PICKEREL!!!!!!!

 

The weather should be great for you to fish, it will be sunny and 65 or so. That was the forecast and most people's prognosis of my pickerel fishing trip last Sunday. The unfortunate truth was that it would really be bad weather for catching these toothy little critters, Esox Niger data, and had me a bit concerned about a trip without many fish. There are largemouth bass there also so it might turn out alright.

I made it to the boat ramp about 15 minutes late, seems like I am always late for this trip! Tom and Rob were waiting and getting ready to roll. The rods were strung and we rolled out. Our first target area is a bank at the end of the ramp area so it didn't take long until we were slinging some streamers at the bank and waiting for a bang. I quickly got a nab but didn't get the hook set well and he was gone. The sun came out and the fishing went a bit, uhhhh, DEAD! We fished until about 11:15AM before our first fish was brought to hand, he was just north of a pound and feisty as I remembered chain pickerel are.

Right before we were ready to pull out and head to lunch I saw a promising looking tree laying out from the bank. This had been the pattern so far, fish hiding along structure and ambushing from there. With a new large perch colored streamer that had just produced I shot a cast deep to the bank and BLAMMO!!!! It got nailed by a BIG fish who promptly snapped me off, AT THE TOP OF THE LEADER!!!! There was a wind knot that was not noticed and it cost us a real good fish. Retie and go back after him for about 10 minutes but nothing. I wanted that streamer back!

We pulled up and headed to lunch at the BBQ place in town. All the locals go there and after church on Sunday it gets crowded! But the food is really good and worth the time. After that we headed back and set out after more picks, plus the weather had really improved for us,chilly and overcast like the picks like!

We got started and it was apparent Tom was not feeling great this day. It was not long before he needed to head for home and get some rest. Fortunately he said later that he was getting well.

Rob and I headed back out on the lake in search of more pickerel and we found them. They were all 1.5 pounds plus which meant that every fish I caught that day broke the current waterbody record. I just don't want to kill fish for a small record like that. So all of these fish were released to catch another day.

The last fish was caught in the dying light of the day and was a nice fighting fellow that was a hair shy of three pounds. He gave a great fight which I was thankful for. Before putting him back I was amazed at how much movement and dexterity these fish have with their fins.  I can see how it makes pickerel and their larger cousins pike such effective predators.

 

Overall a very successful trip and worth the time, plus when I got home the lovely Lucie was here waiting for me and that always makes it better!

 

Here is the last and largest fish caught on this day! Cheers and go fish!!