Pickerel fishing ?

[tech11165]

Do the patterns and general locations I used for winter time pickerel fishing hold the same this time of year? Getting tired of rock fishing, wouldn't mind some pickerel or even perch fishing now.

[FISHSOHARD]

I've always had better luck in deeper water this time of year. During spring and fall I have better luck at the weed edges.

[tech11165]

I've always had better luck in deeper water this time of year. During spring and fall I have better luck at the weed edges.

In the winter I would be on no more than three feet of water. Cast to the shore line. So would you say I would go deeper like the drop offs?

[Tom]

Yeah deeper they don't like real warm water

[tech11165]

Thanks, how or what do you use to catch perch in the creeks and off the main river? Want to use artificial. Do I use small grubs around docks and structures? Depth?

[Mark]

The pickerels I catch now are by-catches. I'm not targeting them specifically.

But I always catch them close to shore as I cast jig spinners or flies (usually Clousers) for white perch in tidal waters and poppers for LM bass in ponds. Color does not seem to matter to them as I've caught them with almost every color lure imaginable.

I've often wondered why I don't catch more pickerels at this time of year. I know from reading about their habits that they do not travel far in tidal waters. Perhaps I should go deeper to specifically fish for them in the summer. But I also assumed their scarcity in warm water could be due to other hungry fish species (perch, stripers and bass) sharing or chasing them from their normal haunts. The pickerels I catch in the summer are thinner than those I catch later in the year, indicating to me that their competition for the abundant food at this time of year is keen. I bet they're glad when those competing species vacate the shallows as cooler temperatures arrive.

[J.A. Veil]

It is difficult to target pickerel in tidal waters in the summer months. They are fairly easy to find between Oct and April, then they become occasional catches as Mark noted. If you want to find pickerel in the summer, try fishing in ponds or lakes. I rarely do that, but when I do, I have the most luck casting to the edges of lily pads.

Perch are abundant during the summer in the same places where you find pickerel in the winter. Cast small lures (plastics, spinners, crankbaits). Perch have small mouths, so if you are not getting bites, move to a smaller sized lure. I generally throw a 1/8-oz spinnerbait for perch. Very small twister tails work well too.

[J. Rentch]

One additional comment to what Mark and John wrote- I have found during the warmer months, Pickerel, like lots of other pan fish like the shady areas. This summer I have caught Pickerel in areas I normally haven't before- bit it is a shady area.

[FISHSOHARD]

I was going to post my input but the fellas above beat me to it. I completely agree. Deeper in the summer. I've had pickeral hit buzz bait, spinners and the occasional kunami.

[FishMoken]

Still on my list of fish to catch, I look forward to going after them in the fall.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tech11165]

Thanks for the help. Never did catch a pickerel but I sure did tear up the perch. I was off in a creek working the docks. Is perch fishing better in the main area or no different than in the creeks?

[Mark]

Thanks for the help. Never did catch a pickerel but I sure did tear up the perch. I was off in a creek working the docks. Is perch fishing better in the main area or no different than in the creeks?

I've caught white perch while trolling for stripers on the Severn and other tidal waters here in the mid-Bay area. They'll hit lures too large for them to swallow. Here's an example of that on my last trip to Ft. Smallwood:

A11.JPG

This fish was in open water far from the shoreline as you can tell from the photo. You can also see that sometimes their eyes are bigger than their stomachs, as I was saying.

If I am targeting white perch in larger waters, I fish the edges with 1/8 oz. jigs and jig spinners. I'll cast to riprap, piers, breakwaters and sod banks. In other words, I use the same techniques I use for white perch in creeks -- cast to shorelines and structure.

I've read reports of them schooling up in deeper open water and folks bottom fishing for them with bait, especially in the spring. But I have never tried that.

[J.A. Veil]

During the hot days of summer if you fish during the day, concentrate your efforts in shaded areas (overhanging trees, under docks, on the shaded side of the creek, etc.). That should improve your odds of finding perch.

[bunnielab]

I caught a very nice pickerel at Cash Lake while bank fishing a month or so ago. The water was very very high and I got him right up by the bank. Caught a LMB in the three pound range a few days later, but sense then, despite going there maybe once or twice a week, I have only caught a handful of small LBMs. Other guys I have talked to there say that there is a good population of pickerel in there, but I suspect the temps are keeping them from coming too close to shore these days.

I keep meaning to take my yak out there, but the lake has zero overhead cover and and the through of roasting in the sun all day has so far demotivated me. I have next week off and will head out there whichever day seems the least hot and bright.

[Lure 11.5]

My wife and I fished around Eastern Neck Island Sunday. Perch on beetle spins and Perch Pounder spinner baits in 4'-6' of water all around the island. I had a run of 6 straight cast. No big perch. Most were 8"-10". I use a bigger spinner with a 3" tail to try to keep the really small ones off. Lots of bait everywhere, but no rock.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk