GRASS PICKEREL, REDFINS, OR ????

[saphireblue99]

I fish bradys a decent amount of the time and catch what i think are grass pickerel but am confused. i know they stocked the same species in gouldsboro and guys think they are catching baby muskies but they are not, no black line by gills, and no patterns on dorsal fins. i don't see orange or red fins like redfins, and i though grass pickerel were only west of the susky? and they real kicker is if you read about the species they rarely grow larger than 12 inches, well my sons and i have caught a decent number as big as 18 inches .Any thoughts?

[quickco]

made me curious so i checked pfbc.

Species overview: The Redfin Pickerel is the eastern half of the Esox americanus subspecies twins. The other is northwest Pennsylvania’s Grass Pickerel (Esox americanus vermiculatus). The Redfin’s native range is along the Atlantic Coast from Massachusetts to Florida. In the Gulf Coast and southeast states, it mixes and interbreeds with the Grass Pickerel. The Redfin is a common small Pickerel in the Delaware River watershed in Pennsylvania. It is found rarely in the Susquehanna River watershed. In Pennsylvania, there is no natural overlap in the geographic distribution of these subspecies.

[delawareriver]

I fish bradys a decent amount of the time and catch what i think are grass pickerel but am confused. i know they stocked the same species in gouldsboro and guys think they are catching baby muskies but they are not, no black line by gills, and no patterns on dorsal fins. i don't see orange or red fins like redfins, and i though grass pickerel were only west of the susky? and they real kicker is if you read about the species they rarely grow larger than 12 inches, well my sons and i have caught a decent number as big as 18 inches .Any thoughts?

got any pictures? They usually help when asking for an ID on a fish

[boatman]

No muskies have been stocked in Bradys. Most are chain pickerel. You can tell a pick by the black tear running down below the eye,chain,redfins and grass all have it. Pike and muskies do not have that black tear mark.