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Methods for Pickerel


surfnfish93

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Recently I've found a new lake that seems to have some decent pickerel in it. I caught one on a jointed rapala that looks like a perch and had another one take a shot at a black/orange senko when I was lifting it out of the water.

 

What are some of your most productive methods for catching pickerel? Does these methods change during the winter and are they catchable throughout the winter?

 

The lake has some yellow perch in it, I have caught a few so I'm guessing they feed on them as well as other small fish. Thanks for the help and advice.

Constantly walking the line between fishing and standing on the shore like an idiot

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any tips on locating them would be great as well. I'm assuming theyre by structure such as branches and other things but in my experience so far both of my hits have come very close to the shore. Im wondering if this is a usual pattern. thanks

Constantly walking the line between fishing and standing on the shore like an idiot

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Spinners and rather fast retrieve..........Mepps, CP Swing....etc.

"Law enforcement’ is not something sovereign citizens seize from police officers. It is a societal function that citizens delegate to civil police.

In so doing, we do not abdicate our own sovereignty, nor our duties as citizens. Ultimate responsibility is still ours. When those we hire as our “Protectors” are either unwilling or unable to perform that function at the critical moment, there is no law, nor standard, that says we cannot perform it for ourselves"........ John Farnam.

 

"Gird Your Loins"

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if there is no ice in the winter you can get some pickerel to bite, i like suspending jerk baits, for me in particular the xrap has caught me plenty of pickerel during the winter if there is no ice, I know some people who have also some well with the LC pointers for them also. look for your shallow water structure and mid to late afternoon has been best for me when the water warms a bit

 

through the ive I have limited experience, but I have caught them on shiners about a foot off the bottom

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Try to find areas with weeds and throw a parrot or white 1/4 oz spinnerbait with a single willow blade retrieved at a fast clip. You'll get vicious strikes if there are any hungry picks nearby.

 

Another good lure is a Mepps inline spinner, either white or parrot again. Any size between #3 and #5. With the #5, you won't catch as many but you'll get bigger ones.

 

This is now. I don't fish during the winter months.

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:devl: Shallow grassy areas are ideal for the toothy critters. Lakes with stocked trout or a real good forage base will yield some whoppers.

Fast moving baits such as a lipless crank catch most of my bigger ones. Good Luck!!!!

MaryElmerLake002-4.jpg

 

Wow thats a beast, Nice catch! What colors are best for the lipless cranks? I know theres yellow perch and stocked trout in my lake.

Constantly walking the line between fishing and standing on the shore like an idiot

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Anybody know what to use to catch these on a fly rod?

 

I would ask in the fly forum, but every thread there turns into a discussion on direct drive reels vs multipliers or how even an average caster can shoot 100' of flyline with an ultra fast rod! LOL

if we're looking for a shark we're not gonna find him on the land

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Anybody know what to use to catch these on a fly rod?

I would ask in the fly forum, but every thread there turns into a discussion on direct drive reels vs multipliers or how even an average caster can shoot 100' of flyline with an ultra fast rod! LOL

 

So true! Its ridiculous, I've posted a few questions there about fly fishing for bass and it turns into an argument about what hatch is working best for the trout.... :confused:

Constantly walking the line between fishing and standing on the shore like an idiot

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Anybody know what to use to catch these on a fly rod?

 

I would ask in the fly forum, but every thread there turns into a discussion on direct drive reels vs multipliers or how even an average caster can shoot 100' of flyline with an ultra fast rod! LOL

 

Now that's funny! :D

 

I've caught them on all kinds of flies while fishing for bass & panfish, sometimes topwater flies & most often small streamers. But, if I was targeting them, particularly as the waters cool, I would try a Clouser or Half & Half about 3-4 inches long, but lightly weighted. Most of the places I fish are shallow & because of snags a fly with the hook point up works well, but doesn't need to be weighted heavy. Even in the winter months I've caught Pickerel in water less than a foot deep, but always near some type of cover or structure. Used to chase them a lot in a tidal creek near where I grew up when I was a kid, and primarily with Deceivers, (didn't know about Clousers then) but most times now they've become incidental catches when targeting other species.

 

I've caught quite a few on 1/8 oz spinnerbaits & Beetle Spins too.

No one likes to be behind the big truck, but it's better than being under it! 

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You wanna catch em on the long rod .Here's my method goe Bass fishing miss a strike strip the living heck out of it to make a new cast and bingo your into a toothy critter usally minus the bug/fly works for me.I dont target them to often when i do I'll use flashy streamers or bucktails with about 2 inches of wire .Fish the likely areas and speed up your retrive you should have some action.

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are they much more active during dawn/dusk or can they be caught any time of day kind of the same way they seem to be caught on every kind of bait?

 

I've caught them at most any time of day. Seems to me they like darker, over cast days better than bright, sunny days, but I've seen them in very shallow, open water even with the sun high & bright particularly in the colder months.

They tolerate colder water than bass, and are more active than bass in cold water, so my guess is they'll be where they're most comfortable, and where there's food, regardless of time of day.

 

A friend of mine & I used to fish some of the state owned ponds here in MD during the winter months for panfish, when the weather was not too bad, and we caught Pickerel sometimes all day long. In the tidal rivers, they are more active when the tide is moving, which is normal for most tidal species, but I've caught them on dead low tide in the back ends of creeks too. When the water recedes baitfish are forced out from the grass & edges & into open water & I think the Pickerel know this and take advantage of it.

No one likes to be behind the big truck, but it's better than being under it! 

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