
Photo: Noel Burkhead/Howard Jelks, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
Esox niger
How to catch Chain pickerel
Chain pickerel feed in 36–82°F water and bite best at 50–70°F. Fish Scouter's season calendar follows them in 20 waters; in October they are at their peak in New Jersey fresh water, Pennsylvania fresh water, New York fresh water and 6 more.
10 pts · trophy at 20"Feeds 36–82°FBest 50–70°FIn season nowPond / pitLakeCreek / streamCanalRiver
About
Florida's little pike: a chain-patterned, duckbilled ambusher in the weedy lakes and rivers of North and Central Florida, that hits a spinnerbait from nowhere. Bony, but a fine light-tackle fish.
How to fish it
The weed edges of the tannic lakes and rivers; a spinnerbait along the grass, and a wire or heavy leader for the teeth.
What it eats
spinnerbaitsspoonslive shinersjerkbaits
What to fish it with
the sizes that fish itLeader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
Hook#2–3/0
Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
Braid10–30 lb
The rule
not confirmed hereNo size or bag limit — confirm at MyFWC.
The current rule →Where it is, month by month
PPeakSSpawningAArriving·AroundLLeaving
Fresh water by state