[ozarks transplant]

stumbled on a couple of pickerel ponds today while wandering south to the other carolina. lots of fun catching those spunky fish on light action tackle. had a couple of them pull off a triple jump. judges gave them a 9.5 ...

problem is, at one point i lost three lures (one small roboworm, two beetle spins) on a five-bite stretch (in only 10 minutes) because they were slicing through my six-pound test with those teeth. only wire leader i had with me was heavy-duty stuff i bought for musky on the new. needless to say, that behemoth of an accessory basically stopped the bite completely. i didn't like the idea of a pond full of pickerel swimmingly around with my lures in their jaws, so i just moved on to other spots even though they had been biting well in the moment.

my question is, what do you pickerel-catching folks do about this issue? use light-wire leader? heavier mono/flouro? braid? ask them nicely not to bite the line? i tried the last one, but without much success. i've only ever accidentally caught pickerel over the years, and when i've been pike fishing up north i used a leader that didn't seem to deter those ravenous monsters. i'd like to head back to this place with a better plan for a day of pickerel acrobatics.

 

[wademaster]

I've never used wire leader with them but some will swear that you need to. If you're having issues I'd definitely try something stronger. I've always used whatever mono I was already using for bass/bluegill....


Sent from my kayak...

 

[jerry condrey]

Every pickerel I've caught (and I have caught several) came while bass fishing, never had one bite through to the line. I haven't ever really targeted them, though.

 

[RaymondWells]

I've always used mono but caught all of mine on spinnerbaits.

 

[RaymondWells]

Try a 1/4 oz Joes Flies Inline Spinnerbait. They are longer than a beetle spin and constructed up front like having a steel leader.

 

[Fish Whisperer]

I occasionally get broken off by a pickerel with a 12 lb flouro leader in front of my braid 10 lb. Usually when I'm setting the hook hard on a soft plastic, like a weightless fluke/frog/lizard. If you're getting them on larger inline spinners or spinnerbaits, leader isn't typically required. Straight braid usually doesn't deter them, nor does heavier mono or flouro leaders (say 20 lbs). I caught a 4.25 lb pickerel on 10 lb braid, lure (rebel minnow) deep in the mouth and the braid was all over her teeth before landing her.

 

[stevef]

If necessary, a very short (6") fluoro bite leader of about 10 or 12# will stop most of the bite-offs. The last thing you want it to do is mess up the action of the lure. Candidly, I can't remember ever losing a pickerel due to a bite-off and I used to target them in the cold weather months on the tidal rivers and creeks in MD and VA. Very underrated gamefish.

 

[gambusia]

Pickerel have gotten into the French Broad in the mountains and I have caught them on the same stuff I use for smallmouth bass.

If you want try 10-12 lb test next time

 

[ozarks transplant]

thanks for the suggestions, all. i'll make sure to throw some heavier line in the big bucket o' stuff i keep in the vehicle (honestly, though, the bucket is just the nexus. i'm pretty sure i've created a new slogan for highlanders: "doubles as a giant mobile tackle box" ...)

i'll admit, it felt odd to have 45-pound test wire leader attached to 6-pound test mono. i could almost imagine the pickerel taking one look at that setup and saying, "yeah, right. how dumb do you think we are?"

 

[Fish_Fiend]

Now this sounds like a place I will have to visit and help in the solving of the problem.

 

[NCStateFisher]

as has already been stated 10-12lb should stop the issues. Heck for the longest time all I used for bowfin was 12lb and the only time I got bit off with that was when they were flopping around in a net

 

[cnoffsin]

When bank fishing (or surf fishing) i keep all my stuff in a backpack instead of a bucket/box. Makes it easier to run around the pond.

 

[ozarks transplant]

When bank fishing (or surf fishing) i keep all my stuff in a backpack instead of a bucket/box. Makes it easier to run around the pond.

oh, there's a backpack that gets worked out, too. the bucket is for stuff that won't fit into the backpack. ha. i load up the backpack each time depending on what i'm going after that day. everything else gets put in the bucket (or, if i'm being really honest, thrown on the backseat because the bucket is full ...)

 

[ozarks transplant]

Now this sounds like a place I will have to visit and help in the solving of the problem.

it certainly requires further field research, eh? i have another four-pond day in that area mapped out in my head. i'll let you know when i can make it happen ...

 

[Swampin']

I always use braid for pickeral as well as any other toothy fish. usually thirty lb, both so they don't bite through and because usually the places I target them are full of stumps that need pulling

 

[Neilslure]

Maybe try some bigger lures. Perhaps withe the small robo worm and beetlespins they are eating the whole thing. I have caught a bunch of them and spinnerbaits and crankbaits and never got cut off. Have been cut off more fishing plastic, set the hook, it goes slack and you come back with shreded line.

 

[EvBlue]

The simplest thing would be what we do for Spanish at the coast- double your line by tying a 6" loop and then pass the loop through the eye of the lure and tie your usual knot. After a few toothy fish cut it off and re-tie.