel. Deal? We can make it a "fun" intervention. It also shows the full circle aspect because if I hadn't been releasing my pickerel in this lake for the last 20 yrs ( which is loaded with them,all sizes), I probably wouldn't be able to hold that 5 lb bass out of there.

Thanks for helping to clear up this misunderstanding guys and thanks whopper for offering an alternative.

Tex-issues with me can resolved with a simple PM.  I'm easy, you outta know that by now!  

[Raul]

If your state law says NO then don 't do it, it 's not a matter of if you like them or not, if you think you are not going to do any damage, etc, etc, etc. The law says no then it 's no; being a law abiding, responsable, honest citizen is doing the right thing even when there 's nobody around. If the state law says that you can do it then you can do it.