Pickerel This Weekend

[surveyor06]

Trying to get into some pickerel this weekend. Plan on fishing Scotts Run lake. I have caught them before on my ultra light so I know they are there. I plan on using a 5wt, which is the biggest rod I have. I have some buggers tied, size 8, and zonkers in the same size. I also plan on tying some clousers but not sure what size. Do I need bigger flies than size 8 ? Also what kind of leader should I tie up, thinking a tapered leader ending with 10 lbs mono. Never fished for this species before, so any advice would be helpful. Thanks

 

[iceyguides]

Surveyor, I can't say i know much about fishing specifically for pickerel, but i do have some experience with pike and bluefish-i would try maybe 15-20lb fluro as a leader. Flurocarbon is much more abrasion resistant than mono, but remember to check your leader for nicks after each toothy fish you catch. The flies you described will probably be fine, i don't think pickerel are too picky. Good Luck!

 

[sandfly]

they will hit poppers as well. Pecks Pond has always been a good place to fly fish for them..Mickey finns work too.. make em weed less..

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

Those little suckers have sharp teeth more so than ther bigger brothers. I second the floro.

 

[surveyor06]

Skunked! Tried some 2/0 clousers that I tied up last night to no avail. Trying to find info on this species is tough, but I searched my fishing library and found out a few things. First and probably most applicable to today was that pickerel clam up when the barometric pressure drops, and second, best to fish for them in the fall when the cooler waters bring them in the shallows. Scotts Run lake has a pretty healthy population of panfish, of which I hardly saw today. My guess was the panfish, and gamefish were sitting further offshore and deeper than I was able to reach with a fly rod. Once the temps left off a bit Im going to try again. Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[Shuu]

Used to catch them all the time in Shohola lake off RT 6 North of Milford. I got tired of them but I gotta admit the wake they throw when attacking a streamer was a thrill. Remember the submarine episodes on "Victory at Sea". Same thing in miniature.
I agree that they are more likely to slice off a fly than a Pike or Musky. I always used a fine wire leader like the ones from American Fishing Wire in West Chester. (No affiliation). Good luck. Oh yeah, my best luck came fishing small, purpose-tied Lefty's Deceivers. They really seemed to smash the bright green ones.

 

[reds]

I worked nites at AFW after my first stint in college, when i was trying to pay off some bills. It was a second job that did not pay well, but afforded me flexible and unsupervised hours. I wish i had flyfished at the time, i would have borrowed a few of the leaders for personal use.

 

[Berks]

I fished Scott’s Run Lake this morning and was specifically targeting pickerel. The weather was cloudy and cool. I had the most luck with a #10 white BH wooly bugger. I find that pickerel are a ‘wait and see’ fish that follow the fly in quite a ways before taking. Most were caught less then 20’ feet out and just before lifting the fly out of the water. I don’t use any special tippet material just the standard stuff I’d use for bass.




I wasn’t the only fisherman catching pickerel today. Got to witness a resident osprey getting himself some lunch. Pretty neat to see them enter the water and come out with a fish. Topped it off by flying right over me close enough to the 8” pickerel in his talons.

 

[flyfishingNZ]

I have been doing pretty well with the pickerels this year in State College, however I only got one this weekend over a period of two hours. I am mainly throwing white, olive, black and glow bug orange buggers, plus Mrs. Simpsons and rabbit strips. All in the size 6 range. I have just been casting out from shore as far as I can with a 6 wt and then stripping in and pausing and then stripping again. The rate is depend on the water temperature, but the pause is mainly where they strike. Usually if I am catching pickerels I will not be catching anything else.

 

[surveyor06]

Berks,

What part of the lake were you on? I was told to fish the far end, but I just kept sinking in. Walking around the lake is tough as well. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[jay348]

i might have to hit scotts run soon. only ever fished it once, but this looks fun. let me know if any of you guys plan on fishing there soon.

 

[trowpa]

I did some pickerel fishing as well this weekend. Had a new 9wt rod to break in before the salt jam - and these were the closest i could come to bluefish in my area 🙂 (I usually use a 5 or 6wt for them - much more fun)

Been fishing for them quite a bit this season in the poconos - what a blast!

 

[gfen]

trowpa wrote:
in my area

?

 

[Berks]

I was fishing the opposite end from the dam. You can wade out fairly far as it's shallow at that end. Stay in the deeper water or you'll be up to your knees in stinky lake mud if you venture too close to shore. Make sure you're laces are tight....

 

[bam]

I never visited Scotts, but I fished the other dam at first light for an hour. Caught one smallmouth. Typically I never get up early, but promised a buddy I'd help him sight in his new slug gun at the range on the nearby gamelands. I didn't see the osprey catch anything, but he sure high-tailed it out of there when a bald eagle flew over.

The name escapes me at the moment, but the other lake seemed pretty shallow. Is this true of Scotts as well?

 

[Berks]

I would consider Scotts Run lake shallow especially the opposite end from the dam. I'd be surprised if it went more than 6'. I watched a women dump her kayak near the middle and just walk it to the shore. The weeds don't seem to have trouble growing up from the bottom to the surface.

Hopewell is the other lale in the park.

 

[surveyor06]

Ive fished the shore closest to the parking lot, and it drops off pretty good there, def. deeper than 6'. I tried to walk along the shore line and the mud is ridiculous. I may have to try accessing the opposite way. That mud sure does stink.