Pickeral / live bait

[wfauby]

Pickeral seem to be dominating the board so i would like to ask a question. I am (was) an avid pickeral fisherman on Deep Creek Lake when i owned a bass boat and always used a very light, thin steel leader (4lbs) I believe...i dont see steel leaders in the pics and videos many of you have posted...How r u getting away with this? What lb test r u using? Braid? R u experiencing cut lines? Thx

[HJS]

Jackson - I tie on a 18" piece of 20# to 30# mono to prevent bite-offs. Works well for me. I keep an eye on the tip section and retie if it gets a little frazzled.

[CB kayak 02]

10# Flouro leader, one bite off for every 50 fish... I'll take that.

[ComeOnFish]

I used 6# test mono mail line only. later I added 20# test Flouro leader. When the fish (teeth) bite the line, the thickness didn't matter. I lost fish immediately. But thicker leader line helps me grab line easily when landing fish
joe

[J.A. Veil]

I used to use 8-lb mono and no leader. For most pickerel, this was sufficient. But on some of the fish over 20", I would get them next to the kayak and try to lift them into the cockpit. They would squirm and did break the line some times. I added a 20-lb fluorocarbon leader which helped a lot. This fall, I finished a spool of fluoro line and decided to try 20-lb mono instead. It seems to work just as well but is far less expensive.

Some of what is called "bite-offs" is actually abrasion around the edge of the external jaw structure. Regardless of the cause, I hate to leave the fish with jigheads hanging from their mouths.

[HJS]

I forgot to add that I have tried thin wire leaders for northern pike but seems after a few fish the wire leader starts kinking up like the spring in a ball-point pen...PITA! For pickerel the heavy weight mono tip section doesn't seem to affect my catch rate. And I too don't like leaving lures in pickerel mouths.

[ComeOnFish]

Wfauby,
Your have you used lures in Deep Creek for Pickerel? If you have , canyou share your lure/hook info?

Joe

[Shady]

90% of the pickerel that I've caught are hooked in the jaw and the line doesnt even get into the position of being "bit-off." I usually just use a 12# leader and 8# braid main line.

[BassMoore]

i use 6lb mono, or 8lb mono directly to the lure, and set the hook early enough so they do not have time to swallow.. i always keep the line tight and let the rod do the work. i dont over power these fish.

ive never used a leader, or braid and usually only look 1-2 fish a trip.. which is apart of fishing.

[wfauby]

In-line spinners, color doesnt seem to matter, but i like the rainbow trout or perchy colors...you cant (shouldn't) miss with Perch patterned hard jerk baits

[wfauby]

I used to use 8-lb mono and no leader. For most pickerel, this was sufficient. But on some of the fish over 20", I would get them next to the kayak and try to lift them into the cockpit. They would squirm and did break the line some times. I added a 20-lb fluorocarbon leader which helped a lot. This fall, I finished a spool of fluoro line and decided to try 20-lb mono instead. It seems to work just as well but is far less expensive.

Some of what is called "bite-offs" is actually abrasion around the edge of the external jaw structure. Regardless of the cause, I hate to leave the fish with jigheads hanging from their mouths.

Thank you all for the replies...i too experienced kinking w leaders, especially after repeated jerk bait retrieves...if i get the opportunity to Pickeral fish this winter i will p/u some 20lb mono

[DOGFISH]

I never used wire for pickerel. I would use 8 or 10lb mono, while bass fishing. Generally, I would catch pickerel as a bicatch, when bass fishing. The Eastern Shore rivers and lakes used to be full of pickerel. The pickerel were suckers for rooster tails and spinnerbaits. My favorite colors were yellow, more specific a rooster tail in yellow coachdog. The newer super rooster tail seems to be good in the yellow and red type color. Of course I have never been an actual intentional pickerel fisherman.

[jet]

is there a better or worse time or tide to fish for pickerel?

[J.A. Veil]

is there a better or worse time or tide to fish for pickerel?

Since most of the places where I target pickerel are in shallow shoreline areas where the pickerel hide waiting for prey to swim by, I am not sure that tides play much role. At least I have not noticed any difference.

[ComeOnFish]

In-line spinners, color doesnt seem to matter, but i like the rainbow trout or perchy colors...you cant (shouldn't) miss with Perch patterned hard jerk baits[ATTACH=CONFIG]5423[/ATTACH]

wfauby,
Thanks for the Info. I assume that pickerel attack from behind or side, not the head like stripers do. I feel toothy predators behave that way when attacking preys. Am I correct? If I'm correct , I will remove treble hooks and add a larger J hook on the tail of a hard baits

Thanks,
Joe