Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2014 - 31

The highest concentration of pickerel tends to be in the weediest part
of the lake.

Pickerel are typically a shallow water species that live
primarily in and around weed beds mostly in lakes and
ponds, but they are also found in several rivers and streams
throughout the state. Woody cover such as downed timber
or shoreline stumps will also hold fish. Most pickerel will
be in water less than 3 feet deep, rarely are they in water
much over 5 feet. Pickerel tend to inhabit the same waters
as Largemouth Bass and follow a similar diet. Most people
don't fish for pickerel but rather catch them from time
to time while fishing for bass. You're probably going to
catch a combination of pickerel and small bass due to the
waters that you're fishing and the lures that you're using.
Generally, if you pay attention to the feeding habits of
both, you'll learn a lot about the main food sources in that
particular body of water.

Gear

When fishing for pickerel, I typically use a medium
action spinning or baitcast rod and reel combination,
spooled with 8- to 12-pound-test line. As for lures, I like to
use spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, shallow crankbaits, jerkbaits,
topwater plugs and frog imitations. During this time of the
year, it's not very often that pickerel slow down because of
their aggressive nature and fast metabolisms. This makes
them strike faster and more often at quick moving, flashy
baits. Normally, pickerel will grab a lure so fast that you
don't have to worry about their teeth ever hitting the line.
However, after losing the number of lures that I have on
pickerel by not having a wire leader, I have started using
one and find it has little to no effect on my catch rates. Live
bait fishing for pickerel is a very popular method as well.
Most will either fish them under a bobber or troll them
through areas where the pickerel tend to concentrate. You
will probably want to avoid using a wire leader since the
action is a little slower.
PFBC website: www.fishandboat.com

As pickerel can be hard to handle and are also rather
toothy, it is essential to have a net with you along with a
pair of needle-nose pliers to take the hook out. The best
way to hold a pickerel is to put your thumb and fingers on
either side of its head, over and not inside the gill covers.
They have a fairly soft skin and the tissue around the gill
plate will rip easily if you hold them around the gill plate.

Tactics

Catching pickerel is an experience in itself. My
favorite approach is to have two rods rigged and ready
to go. I rig one rod with a lure that can be used in open
water, and the other rod is rigged weedless with a frog
lure. The highest concentration of pickerel tends to be in
the weediest part of the lake. I like to approach the weed
bed by casting a buzzbait or spinnerbait right along the
edge of the weedline. Pickerel often ambush the lure as
soon as it passes through their location. If you're using
topwater bait, you will usually see the water moving
as pickerel lurk just under the surface before crashing
the bait. Once I get to the weed bed, I will switch to the
frog lure. I locate openings in the weeds and aim for the
back weed edge of the opening. I want my lure to land
on the weeds. If it is lily pads, I want my lure to land on
the lily pad. When the lure is in position, I give the rod
a short tug, sending it crashing into the opening and
immediately start steadily retrieving it. Often, the take
will occur as soon as you start moving the lure after
crashing into the opening.
The next time you want to go after one of the most
aggressive fish in Pennsylvania, give pickerel fishing
a try. You may find yourself tempted to go fishing
for pickerel a little more, particularly on days when
seemingly nothing else is biting.

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * July/August 2014

31
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2014

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