Chain pickerel

wgmiller

wgmiller

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Aug 24, 2008
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I know this has been touched on in the past, but with the article in the latest American Angler magazine, I'd really like to get on some chain pickerel. From what I gather, the closest place to have a shot at these bad boys is Scotts Run Lake in French Creek SP. Where is a good spot within a short drive of Lancaster/Harrisburg to go after these guys. I'll be fishing from my kayak, so access isn't an issue...
 
You can use this to get some places that are close.

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/wwcw.htm

If you are in State College area you can try Lake Colyer, I have some pictures of the fish in there on my blog.
 
I think I'm going to give Memorial Lake a shot Saturday... Closest shot is either that or Scott's Run Lake. Hope to have something to report Sunday!

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/images/fisheries/afm/2005/7x05_06memorial.htm
 
wg - They're in Memorial, also in the Swatara...PM coming with some details.
 
a buddy caught a skinny one on a rod i loaned him out of memorial....i laughed my *** off when he lipped it, and it had none of that nonsense.
 
Dear wg,

There are plenty of pickerel in Memorial Lake, the problem is getting to them. Much of the lake, especially the upper end where the pickerel are found, has a silty muddy bottom and it can be hazardous to wade.

If you have access to a boat you'll have an easier time. If you want to borrow a float tube and fins send me a PM, I live about 8 miles from the lake. I can provide the necessary PFD also, but I can't guarantee the fit because all of mine are 2X and 3XL.

Regards,

Tim Murphy ;-)


 
wgmiller wrote:
I know this has been touched on in the past, but with the article in the latest American Angler magazine, I'd really like to get on some chain pickerel. From what I gather, the closest place to have a shot at these bad boys is Scotts Run Lake in French Creek SP. Where is a good spot within a short drive of Lancaster/Harrisburg to go after these guys. I'll be fishing from my kayak, so access isn't an issue...
Click to expand...

Jay says the upper end of Scotts Run is filthy with them. Then you have the freshly stocked trouts AND possibility of state record smallmouth. I'd be interested in hauling the toon up there and doing this with ya. I assume you have midweeks avail?
 
TM,

I've got a kayak rigged for fishing that I'll be using. So as long as there's a few inches of water, I'm good-to-go! :lol:

Jdad - yes, midweeks are available. Just have to plan in advance, that's all! Definitely going to Memorial Lake this weekend, but would like to hit Scott's Run lake. I enjoyed Hopewell even though it wasn't highly successful the day I fished it.
 
Don't know if its still available but see if you can find some fly rod sized pork rind strips or the imitation .put that on your fly as a trailer and you will double or triple your catch and its pretty tough.
 
Dear wg,

If you go I'm sure you'll be coming from the south. If you come in off Rte 934 and you see the signs for the first boat ramp just keep going if it is pickerel you are after. Drive all the way up to the 3rd park entrance and head in to that boat ramp.

From the ramp paddle down the lake and turn left into the first cove and work the edges of the weed beds in there. That's where I've had my best success for pickerel.

There is a "fish structure" right under the powerline that crosses the lake. I've caught some nice crappies around that spot while float tubing.

Good luck and depending on when you are there maybe I'll see you at the park this weekend.

Regards,

Tim Murphy :)
 
TM,

I'll actually be coming up 743 to 443. I hopped online, printed a park map and in true anal-retentive fashion, already laminated it. I'm amassing quite a collection of lake maps that I insert in my dry pouch on the kayak.

In doing some recon on the lake, I came across this link: http://www.examiner.com/fishing-in-harrisburg/harrisburg-area-fishing-memorial-lake

Looks like the northwest corner will be my first attempt. If you're there tomorrow, just look for the skull and crossbones on a tan 12' sit-on-top!
 
Dear wg,

You want to turn off Rte 443 at the big old farmhouse just after you enter Fort Indiantown Gap property. It's huge white farmhouse with a 4 stall garage behind it.

Go about 100 yards and you'll see the Lower Road entrance on your right. When you launch at the ramp paddle around the corner behind the restroom building. That's the pickerel cove.

I don't know if I'll be able to get up there tomorrow. Since my last post I sort of committed to go look at a trolling motor for my canoe so I'll probably be passing you on the road on my way to Willow Street.

Good luck!

Tim Murphy :)
 
I made it out yesterday from about 13:00-18:00 and it turned out to be a great day for paddling. Unfortunately, it wasn't such a great day for fishing as it was a "Bluebird sky" and visibility in the lake was but a few feet.

Regardless, it was nice to "recon" the lake and get a feel for it. It's a very manageable size and easy to fish. The cove that Tim Murphy spoke of gets very shallow and sight fishing is a real possibility in that area. I'd like to hit the lake at daybreak to see if I can catch any fish cruising this "flat".

I worked a lot of the shoreline and weedbeds with topwater flies (poppers, mouse, etc.) as well as Clousers in chartreuse/white underneath. I did avoid a total skunking by landing some bluegill, but that's the extent of my catch. I spoke with some fishermen who were coming in when I was going out and they said they only caught a few perch and a small bass or two.

Tough day on the lake, but still nice to be out. I'm not going to give up the hunt for pickerel though!
 
[color=0000FF]I sort of committed to go look at a trolling motor for my canoe [/color]

When I lived in southern NJ, the chain pickerel have over run all the freshwater lakes. Impossible to wade with the soft mud / quicksand, so I used a canoe with a trolling motor also.
Only problem....... the state bird of NJ is the mosquito!! they would tear you up in the hot weather.
 
Dear wg,

Sorry you didn't have great success but the fish definitely are there.

One other thing that was working against you has been all the rain we had earlier in the month. Memorial Lake never really gets "clear" but there has been tons of mud pumped into it in the past few weeks with the high water. Ordinarily the visibility is better and it progresses as you work further down the lake to the dam.

In the late Spring and early Summer when the weather is more stable and lake vegetation is growing off the bottom and serving to keep the mud settled to the bottom of the lake you can often see the fish you are fishing for in that cove. In a typical season around Memorial Day you can see all the spawning beds in that cove, nowadays you are lucky to see the bottom in 12 inches of water.

I managed to pick up the trolling motor I talked about so I'll be fishing there more often in the future though I'll probably wait until next Spring to really get after the fish. I figure there is no sense in buying a trolling motor battery and having it sit all Winter.

Regards,

Tim Murphy :)
 
I spoke with a couple fishermen as I was putting in who remarked how the visibility was but a couple feet. These were guys who fished the lake regularly and knew that conditions were less-than-ideal. They commented, much like you, about all the rain really stirring things up.

I have no doubt the fish are there and I'm still learning a lot about lake fishing. It's challenging in its own way because in many of these "featureless" lakes, finding the fish is half the battle. In some ways, it reminds me of saltwater fishing the back bays where it's just a matter of repeatedly putting the fly in the water.

As I said, I'm definitely intrigued by Memorial Lake and knowing that it has such a diverse selection of fish makes it that much more of a draw. Knowing that I could hook into any one of the "predator" fish such as a Muskie, Pike, or Pickerel is pretty neat.

On a side note, I paddled up Indiantown Run a bit and waded around that ice cold water for a bit. Kind of neat to be warmwater fishing one moment, and the next freezing your feet off in a coldwater run!

Let's plan on getting out in the spring and wetting a line!
 
Dear wg,

Yes, let's stay in touch. I'd definitely be interested in fishing with you in the Spring.

Regards,

Tim Murphy :)
 
Fished the upper end of Scotts Run Lake yesterday morning for a couple of hours. The weather was cooperating with air temps in the low 60’s, cloudy sky, and consistent breeze. Got into some decent pickerel on a black bugger. More than half hit the fly within 15 feet of where I was standing.

Switched to a yellow hopper after the bite slowed and hit the shallows for some serious sunfish action. I had the whole upper half of the lake to myself as the crowd concentrated in the lower end after those silly trout.
 
flyfishingNZ wrote:
You can use this to get some places that are close.

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/wwcw.htm

If you are in State College area you can try Lake Colyer, I have some pictures of the fish in there on my blog.
Click to expand...

My brother, who lives in the State College area, told me they are draining Colyer lake this year - not sure when. Might want to look into it and try to get over there before it's too late.
 
+1 on Colyer lake in state college. Idk why you'd ever go up that far, but if you did you'd probably find chain pickerel in there. I'd always catch a few in the grass near the bank when I was a student up there.
 
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