Unicorn Lake 1/3/20

[BarefootPetr]

I went to sleep Friday night thinking, if it's warm tomorrow, I'm going fishing. I woke up Saturday morning and it was already 50 degrees. After getting all the chores around the house done and unpacking my carefully stowed gear, AND getting my kayak from my friend's backyard, I made the trek to Unicorn for some late afternoon pickerel. Everyone I talked to that day caught only one or two, and it sounded like they were hoping for different species. I went with the tried and true Husky Jerk in silver and after catching a couple picks on a size 10, moved down to a size 8 to avoid picking up so much grass. I caught around 12 pickerel (though if I were there longer I think I could have caught many more), most of them at the back of the lake and up the feeder stream. Almost all of them hit on the pause, and didn't want to bite anything else for me. Looking forward to more fun trips to the Millponds this winter.

[Mark]

BarefootPetr,

Excellent report. You did well.

The last time I was there was in early December and the water was too low to get back to the feeder stream. I fear that Unicorn is quickly silting in at the upper end and will get even shallower in time. I did well elsewhere in deeper water at mid-pond but I was disappointed I that couldn't get to the back where the stream enters. That's usually a good spot as you discovered.

Your technique of pausing during the retrieve was a good one. I typically use suspending unweighted streamer flies there and the vast majority of hits come on the pause between strips.

Of these MD ponds -- Tuckahoe, Wye Mills, Smithville and Unicorn, I believe Unicorn has the most numerous pickerel population. It's rare to get skunked for pickerel there. But I think Smithville has larger pickerel, just not as many as Unicorn.

Good luck on your future pond outings.

[Jman]

I went to sleep Friday night thinking, if it's warm tomorrow, I'm going fishing. I woke up Saturday morning and it was already 50 degrees. After getting all the chores around the house done and unpacking my carefully stowed gear

This made me laugh! I was thinking the same thing on Friday night. Thanks for the report. I have never been to these Eastern Shore lakes or really fished for pickerel much, but reports like this make me want to give it a go!

[BarefootPetr]

Mark, thanks for the intel on Smithville. I have a goose hunt coming up next week and I had planned to bring the kayak and fish afterward. I will probably head down that way and see how big those Smithville pickerel get. 2 years ago I got one at Unicorn that was close to 30 inches.

JMan, the Millponds are a great time. I discovered them in 2018 and I'm very glad I did. I especially love that pickerel offer such aggressive action even in the dead of winter. It's a bit of a hike, but if you've got the fishing itch, there is an obvious remedy haha

[Mark]

Mark, thanks for the intel on Smithville. I have a goose hunt coming up next week and I had planned to bring the kayak and fish afterward. I will probably head down that way and see how big those Smithville pickerel get. 2 years ago I got one at Unicorn that was close to 30 inches.

JMan, the Millponds are a great time. I discovered them in 2018 and I'm very glad I did. I especially love that pickerel offer such aggressive action even in the dead of winter. It's a bit of a hike, but if you've got the fishing itch, there is an obvious remedy haha

BarefootPetr,

Well, I will tell you that your 30 inch pickerel from Unicorn shames any pickerel I've caught there or anywhere for that matter. That's an amazing pickerel catch and exceeded the size for a MD Citation by 6 inches! Congratulations.

The majority of my Unicorn pickerel catches have been in the 15 to 17 inch range. Occasionally, I'll break 20 inches. On my last trip there my largest was 19.5 inches.

My pickerel catches at Smithville have been fewer but they have been longer and fatter. Still, even there, I've never exceeded 22 inches. But there's a great difference in the fight between a pickerel under 20 inches and one over, in my opinion. I can usually tell instantly after the strike if I have one over 20 on my line.

[mchottie]

I have a 22 or 23 from Unicorn, but your 30 bests mine by a longshot!

Awesome!

[mike o]

Thanks for the report. I have been fishing Loch Raven for pickerel. There are some big pickerel in Loch Raven but I have been having some bad luck with them. In December 2018 I caught 4 pickerel between 24 and 25 1/2 inches in a little over an hour from one spot. I am entered in the CCA pickerel tournament and I did manage a 26" and a few smaller ones in December. My first time out this year I caught a 21'' and then hooked a bigger one but my line was over a downed tree in the water. I could not get the fish over the tree limb and eventually broke him off. A couple days later I took a guy who had never caught a pike before, ( and really wanted one ) to my best pike spot. Hooked a nice pickerel but he through the hook before I could grab him. A little later my friend caught his first pike. Shortly after that I fell off the bank and got soaked from the waste down. I got out and continued fishing and then hooked and landed a big pike. I sat my rod down and held the fish in the water and waited for Rob to bring his Boga grip so I could unhook it, get a picture and release it. The fish jerked out of my hands and took off. My rod flew through the air and was headed for the water. Fortunately I caught it in mid air but the fish broke off and was gone. My next time out I caught a 21'' pickerel and then again I hooked a nice one but my line was over a low hanging branch. The branch was close to the bank so I walked out in the water unhooked the fish and unfortunately dropped the fish back in the water. My last time out I was with Rob again. He was hoping for another pike and I hoping for a big pickerel so of course I caught 2 small pike and he caught 2 nice pickerel , one of which was the one I lost and still had my lure in his mouth. What a crazy start to the year but I am still confident I will catch a couple good pickerel. I will be in Delaware this weekend and I think I will fish I pond there in my kayak. Here is my 26" and Rob's pikemy 26.jpgrobs pike.jpg

[Mark]

Mike O,

Wow! Those are nice fish. Congratulations.

I also entered the CCA tournament and so far my largest is 24 inches on the fly that I caught two days after Christmas. I haven't been out since.

P1040939 (2).jpg

I thought that was pretty good but it's not close to the 26.5 incher that was the fly category leader in the contest the last time I checked.

Continued success to you and good luck in the tourney.

By the way, when pickerel and pike inhabit the same water, does anyone know if they can or do hybridize? That would be an interesting fish...

[rugbyfish]

Nice fish Mike! I’ve been to Loch Raven a couple times since October but I haven’t had as much luck with pickerel as I have in the past. I’ve gotten some small ones, but none over 20”. I might need to try some new areas next time I’m out.

[J.A. Veil]

Nice catches guys. I have been finding lots of pickerel in the Severn tributaries (close to my home), but what they provide in numbers, they lack in length. In my experience, anglers will find larger pickerel in freshwater bodies than in tidal waters. Enjoy these fish for providing us with some cold water fun.

For those of you who participate in pickerel tournaments, do your best to get the photo and return the fish to the water as quickly and gently as possible.

[mike o]

Rugbyfish I haven't been doing as well this year either. Mark a 24" on a fly is a nice catch