Pickerel problems??

[Brian C]

So I'm new to the swimbait game and the lakes I normally fish in VA have a lot of pickerel and I tend to lose a lot of lures to them. So I was wondering if anyone has had problems with getting swimbaits bit off. I was planning on using braid to 25 lb copolymer and I didn't know if I might need to use a wire leader instead? I know I'll probably lose a few baits to them but I just wanted to ask y'all about it first. I'm still in highschool and don't have a lot of money so I don't wanna be losing to many lures to the toothy critters. I appreciate everyone so far and have been reading a lot of the threads and have learned a lot from y'all so far. Thanks

[drewmoniz]

Pickerel don't go after the real big stuff as much but it still happens. Generally though their teeth won't be contacting your line since the lure is so large. I run 20 lb copoly and haven't broken off at all.

[HelpMePickABobber]

I also fish the pickerel infested VA lakes. I've lost a ton of conventional lures to them but never a swimbait. I don't even worry about it.

[bigpoppabass]

For some reason pickeral don't like slammers. They luv glides. My strategy is to wear polarized glasses so I can get a heads up on em. They usually show themselves. I can hear my heart every time a see a big pick on my pats lol.

[FishDr]

If you’re really worried consider using a heavy fluoro or mono leader like some of the SU members do in areas with big northerners. If you search the SU forums for “pike†and “leader†you should find a thread or two. I sometimes Fish makes that have big norttherns and I don’t use a leader most of the time - most of the pike I encounter either grab the bait tail-first or t-bone it. A really big pike might engulf it...but I haven’t caught a really big pike yet.

[waynem]

Pickerel don't go after the real big stuff as much but it still happens. Generally though their teeth won't be contacting your line since the lure is so large. I run 20 lb copoly and haven't broken off at all.

Like Andrew said the pickerel generally don't get the whole bait in their mouth so the teeth don't contact the line.  Even on occasions where they did get to the line once you bump up to 20 or 25 pound line they rarely are going to bite through it - I catch tons of pickerel up here in New England and I have yet to lose a hard swimbait to one.  On the other hand, those pickerel seem to delight in grabbing a Hudd by the tail.  Set the hook and you reel in a Hudd minus the tail.

[bassturds]

i got a pond loaded with pickerel and big pickerel to! i used to be a huge problem fishing conventional gear, now that i almost exclusively fish swimbaits here! my bass catches out number pickerel. i dont think i caught a pickerel here on swimbaits! 

[Brian C]

thanks for the feedback. Glad to hear they shouldn't be much of a problem

[Flounder]

I run into a lot of them fishing in the Appalachian Mountains. My trick is if one hooks up, not to let it jump and get it in the boat/net as soon a possible. That is when the line seems to find their teeth a you tend to break off. 

[HelpMePickABobber]

thanks for the feedback. Glad to hear they shouldn't be much of a problem

The only swimbait I've consistently caught pickerel on is the bullshad. For some reason they seem to hit that far more frequently.

[bigpoppabass]

Problem with pickeral is they often miss the bait and then cut your line. As has been said, you can usually get em in if they hit the bait. Attached is a pic of islide 185 I purchased from an Su member.

Edited December 13, 2017 by bigpoppabass

[JeepFisher]

I would definitely be mindful if you are throwing rare/expensive stuff.  First outing with this repainted early Pat's perch and i hooked into this pickerel.  Wouldve been sooo pissed if i lost it...lol.

 

[Brian C]

I would definitely be mindful if you are throwing rare/expensive stuff.  First outing with this repainted early Pat's perch and i hooked into this pickerel.  Wouldve been sooo pissed if i lost it...lol.

 

. I plan in starting with hudds and swaivers and stuff like that till I get the hang of trowing big baits at first. That way when I make mistakes I won't have a huge loss

[Nolan Aker]

northern pike loveeee ganterals but maybe pickerel are different

[Kayakswimbaiter0413]

First swimbait fish was a pickeral lol didnt even get the bait in its mouth hudd tail was stuck in the gill