Most people think of the chain pickerel as a little cousin of the pike and muskie, and therefore, the smallest member of the Esox family. All pickerel have the distinctive dark slash under the eye. Pickerel Fishing 101: Identify Your Target The flanks of chain pickerel have markings that look a little like chain links.

Odds are, you have similar pickerel fishing opportunities not far from home, too. Meanwhile, I could ride my bike to five creeks and ponds that held chain pickerel, and I could hook them with simple lures and the same light rod I used for trout and bass.

They existed in pockets and would have required my dad to make a special trip with special gear to catch them. Where I grew up, glamourous members of the Esox family like northern pike and muskies weren’t readily available. Well, I get it, but I say the chain pickerel doesn’t get enough respect as a gamefish in its own right-and that if you haven’t already, you ought to get into pickerel fishing.Ĭhains are one of my favorite fish to target, and they have been since I was a kid. As a result, from Southeastern Canada to Florida, west to Eastern Texas, and northeastward to southern Michigan, you can find plenty of bass anglers ticked off that their crankbait intended for a big smallie got clipped off by a pickerel’s teeth, or that they destroyed an entire bag of soft plastics intended for hog largemouths. Throughout their huge range, pickerel share many of the same waters as largemouth and smallmouth bass and are often more aggressive about smacking a lure. At least that’s how a lot of bass anglers think of them. Learn more ›Ĭhain pickerel are a nuisance. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.

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