Hey i just started fishing for pickerel so i need advice. What are the best baits for them?

Anything for bass. To make sure you don't lose a follower just do a couple of pauses on the retrieve

Whatever bass fishing bait you really don't want to lose is the best thing for picks and pike.  They sense your fear and are drawn to it.

 

Seriously, though, moving baits (cranks, spinners, spoons, etc) all have the potential to produce.  Pike and pickerel like to pursue and attack.

Pickerel should hit just about anything a bass would.  I've caught them on...

 

Worms

 

Roostertails

 

Squarebills

 

Lipless Cranks

 

Spinnerbaits

 

...and I'm sure they would bite a myriad of other lures.  I probably catch as many pickerel as I do bass without even trying.

 

 

 

Already said above ... anything you would throw for bass.  Especially spinnerbaits and swimbaits like the Havoc Subwoofer work for me.

We've got Pike up here, but I agree with all the others.  They love spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, and for me at least, expensive hollow body frogs.  Nothing draws them in like a Live Target frog you just paid for.

Just tie on your most expensive bait and they will hit and then smile as they bite through your braid/mono/flouro and swim off

Just tie on your most expensive bait and they will hit and then smile as they bite through your braid/mono/flouro and swim off

Not only are they smiling but also crying while doing it, they have black tears

I've also caught many of them on virtually every type of lure there is. I've also had biteoffs on virtually every type of lure there is. If I were targeting them I might give spinnerbaits the nod by a small margin.

They do seem to prefer a little flash.  That big spinnerbait hook can really tear a nice gash through the top of a pickerel's mouth though.  Especially with the way they fight.  I always feel bad when I get one in and it's all tore up.

I caught a pretty big one in the Savannah River on a Zara Spook. I didn't even know what the heck a pickerel was so it was a pretty exciting experience. Luckily I had my pliers.

I caught a pretty big one in the Savannah River on a Zara Spook. I didn't even know what the heck a pickerel was so it was a pretty exciting experience. Luckily I had my pliers.

The pond that i fish in pickerel love shinners so i would use anything that gives off a little "flash"

Up here in the Great White North I've been slamming pickerel the past few weeks -- including a three pounder yesterday -- on chartreuse or white spinnerbaits, either the larger double blade spinner or a small single spinner. I find Colorado blades to be the best though Indiana bladed spinners seem to work fine too.