Rainy day thread...Pike + Pickerel = Gorgeous Hybrid

[Skunk City]

Saw this on World Fishing Network's website. Never heard of this but it's definetly got me thinking about one swimming in NJ's waters...

http://www.worldfishingnetwork.com/n...pe-235475.aspx




From the link...
"It was supposed to be a show about chain pickerel on Lake Champlain, highlighting the different techniques and hottest lures for this often neglected sportfish.

But it turned into something more when two hybrids were caught during filming.

A cross between a northern pike and a chain pickerel, these hybrids take on the best genes of both species, with the unmistakeable spots of a pike, mixed in with the chain-like pattern of the pickerel. The result is a rather beautiful fish that packs a wallop.


Bob Gauthier holds a hybrid (left) and chain pickerel up together. Bob caught the fish in practice a day before shooting.
Northern pike get more attention due to their greater range and larger size, but chain pickerel hold their own as a sportfish. You'd be hard pressed to find a better catch when fly fishing, as pickerel will attack your streamers with rage. They can be caught a number of different ways, and since they are big feeders all year round, can be fished for through the ice as well.

Chain pickerel thrive in swamps, marshes, ditches, ponds, oxbows, sloughs and backwaters throughout much of Eastern United States and Canada. While hybrids may be hard to find, if you do land one, be prepared: they have tremendous power and are very energetic fighters."

[Gatto1227]

Definitely in the Passaic. I've caught a couple of those and wondered what exactly they were. I will try to find the pics.

[Skunk City]

Originally Posted by Gatto1227

Definitely in the Passaic. I've caught a couple of those and wondered what exactly they were. I will try to find the pics.

REALLLLLLY?!

(Unpatiently awaits pictures )

[bowzonly]

Love those pickerel

[NorthJerzyG]

So, Tiger Pike?? Pike-Erel??

I don't doubt they could be in the Passaic. But, all the spots I've caught pike, ive never caught a pick. I find that to be a bit strange. I'm pretty sure if they were there I would have caught at least 1 by now (pickerel that is).

What other NJ waters have both swimming together??

[Gatto1227]

Originally Posted by Skunk City

REALLLLLLY?!

(Unpatiently awaits pictures )

Sorry bro can't find the pics. Skillfulangler908 can speak for me on this one we pulled a couple of those in I'm 157% sure lol. I have never caught a pickerel on the Passaic yet but I have pulled in a baby tiger Muskie. That place has become my new favorite place to fish. Oddly enough we still haven't pulled in one single bass there in about 6 trips this year.

[Skunk City]

Man you got me all worked up for nothin! lol

I have yet to land a Pickerel in the Passaic, but my buddy did a few years back while I was fishing with him. Hit a big spoon if I remember correctly. Also, another member posted a picture of a big one landed from his kayak a couple months ago. Here's the one my buddy landed, caught in Pine Brook. They're definetly in there, apparently pretty rare though. How big were the 'Pike-erels' that you landed from the river?

[Gatto1227]

Ya I saw that pic the guy posted of that pickerel it was a nice one. Lots of people don't like pickerel but I do. I fish the D and R canal by my house all the time which is loaded with pickerel my biggest being around 6lbs. The pike/pickerel we caught were all small maybe around 17 inches. I'll try to get my pickerel pic on here I know I have that one

[SkillfulAngler908]

I know the Millstone and Farrington Lake have both Pike and Pickerel in them. I caught this guy in the Passaic, who looks somewhat similar to those hybrids with a few vertical bars but I figured it was just color variance

[wolf man]

i dvr'd that episode! cant wait to watch it!