Jonas Green Tomorrow 2/6

Gonna head out tomorrow to try my luck at this whole pickeral thing with Capt. Luke. Probably gonna get to the park around 9-10am.

The more the merrier!!

[Aesiegel]

I wish I could join you. We just got a new puppy and my wife is working tomorrow so I can't leave the dog that long. Bummer!

Good luck with those pickerel.

[CB kayak 02]

bring the pup on the yak!!

[Shady]

Minnow on a small jighead is the way to go. There are some very pickerely waters not far from Jonas Green, good luck! Wish I didnt have to work...

[moc]

Me too Ryan, I wish I did not have to work on Monday also.

[MetroMan]

Good luck!

[CB kayak 02]

Had a decent morning... I caught 5 pickerel and Luke caught 4-5. He had the larger ones for the day...

My largest measured in at 16.5 inches, but I was pretty happy as I had never caught pickerel before, so I was able to add to the species list.

[Aesiegel]

Nice going! It is a great day to be out on the water. I'm chomping at he bit to get out. Were you using minnows or artificial baits?

[CB kayak 02]

Nice going! It is a great day to be out on the water. I'm chomping at he bit to get out. Were you using minnows or artificial baits?

Minnows w/ jig head.

[moc]

Were you using small jigheads, say 1/8 or 1/16 ounch? Good job on catching those toothy critters.

[CB kayak 02]

Were you using small jigheads, say 1/8 or 1/16 ounch? Good job on catching those toothy critters.

1/8 but i'm sure 1/16 would have worked fine too

[moc]

1/8 but i'm sure 1/16 would have worked fine too

I remembered when I caught a pickeral I had a 1/4 ounce jighead with a small white curly tail plastic. I threw the line out and retrieved it fast enough to keep the jig off of the bottom, while occasionally giving it a jerk during the retrieval, so what was your technique?

[J.A. Veil]

Nice going Matt. I'm pleased to hear that you caught your first pickerel. They are out there and feeding. The season closes for spawning on March 15. In the mean time, this is a fun species to catch in the winter months.

I'm curious if your fish were caught along the edges in shallow water or in the deeper water in the center of the tributary.

[J.A. Veil]

I remembered when I caught a pickeral I had a 1/4 ounce jighead with a small white curly tail plastic. I threw the line out and retrieved it fast enough to keep the jig off of the bottom, while occasionally giving it a jerk during the retrieval, so what was your technique?

The jighead weight must be a compromise this time of year. You want enough weight to get a decent cast, but need to keep the lure off the bottom where it can be covered in slime. If you use a heavier jighead, you will have to move the lure more rapidly through the water. In cold water temperature, the fish's metabolism slows down and it may not react to a fast-moving lure.

A 1/4-oz jighead does work, but I suspect a 1/8-oz or 1/16-oz will keep the minnow in a strike zone longer, and therefore get more bites.

[CB kayak 02]

most of the fish were bout 15-20 feet off the sure. So in between