Andre tried to reply to your message but it wouldnt send !!!???So I'llput it here; Glad u joined this group!

Oh yeah,love catching Pickerel.Any and all fish for that matter.I've had great days on Waywayanda and Shepherds Lake minutes from my house with Pickerel using spoons and Crankbaits.My biggest came on a Jersey Rigg worm rigged wacky style from a small pond though. I 've alo gotten big boys on small feather or Bucktail jigs  out of the small ponds.
  I will look you up if I'm down your way .It would be great to meet you and fish with you .You sure catch a lot of big Bass .Congratulations on the huge Carp!
I hope you share your Pickerel exploits with the Pickerel group!
Take care,
John

Should be Pickerel in the shallows right about now!

1st Pickerel in a long time .Smacked a Thin Fin Crankbait at the boat .About 20"

Looking for my 1st Ice Pickerel.

Good Luck John! be sure to post a pic for us!

no ice fishing for me this year:( ill be open water fishing on Saturday, im getting excited

Yesterday at Waywayanda Lake in Vernon New Jersey : Nephew caught 3 Pickerel on some Made in China shallow running long and thin Crankbait ,15,16,17".I got Two .One Trolling a Little Cleo (16") and one casting  a Kalin Grub (12") Brother Greg lost one Pickerel on a Dardevle Flutter Chuck Spoon.

This years best Pickerel so far .Caught on a Blue Fox #2 Spinner on 5/13/12 Only 18 ,1/8th " though.

here we go, havent been on in a while, finally got some fishing in, we went up to squam lake in NH where i got this one, i was unable to get a measurement or weight, im guessing in the high 20'' and 5 or 6 lbs 

Here are some pics of a chain pickerel I got on Lake Murray, SC this last week:

Caught it on a chrome, Lur-Jensen 'Krocodile' spoon. It blasted the lure so hard that the hooks went straight to the gills, forcing me to dispatch the fish:

That away David !!Been a while since someone here posted a  Pickerel!

John,

I hope to change that this winter. I am going to carry gear just for them, as often as I go. I think they are one of the most interesting and brutally handsome fish we have. There is something about their raw power that appeals to me.

Wish you the best of success .This year my 1st fish was a small pickerel ,on a beetle spin. Love their bursts of speed when hooked and fighting .The are a thin fish but start getting big stomachs after about 22" or so I'm finding .Fishing over the tops of weeds calls them up .Rapalas, Flutter spoons etc.

John how well do flutter spoons cast? Compared to the Krocodile, as an example, what percentage of distance can you expect from similar sized flutter spoons.

GLAD TO BE IN THIS GROUP and looks like I have a lot to learn again about another species!!!! They are a beautifully marked fish and looks like perfect camo pattern for hiding in weeds in ambush!!!!

David,Flutter spoons into the wind don't cast well but I've caught many Pickerel with them drifting over weed beds and casting with the wind at my back.Granted I'm in a boat under those circumstances .The slow fall and 3-5"profile is a target for a weed hiding pickerel that can dart out and nab a supposed meal .The heavy fast falling Krocodile may be hung up too often.If you cast flutter spoons wading or bank fishing you may still find them effective if the wind is at your back, BUT i prefer casting heavier spoons like the KROCKS or my favs ACME spoons  ,into the wind for distance and accuracy.I also think the roiled surface waves /wind might make the weightier spoon fall deeper less quickly. But, if I cast a heavy spoon from shore I usually want suspended fish over deep water so as not to get hung up or sandy snagless bottoms that I've excavated before .If i work a heavy spoon shallower over structure on the same cast I found (at least summer bites when the water is warmer) I can snap it up in the column and keep working it that way and a shallow  agressor looking for a meal sometimes darts out of the cover I'm trying to avoid getting snagged in and grabs it .GOOD WAY TO FIND WHERE THE HOLDING SPOTS ARE BUT NOTICE WHEE THE FISH CAME FROM ! Some of what I'm saying  applies to Bass fishing ,but in my waters often the two are reacting to a similar presentation .

Also low rod angle almost always gets more distance using a flutter spoon .My favs are The various sized Acme Shad Kings or the Dardevle Flutter Chucks.

Also David- I first  discovered the effectiveness of Flutter spoons casting split shotted small Fspoons in spring over shallow flats .The Shot 6-8" above the spoon gave me the distance I needed but the slow fall triggered the fish .Bass tecnique ,early Spring warm days.

Thanks, John, for your comments.

I’m thinking a bit of weight added in the form of shot might be a good idea for me, should I decide to try a flutter spoon. I DO cast from the shore most of the time; I don’t have a bona-fide boat, so during the colder months the bank is my home. I don’t have any flutter spoons in my tackle box, right now, but should I run across some I will get a few and give them a whirl.

Actually, the whole idea of casting for pickerel is a new one and I’m not sure what will develop along those lines. I didn’t even know big ones were in the lake until last week. I’m going to arm up based on what has worked so far and that is the Krocodile and other casting spoons. I also have several large Super Dupers which should mimic the shad on which the fish are feeding.

Again thanks for your help and great sportsman attitude. You are a champ!

Welcome Tooty!! It s a great page Chris from Connecticut started .There are some nice Pickerel Pics her.Sure would like to see Muskellunge and Pike pics too!

FISHING FLUTTER SPOONS

Hey David on that split shotted Flutter Spoon shallow water technique ,here's what I think is happening(actually has happened to me): A few weeks or maybe a month after ice out in North East New Jersey you find yourself fishing a flat ,midday in early or mid April. Your casting to three feet of water where cruising hungry Bass and Pickerel are still not in high enough gear to chase a steady retrieved spinner .You are reluctant to throw the Larger Flutter spoons in your box because you suspect smaller is a better profile for the early season likelihood of hooking a fish.  You select a Dardevle Chucklett or an Acme 1/6th oz. but find such a thin gauge spoon casts lousy  with six or  eight pound test, especially with unpredictable swirling side winds .You want a slow fall because you have faith that's what the fish feel is an easy meal under circumstances of lowered metabolism or activity level. For more distance you put on a split shot 6-8" above the lure and cast. The shot drops to the bottom while you're hoping you turned a fish's head toward the direction of your falling spoon 6-8 inches above the shot and slowly falling like a dying baitfish .Before the spoon falls to bottom where the shot is ,you see the line jump and move off .THAT WAS NO WIND GUST !,you say to yourself as you quickly reel up the line and set the hook .Sure enough it's your first fish of the day and you hope to establish a pattern with more fish at this spot and others like it on the lake. Several frustrations occur with the line, spoon and shot getting tangled with the help of uncooperative winds, but you find low rod angles and casting between gusts as much as you can be fortunate enough to time ,reduces those problem casts. If you can get the right size spoon to cast with the gear you have you'd abandon the shot all together ,but for now you're going with the added weight.    You find yourself at times , moving the shot around closer or farther from the lure to find what the fish want to see and feel from your presentation .You are thrilled to catch fish with a bait less lure and have found these hungry fish will do just that .You vow to try the technique over the weed edges in the late Fall, perhaps  with bigger and  heavier flutter spoons that may not need shot .You suspect you'll be able to call up Pickerel and Bass hiding in the weeds picking off dying baitfish your spoon is imitating.

Wow, John...nice analogy! I think I might toss a couple spoons in some local lakes this winter. We have Loch Raven just north of Baltimore, Andre's stomping grounds, and Pinchot St Park near Dillsburg PA. both have 5 to 6 pound chains and boss crappies and bass. Thanks for the tips!

Im with Jim - great stuff, John! Thank you...

Have you ever thought about taking up song writing?

Woah ,sounds great Jim .Best of luck and share your stories with this group please! I am dissapointed that ACME  Lures discontinued the Flash King Wobblers .They are good Flutterspoons in a range of sizes .I caught Perch,Crappie Gills ,Bass and Pickerel using the various sizes and weights .

Thanks very much guys .It's a pleasure to recall and share my catches and tecniques and I've learned a lot from you both that's for certain! David ,that last sentence was very facetious of you! :)

Hey, John - you know I'm here for you. All facetious jokes are delivered in the spirit of camaraderie. :-)

PS Im gonna add that little flutter spoon description to my files.

Haahaa!! I need to tweak that post but it pretty much works as a starting point for Flutter spooning for me. Your posts are very cool David .You are one of the most resourceful characters on here .That has a lot to do with why I always look for one of your posts .They are becoming classic in my eyes .I did something the other day that made me think of you .I had some line cuts on the roller arm on my spining reel that were snagging and fraying my line .I took a hook file and smoothed it out so it doesnt catch and cut any more .Perhaps I'll have to replace it eventually if it starts happening again but it's pretty smooth now and I should get a little more work out of it .That's what I think you would do if I read you correctly . Do you think i should touch it up with something to keep it smooth .I don't know a lacquer or nail polish or something .Got a suggestion?

I'm flattered, sir John. You give me far too much credit.

As for your dressage of the roller, good work my man! That is the spirit!!

Here is what I would suggest as further action:

1. Twist some small strips of fine emery paper into little spirals, so they fit down into the rollers channel. Use progressively finer grits to make a range of these polishing twists.

2. Tighten the roller screw all the way and use progressively finer emery strips to dress the roller in the filed area.

3. Once you have polished the roller this way, fully loosen the roller retention screw and squirt WD-40 or other light aerosol lube into the roller. This will remove any grit from the filing and polishing. Do this over an absorbent towel.

4. Blow out the roller to remove excess lube and tighten the roller retention screw all the way.

5. Finally, back off the screw just so the roller will rotate in it's socket.

The ever finer emery grits will take down and smooth any gross cuttings from the filing. Do this polishing until you have achieved the finish you desire.

My guess is that the roller itself is made of brass. I know you use good quality gear and plated brass is usually what you'll find on the rollers of such equipment. Yes, you've taken the plating off, but the bare metal of finely polished brass is better than what you might paint on... which is just as likely come right back from the friction imposed during use.

For what it's worth, spinning reel bail rollers should turn smoothly in their seat. As often as not, the screws holding them in place are too tight. Polishing the roller's surface and setting it to turn smoothly will make both it AND your line last a long time.

PS the same fine emery grits used on the roller are dandy for polishing guitar frets. Try it next time you change strings.

David I'll get back to this as I have a studet coming but its not the roller itself but the line catching and cutting just to the side of the roller on the arm the roller sits in .AHH WE need a pic here I get one to you and describe better what i mean

Its all the same, John. Any place you have filed on, and upon which your line rides, will want this treatment. Work it over real good with the progressive emery grits and polish her up nice. Then make sure that roller actually rolls.

JOHN - PS

As for a finish go ahead and apply something if you like, as long as the line doesn't contact the point. I like to use oil enamels, a good choice being the little bottles sold for model cars and planes.

Thanks for your maintenence tricks .Cool ,even apply to polishing Guitar frets !

These thin gauged spoons are what I'm classifying as Flutter Spoons .

Absolute cryin' shame ,in my estimation, that Acme has apparently discontinued the Flash King Wobbler .Bluegill ,Crappie,Pickerel,Bass ,White and Yellow Perch can all be caught on the various sizes .My name would be first on the petition list to reintroduce that style spoon.

First signs of Pickerel in the shallows ,haven't caught one yet though.

Has anyone here tried this? I read that Perch Belly strips 'Skittered' for Pickerel is deadly .I've never tried it but Edward C. Janes  swears by the technique in his book ,'Freshwater Fishing Complete' .I'll start saving and preserving them when I clean Perch for eating .

The author does this "Skittering " technique in lily pad or weed pockets with a long fly rod or cane pole the idea is to get a Pickerel or Bass to come out of the thick cover and then haul them out of there quickly with lineout about as long as the pole .Skittering as I understand it makes a commotion on top of the water by pulling, hopping  and dabbing the bait in an open area around big fish weedy lairs. I have raised many Bass and Pickerel  with Johnson weedless  spoons but lost almost as many fish with long casts into the pads. Poor hooksets due to line getting caught under pads was the reason I believe. This is more of a closer quarter technique that requires a friend quietly handling the oars while another person fishes . It's stealthy until you hook one I guess.

Skittering explained: http://catfishgumbo.blogspot.com/2008/03/old-fashioned-bass-tactics...

I threw my biggest Flutter spoon but didn't catch a Pickerel ,who knows though I may have attracted them to the area with all that flash ! I was throwing the Big Flutter spoon on a bait caster and having trouble with backlashes till I adjusted the magnetic control .Casts weren't as far but it helped out a lot . I threw the Bomber Crank on that baitcasting rod and muscled that smaller Pick easily away from the weeds. I anchored out side the pads in two spots and drifted up to some sort of shoreline cut to get these fish and some smaller Gills I released .

Nice pink Fillets off those two Pickerel!

Extreme ends of the spoon spectrum .Search bait and catch bait .I've caught Pickerel on large AND small baits .

Check out page 12 for a little info on Pickerel, from this   1962 Pennsylvania fishing magazine :http://fishandboat.com/anglerboater/75archives/1960s/1962arch/02feb...