Ah, Chain Pickerel – the fish nobody tries to catch. Trout and Bass anglers consider them a nuisance. Pike enthusiasts turn their noses up at their puny size. But these fish offer more than just a toothy surprise. In fact, Chain Pickerel fishing is the best action you’re missing out on.
It’s easy to overlook these fish in favor of Musky and Northern Pike. But what they lack in size, Chain Pickerel make up for with ferocity. Anglers love tapping into their predatory nature, which often leads to explosive strikes. While small Chains are great targets for beginners, trophy-sized fish are wise to the game and will challenge your skill set.
You can catch Chain Pickerel any time of year. And they’re far more widespread than Musky or Pike. All this makes it possible to get in on the action as often as you like!
Sounds too good to be true? Well, you’ll change your mind once you start yanking Chains out of the shallows. (And no, we’re not just yanking yours!)
How to Identify Chain Pickerel
Chain Pickerel (Esox niger), also called “Chains” or “Pick,” get their name from the chainlink pattern on their bodies. They’re the smallest members of the Pike family, and the largest of the Pickerel genus. They share that genus with American Pickerel, which has two subspecies: Redfin and Grass Pickerel.
They’re the most common type of Pickerel you can catch in the US. Highly adaptable, they inhabit a vast range from southern Canada down to Florida and as far west as Texas, and are present in some of the country’s most iconic fisheries, including Lake Michigan and the Mississippi Valley.
Seeing as they’re related to American Pickerel and Pike, it’s tricky to recognize Chain Pickerel at a glance. One of the best clues to look for is that green chainlink pattern we mentioned. This is noticeably different from the tiger stripes on other Pickerel, as well as the light spots on a Pike. Another giveaway is the dark, vertical smudge below their eyes – all Pickerel have this, but Musky and Pike do not.
The easiest way to tell you’ve got a Chain Pickerel, however, is based on size. Whereas Redfin and Grass Pickerel barely grow to 15 inches, Chain Pickerel average closer to 20. They typically weigh 2–3 pounds, though a trophy might reach 4 pounds or more.
On the flip side, this is puny compared to Muskellunge and Pike. Northern Pike easily top 20 pounds, while Muskies grow almost twice that size.
Best Chain Pickerel Fishing Spots
If you live in the eastern half of the US, chances are there’s good Pickerel fishing in one of your local lakes. The key is to look for water with dense vegetation. And, if you’re after a big Pickerel, the water needs to be deep enough for them.
Here are just a few spots known for Chain Pickerel:
Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee is famous for its Bass fishing, but don’t overlook the local Picks. Florida’s warm climate makes it easy to target these fish all year, especially in winter months when the water temperature is ideal.
Grassy shallows in the Fisheating Bay and South Bay regions are particularly good spots. Pickerel here often exceed 20 inches and put up an impressive fight. There’s no size or bag limit for Chain Pickerel in Florida, so you can fish to your heart’s content.
Lake Moultrie
Located just north of Charleston, SC, Lake Moultrie offers world-class freshwater fishing – including for Chain Pickerel. Look for them among the weedy flats, sunken cypress stumps, and backwater canals.
Winter and early spring draw Pickerel into these shallow areas, making the cooler months a great time to fish for them. Bank fishing, kayak fishing, and boat angling all work well here.
South Carolina’s statewide limit for Chain Pickerel is a generous 30 fish per person, per day. There’s also no size limit.
Lake Erie
This Great Lake may be synonymous with Walleye fishing, but Lake Erie‘s backwaters and tributary streams also hold lots of Chain Pickerel. The best fishing occurs in shallow areas such as Presque Isle Bay in Pennsylvania, the Sandusky Bay wetlands in Ohio, and the marshy tributaries feeding in from western New York.
Spring and early summer mark peak action, but fall can be just as productive when cooling temperatures draw these fish into the same shallow structure.
Size and bag limits vary by state. What’s more, the fishing rules for Lake Erie and its tributaries can differ from statewide regulations. Be sure to read up on regulations specific to your area before heading out, or hire a local guide who’ll be all clued up.
Adirondack Mountains
The countless lakes, ponds, and backwaters of New York‘s Adirondacks offer an incredible northern wilderness experience. And they’re ideal for Chain Pickerel. Many waters are only accessible by canoe or kayak, making this a great place to come for some solitude in the great outdoors.
Spring and fall offer the best action for this fish. The legal season for Pickerel in NY is open from May 1 to March 15. You can keep up to five, as long as they measure 15 inches or more.
Lake Hopatcong
For the biggest Chain Pickerel action in New Jersey, you should head to the state’s biggest lake. Lake Hopatcong features 2,600 acres of weedy water, including shallow coves that are ideal for targeting these fish.
Pickerel fishing here peaks in spring and fall, but winter is no time to shy away from the water. In fact, Pickerel are so popular, they make a regular appearance in local ice fishing contests.
New Jersey allows anglers to keep up to five Pickerel per day, which must be at least 15 inches long.
How and When to Fish for Chain Pickerel
Chain Pickerel are ambush predators – and you should take “bush” quite literally. Nine times out of ten, they rely on aquatic vegetation to hide and wait for their prey. This can be lily pads, milfoil, reeds, fallen logs, or any other foliage that makes a good hideout.
You’ll find that Chains are willing to bite no matter the season, and they’re ferocious every time. They spawn during spring, which means they’ll be bigger than ever at this time of year. This is also the only period when they don’t necessarily rely on heavy foliage, so you may find them in coves and channels where they wouldn’t normally swim.
In summer, cast for them around densely weeded flats. They’ll be most active there during low light, while peak heat drives them into drop-offs nearby. Come winter, they move to deeper parts of the lake to stay warm. Even there, they cling to vegetation like milfoil or structure such as rocks and timber, which retain heat.
You’ll want to target Chain Pickerel on spinning or baitcasting gear. There’s nothing more effective than casting lures with a slow and erratic retrieve. During cooler months, when these fish spread out more, you can troll for them along weed edges and drop-offs. In areas that ice over, ice fishing is also popular.
Due to their size and ferocity, these fish are also great targets on fly gear. On a day when you can find them in clear, shallow water, large streamers will draw some explosive surface strikes.
Chain Pickerel Fishing Gear
You can catch Chain Pickerel with the same gear you would use for Bass and Trout. This is usually a 6½–7′ medium-light rod. Go with a fast-action rod so you can cast relatively far and handle large fish (if you get lucky). With that, you’ll want to use a 2500–3000 series reel.
Line choice comes down to personal preference. Most anglers use 6–8 lb monofilament or fluorocarbon, but braided lines can be good for areas with really thick cover. In that case, use a 10 lb braided line and attach a 10–12 lb fluoro leader to reduce visibility.
Whatever you choose, always add a leader, because the razor-sharp teeth on these fish really do put the “pick” in Pickerel! Use 8–10 inches of something like bite wire or even the knottable steel wire that fly anglers use.
Keep your rig simple and use size #2–4 hooks. A weedless Texas rig, spinnerbait setup, or jerkbait with a snap swivel works well.
Chain Pickerel Bait and Lures
The most common baits for Chain Pickerel are minnows and shiners, typically suspended using a slip bobber with a split shot. Remember to retrieve the bait slowly so that it moves naturally. Any Pickerel nearby will lock onto a struggling bait fish in no time.
You’re likely to have the most fun fishing for Pickerel on artificials. Flashy lures really awaken their predatory instinct, but they aren’t ones to shy away from large prey, either – so go ahead and size up. Some of the most popular lures for Chain Pickerel are:
- Jerkbaits. Nothing gets a Pickerel going in the summertime like the frantic darting motion of a hard jerkbait. During cooler months, these work best when you retrieve them slowly and add long pauses. Meanwhile, soft plastic jerkbaits are a solid choice year-round.
- Topwaters. This includes walking lures, poppers, and buzzbaits. The idea is to make a lot of commotion on the surface so you draw the Pickerel upward. The result? Explosive surface strikes. Topwaters aren’t weedless, so keep them out of the foliage and use them in open water.
- Inline spinners. Fish find the rotating blade on these lures absolutely mesmerizing. The only thing is – you can’t pause or finesse a spinner like you can with other lures, so you want to use them when the Pickerel are already active and willing to follow your lure. Use them in areas with less vegetation to avoid snags.
- Spoons. Spoons you would normally use for Pike fishing work well, provided you downsize them. But any wide-bodied spoon that swims high in the water column will do.
- Swim jigs. Swim jigs imitate wounded bait fish like bluegill and shiner, making them irresistible to Chain Pickerel. You can fish these just under the surface or slow-roll them right along the bottom.
- Soft plastic swimbaits. These come in a wide range of choices. Weedless swimbaits are ideal since you’ll be fishing around heavy cover. There’s only one downside to soft plastics: they don’t hold up long against these toothy adversaries.
Chain Pickerel: Another Link in Your Angling Legacy
With so many opportunities to catch them and hard hits every time, Chain Pickerel are the fish that keep on giving. Their willingness to strike and year-round availability make them perfect for just about any angler. Whether you’re new to the sport or you’ve been hooking freshwater fish for years, you’ll find a reason to love Chain Pickerel fishing.
As far as we’re concerned, they’ve earned their place in the world of angling – right beside Musky and Pike.
Have you ever landed a Chain Pickerel? Was it deliberate or were you targeting something else? Let us know all your stories in the comments below!
The post How to Go Chain Pickerel Fishing: The Complete Guide appeared first on FishingBooker Blog.
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