What do you guys think the best bait for Pickerel are? I find fluorescent green worms work well. However, the chain pickerel is elusive in my fishing holes and I've only ever caught 3 with one of them being ~24 inches long. It's my favorite freshwater fish. Share some insight if you have any. 

Pickerel are usually a nuisance fish, mainly say that because they bite anything you throw for bass or trout, the problem is they have teeth and wind up keeping your lures every now and then.

I live on the East Coast and have caught numerous pickerel. So far I have not lost any lures to them, although my son found out how sharp their teeth are. They are great for fun but they are rather slimy to handle and are more "aromatic: than most. For me the best baits are minnow imitators, so if I target them, I throw spinnerbaits, spoons, and jerkbaits. Have at it.

Spoons, in-line spinners,  and shallow-running crankbaits.

In New Jersey I catch at least one on every trip. The most have been on green pumpkin senkos. But have also caught them with rattle traps and spinnerbaits. Had a monster on last season but when I got it to the edge of the boat those razor teeth cut the line and it was gone. Got the blood flowing though so it's all good. Good luck!

Pickerel are usually a nuisance fish, mainly say that because they bite anything you throw for bass or trout, the problem is they have teeth and wind up keeping your lures every now and then.

Old Chainsides ain't no nuisance. Especially when he's on my dinner plate. 

Get some zoom speed craw and rig them weightless, throw it out and reel it over the water like a buzzbait, I catch tons of pickerel doing this. Only problem is its a light line technique for me and I don't always get them to the boat.

Those dadgum pickerel seem to like my wild shiners when I'm fishing for bass. Sometimes when I set the hook all I reel in is half a shiner. Yeah, very sharp teeth.

Pickerel = aka =  snot rocket. I didn`t use to like them, but now they get me thru the winter so I target them often . My big so far is  5.5 lbs x 27"

 

There isn`t much they will not eat.Some favorites are hard jerks, soft jerks ,tubes ,paddle tails, hair jigs. When the water is 50+ rattle traps work well as well as  weightless super flukes  and frogs in the pads.

 

They are death on bluegills,crappies and shinners.Not so much  on lmb form a study I did.

 

They are decent on the table once you know how to bone them out.

C22

We don't have them around here, but we have Northern Pike and they are in the same family. They'll hit just about anything, but one of the best baits for them would have to be a spinnerbait followed closely by either a hollow belly swim bait or a boot tail. Lipless crankbaits are also pretty high on the list. Their teeth are SHARP though so a wire leader of some sort is a must on anything other than a spinnerbait. 

Pickerel = aka =  snot rocket. I didn`t use to like them, but now they get me thru the winter so I target them often . My big so far is  5.5 lbs x 27"

 

There isn`t much they will not eat.Some favorites are hard jerks, soft jerks ,tubes ,paddle tails, hair jigs. When the water is 50+ rattle traps work well as well as  weightless super flukes  and frogs in the pads.

 

They are death on bluegills,crappies and shinners.Not so much  on lmb form a study I did.

 

They are decent on the table once you know how to bone them out.

C22

Thanks for the info. We call um slime darts where I live.

Your favorite, most expensive, irreplaceable bait in your tackle box.

Your favorite, most expensive, irreplaceable bait in your tackle box.

 

Yup,lost two LC`s to them this year before ice. Never even got to load up on them

Targeted them for a while. #2 and #3 mepps in line spinners with silver blades with white or chartreuse bucktail trebbles were very good.

Yup,lost two LC`s to them this year before ice. Never even got to load up on them

2/0 hook with an early set can save you a lot of pain haha

2/0 hook with an early set can save you a lot of pain haha

What makes you think hook size and reaction make a difference? This jerkbait is over 4"

What makes you think hook size and reaction make a difference? This jerkbait is over 4"

The sharper teeth are closer to the back of their mouth. If you can get the hook in early theres a better chance of it staying on because the line won't be in its mouth. This also allows you to fish without using a a metal snap leader or leader wire that detracts from the presentation. 

pickerel is one of the best fish to catch besides bass lol i go out just for pickerel but ill usually use some type of swimbait ( havoc grass pig 5in) because its cheap and usually like a white or chart and i use a 4 or 5/0 owner twist lock hook with a wire leader and ill work it right on the surface or a foot below, always works great for me

 

goodluck