No Pickerel for you!

[Raptor]

Two Pickerel fishing trips - no Pickerel. Went out Pickereling Thurs. AM from Tuckers. Got the ole skunkeroo - I had a few hits but couldn't sink the hook onto any of them. It was warm, 60 or so, overcast and light breeze. I'm sure one of them was a Pickerel cause I saw him strike. The water is very clear . . . which is great. Maybe the bay is starting to turn the corner? My experience has been that the Pickerel strike like a small perch, not very aggressive. It will take a some significant new learning to be able to consistently catch those guys. I did get some serious casting practice - which I really need. I'm a bit of a loose cannon, kind of all over the place, definitely NOT the pinpoint caster that some guys are (J. A. Veil and Mark). However, I didn't lose any tackle which is more than I could say for some of my predecessors - there were more than a few lures hanging in the tees. I also resisted the urge to troll for some Rock (to mitigate the skunk) and stayed with the target fish - Pickerel. It seems that I don't catch many fish . . but I do get some wonderful wildlife sightings. I saw a pair of River Otters along the bank towards the end of Weems. They were having a ball swimming and diving amongst the sunken logs - looking for a meal I assume. I was very quiet, and they let me get quite close as curiosity was getting the better of them. Just before they took off one came up by the kayak stuck his head up like they do looked right at me, and gave me a little churp - then they were off somewhere, to catch a few fish, I guess. Just that was worth the trip - and less than 1/2 mile from route 50. I was surprised at the size of these guys - I would guess about 25 - 30 lbs. and maybe 3.5 - 4 feet long with the tail, and really in their element when in the water.


T.

[Shady]

Thanks for the report, what did you use? Its seems the best bet is light jighead tipped with a live minnow, worked just slowly enough to keep off the bottom.

Yes, surprisingly the Pickerel dont seem to strike too agressively, usually just feels like a little extra weight added to the line.

[DanMarino]

Great report. Keep at it and you'll get some. I've never seen otters while kayaking. I'll be heading for some pickerel soon.

[imagine29028]

ummmm they def don't hit like a perch.....they hit like a rocket. You gotta remember theses fish are hunters, predators at the top of the food chain. They love structure & cover (trees, grass, docks) because they ambuse their prey.

When a pickerel wants to eat something they aren't shy at all...they attack much like a snake would.

I dont know what you're throwing, but spinners w/ willow leaf blades and soft plastics with lots of action (flukes, slug-o) are can't miss. If you get a hit using those you'll know it!

Now I tend to have a bunch come off after hooking up...cause they fight like a banshee...and they have extremely thin mouthed, so hooks come out easily.

Good luck!

[HJS]

I have to side with Shady on this one. I've caught several 100 pickerel in the Magothy over the years using various 4" soft plastics on a light jig head without any spinner blades. And most of them hit rather softly. If you watch your line closely, many times you'll suddenly see your line move 2'-3' to the left or right without any sort of hard strike, just dead weight... that's a sure sign that a pickerel has mouthed your lure. Maybe they hit spinner bait with more force. I wouldn't know, I've never used spinner baits for pickerel.

[dsiekman]

I have to side with Shady on this one. I've caught several 100 pickerel in the Magothy over the years using various 4" soft plastics on a light jig head without any spinner blades. And most of them hit rather softly. If you watch your line closely, many times you'll suddenly see your line move 2'-3' to the left or right without any sort of hard strike, just dead weight... that's a sure sign that a pickerel has mouthed your lure. Maybe they hit spinner bait with more force. I wouldn't know, I've never used spinner baits for pickerel.

I think the different style of attack is based on the reason they strike. If I'm targeting pickerel I use a worden sonic vibric in either red or white. They will hit that lure like a ton of bricks. I'm guessing it is not a feeding response but more of a "get the _____ out of my space" territorial response. Think about it, there is no need to hit a minnow that hard. The food value would not be worth the energy expended.

[mytmouse]

I think dsiekman hit it on the head. I have tried live minnows and the bite was more of a slight tug. But I ain't land any... I then switched over to a rooster tail and oh buddy... there was no question when I had a strike!!And then it was on! LOL

I've only fished for pickeral once, but I will tell you this I ain't going with live minnows next time. I missed so many hits with them I quit. LOL

[Shady]

hmm this is pretty interesting. Come to think of it, I've caught pickerel in Loch raven while fishing for bass and they do whack a crankbait pretty good.

[HJS]

I thinking the speed of the lure may have a lot to do with how the hit feels to the angler. Nearly all of my pickerel are caught on 4" BA paddletails on a 1/4 oz head. I cast to the shore and slowly jig the lure back to the canoe keeping the lure a foot or less off the bottom. Generally, non-soft bodied lures like Rapalas, Rattle traps, spinners baits, and blade baits, etc., are worked somewhat faster making the hit feel stronger.

Either way, they are a fun fish to catch during the winter months when fishing for other saltwater species has come to a near dead stop.

[Jaspratt]

Im with dsiekman, pickerel are aggressive hitters and fighters. I dont think the change in pressure effects them as much like it does for largemouth. There kind of like northerns, they will follow a bait to the boat 100 times before they wack it, real irratic baits, "walk the dog" technique seems to get them to take that engulfing plunge that they do to destroy that bait. Atleast, thats how i catch them. And on slow days its not uncommon to catch them on worms, tubes, dropshot, jigs, crankbaits... And they dont quite destroy that. Its more of a hit and run. Went out with a buddy yesterday, caught about 10 and they ranged from 19-22" would have posted my day but i took my boat.

[Jaspratt]

Where do you park at when u launch from tucker street? Ive never been there, might try and go for a few hrs sunday

[Raptor]

Folks,

I attached pictures of what I was throwing (I think - first try). Basically, a hat pin spinner with a 1/4 oz. jig with either a twister tail or a Gulp "Alive" fake minnow (I'm not a live bait kind of guy) on the end. There certainly is an interesting gamut of opinions on how Pickerel strike. I think they are all correct. IMHO - the Pickerel strike is dependent on the lure, how hungry they are, how territorial they are, and as John Veil points out - how cold the water is. To me these guys were not real hungry, they would take an easy meal if it appears, so they have a go at it but when it just keeps on swimming they give up easily and swim off. Next outing I'm going to try a slower retrieve, and throwing some buzzier and flashier baits to try and get those Pickerel to hit like a tank! I had a Mepps spinner that I never threw - don't ask me why. It may have worked well as it is flashy, shiny, and trails a sharp treble hook. Has anyone ever used a Silver Spoon or Dare Devil for Pickerel. We used to be quite successful up north catching their big cousins, Northern Pike, using them.

T.

T.

[dsiekman]

I am not a finesse fisherman. I just don't have the talent or patience. My aim is generally to irritate until I get their attention (just ask my wife). When fishing for pickerel I use the loudest, flashiest lure I have with me - usually an inline spinner. Only twice in the last ten years have I had a pickerel hit anything else for me. Once was a small top water - awesome - and the other was a Sebile crank bait. I think both of those were flukes. The top water was at DCL this summer. The other was mid-Severn last fall.

[imagine29028]

Yes they are extremely territorial....why I use big eratic baits to get their attention...the result is normally them getting mine by almost pulling the rod out of my hand :-)

[Raptor]

Where do you park at when u launch from tucker street? Ive never been there, might try and go for a few hrs sunday

Jason,

There are several places to park at Tuckers just be careful not to park between the "no parking" signs or in front of any residents drive. I believe there are two set of signs, otherwise there is a single space right near the ramp, or you can park on the hill, or if push comes to shove you can park outside the school fence at the top of the hill and walk down to the ramp after you launch your boat and put all your stuff in it. BTW, if you have a trailer I believe that you have to have an Annapolis resident sticker.

T.