Unlike many of the other species the chain pickerel will be the most active in the winter and during the earliest part of spring. This may be one of the reasons they are so well-liked in the north. They can be fished easily when many of the other species are hard to find. They begin their spawning season before other species when the water temperature reaches around forty degrees. They will lay their eggs on vegetation and other structures.

Another big difference between this species and many of the others is that they will not defend their young from predators and they will often eat their own kind after they have hatched. This species will attack any baitfish that looks like an easy target and it’s not uncommon for them to try and eat other fish that are too big to swallow. This shows that at times they can be very aggressive but they can also be a stubborn fish and not take anything you offer some days.

The best time to seek out this species is during the day. They can be caught at night but it’s not the best time to go fishing for them. Trolling is an excellent method to use when seeking out this species. It allows you to cover a lot of ground while trying different baits until you find what works the best. Use light gear when fishing for the chain pickerel because this will help you know when you have a bite.

You do have to watch your line closely and be ready to set the hook with a short snap of the wrist. Next, reel the line in tight and keep the slack out of it. It may take some practice to get setting the hook down perfect but then this is usually the hardest part of catching any species. Once you caught a few of them, you’ll get the hang of it and using these 5 chain pickerel lures and basic tips will help you get more bites.

To get the full “Chain Pickerel Lures” article you’ll need to download it here.