Chain Pickerel Fishing: How to Target CT's Toothy Native
Chain pickerel are Connecticut's neglected gem. They're everywhere — almost every warm-water lake and pond in the state holds pickerel — they hit lures aggressively, fight hard with aerial leaps, and can be caught in conditions that shut down bass and trout. If you're looking for action on slow days or a productive winter target, pickerel deserve more attention than they get.
Chain Pickerel Biology and Behavior
Pickerel are ambush predators with some distinctive habits:
Habitat: Shallow, weedy areas of lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers. Submerged vegetation, lily pads, and downed timber are prime pickerel cover.
Feeding style: Pure ambush predator. Pickerel hide in or near vegetation and launch at passing prey with explosive speed. They eat fish, frogs, mice, crayfish, and large insects.
Season: Pickerel are cold-water tolerant — one of CT's best cold-weather fishing targets. They feed actively in winter when bass are lethargic. Best fishing: fall through early spring.
Spawning: Pickerel spawn in early spring (March-April) in shallow, weedy areas. They can be caught during the spawn but please practice catch-and-release during the spawning period.
Size: CT pickerel typically run 1-3 lbs. Fish over 4 lbs are notable; 5+ lbs is exceptional. They're longer than they look — a 3 lb pickerel can be 22-24 inches.
Best Locations for Pickerel in Connecticut
Nearly every water body in CT holds pickerel, but some are more productive:
Pond-heavy areas: Lakes with extensive shallow, weedy bays — Lake Beseck, Salmon River impoundments, the Glastonbury ponds system, Lake Pocotopaug.
River backwaters: Slow-moving backwaters and oxbows of the Connecticut, Salmon, and Housatonic Rivers. Any river section with lily pads and wood.
State-managed ponds: Connecticut's system of inland fisheries ponds often have good pickerel populations. Many are accessible on foot without a boat.
Small ponds: Pickerel thrive in small, weedy ponds that larger predators don't colonize. Town ponds, farm ponds (with permission), and conservation land water bodies can be excellent.
Winter access: Many CT ponds freeze accessible enough for ice fishing. Pickerel through the ice on tip-ups or small jigging spoons is excellent winter sport.
Lures and Techniques for Chain Pickerel
Pickerel respond well to a variety of lures:
Spinnerbaits: Single or tandem Colorado blade spinnerbaits in white, chartreuse, or perch patterns. Fish just above weed tops with a slow, steady retrieve.
Swimbaits: Soft plastic swimbaits on a 1/4 oz jig head. Natural perch, shad, or sucker colors. Good year-round option.
Stick baits: Long, slim jerkbaits (Rapala Original Floater, Joe's Flies Streaker, Husky Jerk) in silver/blue or perch colors. Erratic twitch-pause-twitch retrieve.
Frogs: Hollow-body frog worked over lily pads. Pickerel ambush from under the pads — an explosive take on a frog is one of freshwater fishing's great thrills.
Spoons: Acme Kastmaster or Johnson Silver Minnow through pads and over submerged weeds. Flash and flutter attract pickerel from distance.
Bait fishing: Small suckers or shiners fished under a bobber in weed edges produce large pickerel. Keep bait moving — stationary bait triggers less interest than a slightly active presentation.
Handling Pickerel: The Teeth Problem
Pickerel, like all pike-family fish, have impressive teeth:
Safe landing: Use a firm grip behind the gill plate, keeping fingers away from the mouth and gill rakers. A rubber-handled fish gripper helps.
Removing hooks: Long-nose pliers are required. Pickerel often take lures deep, and the teeth can lacerate hands. A dehooker tool is ideal for removing deeply-swallowed hooks.
Leader choice: Pickerel teeth will cut through 15-20 lb fluorocarbon quickly. Use 20-25 lb fluorocarbon for most applications. A short wire leader (4-6 inches) eliminates cutoffs but affects lure action on some presentations.
Catch and release: Pickerel revive well. Wet hands, support the body, and revive in the water. They're hardy fish that handle catch-and-release effectively.
Eating: Pickerel are edible but bony — the numerous Y-bones require either cutting the fillet into small sections (the Y-bones cook soft in small pieces) or careful filleting technique to remove the bone row. Many anglers release all pickerel.
Bass, trout, pickerel, and pike — CT's freshwater fishery offers year-round opportunity. Subscribe to Hooked Fisherman.
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