A pic of a pike and a pic of a "pic"!

[Jonas Pilot]

I uploaded 2 images in the gallery, one of a pickerel and one of a northern pike.

[upthesaukee]

The chain pickerel can be seen here:

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=15347

And the northern pike here:

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=15348

Nice job on the catches, and the photos. Nice side by side shots to show the difference between the two.

Hope you don't mind me posting the links.;)

[hilltopper]

I uploaded 2 images in the gallery, one of a pickerel and one of a northern pike.

Hopefully that Pike wasn't caught in Winni. I've yet to hear of one being taken in winni and hope I never do.

EDIT: Just read the other thread. My guess is it was a Pickerel...hope my guess is correct!

[Island Life]

My boys often argue about what's a pike and what's a pickerel. Too bad grandpa isn't around anymore to set them straight. I'll show them these pictures.

[Jonas Pilot]

It's funny you should mention Grandpa, My Grandpa Wirtes was the one who ignited my passion for fishing when I was still "knee high to a grasshopper". I was too young to learn much those 50+ years ago but he nurtured a love for the joy, wonder and excitement of fishing that still burns deep today.

That big northern pike was caught in the Connecticut River.

Thanks "upthesaukee". It was my intention to upload those images as part of my post but struggled getting it to happen. I learned the most efficient way with your help. Thanks!

[Nadia]

Those are some beautiful fish! Care to share where you caught the Pickerel? This species has eluded me since I started fishing twenty years ago. I know they are in winni, but where would one have better luck catching them? What do they prefer for bait?

[GusMan]

Hey Nadia,

Pickerel live pretty much anywhere but seem to prefer shallow weedy locations. They are very common in the back coves and basins with lots of weeds..... All the areas up by Lee's Mills, The Basin (off Winter Harbor), the areas around Salmon Meadow Cove, Back Bay in Wolfboro, and the aptly named Fish and Pickerel Coves should all hold decent populations of pickerel.

If your looking at other locations.... any weedy shallow pond or lake will have them for sure.

As for baits... they will eat anything that moves! But soft plastic baits... senkos or other soft stick baits.... worms.... lizards etc seem to do the trick.

If you've never tangled with these fish, make sure you have a good pair of needle nose pliers and use caution getting your hooks out... they are rather toothy critters!

Good Luck!

Gusman

[Jonas Pilot]

... shallow, weedy habitats even though I once caught one trolling for salmon out in the mouth of Alton Bay, right out in the middle in 60 plus feet of water. They like to eat fish and are shaped for speed. I have my best luck fishing for them with spinner baits and grubs. I retrieve the lure pretty fast so the lure is just under the surface. They have an explosive strike and are very exciting. You usually can see the fish take the lure. They can be caught using live bait too. My favorite way to catch them is "on the fly". Favorite fly, a "keel bug". It's a bushy fly that floats with the hook pointing up. This allows you to cast the fly right into and around weeds without getting hung up.

Gusman beat me to it!
He's got it right on.