Catch Pickerel in Winter

When different fish are taking a winter’s nap, chain pickerel are wanting to strike a fly

Posted on December 11, 2023

Pickerel fishing can get sizzling when the mercury dips. Photograph by Joe Cermele

I’ve been a fan of chain pickerel since I used to be a child. That’s largely as a result of the place I grew up there weren’t any pike and though there have been some muskie haunts, these fish felt too unattainable. As an grownup, I nonetheless imagine the lowly chain pickerel doesn’t get sufficient respect. I’m betting a few of you may have them in your yard and don’t pay them a lot thoughts. That’s a mistake, particularly throughout winter. In contrast to bass, trout, and bluegills, which may be very powerful to idiot as soon as the water drops beneath roughly 45 levels, pickerel are nonetheless wanting to assault. 

In addition they make distinctive fly rod targets for novices and superior casters alike. So, don’t tuck the lengthy rod away till spring simply but. For those who’ve by no means taken a crack at these underdogs, right here’s tips on how to catch pickerel in winter.

Gradual Your Retrieve

Throughout an ice fishing journey years in the past, a buddy aimed an underwater digicam on one of many reside shiners dangling beneath a tip-up. In brief order, a pickerel appeared on the display screen. We have been sure it could plow the bait seconds after it arrived, however the reverse occurred. The predator simply hovered in place barely flicking its fins, learning the shiner because it swam frantically in a circle. For 5 minutes nothing modified, after which, as if out of fuel, the shiner went limp. This, we thought, would make the pickerel go away, nevertheless it stayed. Then, the drained shiner made one half-hearted tail kick and WHAM! The pickerel hit and up popped the flag. Comparable scenes unfolded a number of extra instances all through the day, and the expertise taught me rather a lot about how pickerel feed in chilly water. 

Whereas an aggressive strategy would possibly get pickerel charged up throughout hotter instances, subtlety pays off within the chilly. Studying from what I noticed on the ice that day, I started utilizing unweighted streamers with a little bit of bulk for catching pickerel in chilly winter. Patterns just like the Double Deceiver, Mini Drunk & Disorderly, and the Soiled Hippy are all good examples of streamers that may be manipulated to hover within the water column, or a minimum of fall away slowly sufficient that they’ll linger in entrance of a fish’s face. 

When these cumbersome flies are introduced on floating fly line, it takes minimal work to make them gently twitch and you may maintain them within the zone a very long time. Conversely, any sample with a weighted head won’t solely sink whenever you pause however require a way more aggressive strip to carry to life. That’s not very best.

Use a Strike Indicator

Simply because gradual retrieves are sometimes the most efficient through the winter doesn’t imply weighted flies haven’t any place in your chilly season arsenal. They are often extremely efficient, however the secret is presenting them below a big, buoyant strike indicator like a Thingamabobber. In essence, matching this float with a weighted fly is the equal of casting a soft-plastic jig below a bobber with spinning gear. It may be downright deadly. 

A few of my favourite flies for this methodology embrace the Clouser Minnow, Lunch Cash Shad, and the Flash-and-Seize. All of them function weighted dumbbell eyes that assist maintain them oriented horizontally when hanging beneath a strike indicator. My desire is a 1-inch Thingamabobber, as it may possibly droop a reasonably heavy sample. It may also be simply slid up and down your chief to regulate depth of your fly. 

All it’s important to do is fireplace out an extended forged and let the fly grasp there in the midst of the water column. Don’t be afraid to attend a minute or longer earlier than giving the road one quick, quick strip to make the fly rise and fall once more. You possibly can milk a retrieve like this for a very long time, as it should assist maintain the fly hanging round seemingly cowl lengthy sufficient to get a cold, unwilling pickerel to make a transfer. 

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Fish the Heat Spots

Whether or not you’re fishing from shore or have entry to a ship, contemplating the time of day you’re fishing, in addition to the depth, backside content material, and construction you’re focusing on are essential. Very often there’s a quick—however candy—feeding window later within the day, which regularly correlates with an uptick in water temperate, even when solely by a level or two. After all, a complete lake or river isn’t prone to bump up a couple of levels in a single day through the winter, however sure areas will. 

I wish to concentrate on spots three to 4 toes deep in shut proximity to deeper water. Areas with darkish backside will maintain extra warmth from the solar, as will any downed timber or wooden poking by way of the floor. Regardless of the chilly, pickerel must feed, and through that chunk window, areas that test a number of of those containers are prime. For those who spend sufficient time in your native waters, winter patterns shortly emerge and earlier than lengthy you’ll determine which banks and canopy are price beating to demise since you’ll know a fish or two is probably going holding there. Some days simply might require extra coaxing than others to get them to chew.