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That's one worry of swamp people. .a real Gator.. I got one just like it,26" last year on friday... before the derby... I released and left a tip up in the same spot all weekend, it never returned... 26 will usually get you money.
We had a 29” Friday before the derby last year... ended up catching a bunch more but our 4lber was late to the board Sunday. I have a feeling this guy was a cruiser based on my location so I don’t think he would of hung around. However I did caught multiple of the same fish last year after releasing.. funny thing is I’m not even targeting pickerel.
I might be wrong but I don't believe that pickerel roam too far.
Denny, I often get them out over deep water, cruising just under the ice..
Nice pickerel from today.. 26” in 15FOW on a large shiner. Hopefully just a warm up for this weekend. The pressure ridges I’ve seen have been pretty crazy with lots of pooling water and open holes. Hopeful they freeze before getting covered with snow, very dangerous.
Hey Jibbs,I also picked up a big pickerel out in front of the hole in the wall during a bass tournament. I got it out of about 40 fow on a Carolina rig with either a lizzard or brush hog..I am sure I was expecting a giant smallie but ended up with a solid 5lb slyme dart..I have caught them deep before, but didn't expect to get one that deep.John
Similar situation on Oppechee. My partner for a club tournament made a nice cast under a dock and bam a giant explosionRight away your thinking big Bass. Nope it was a giant pickerel and we didn't measure it, but we did weight it = right at 7 lbs. (About 1 lbs short of the state record).That was about 20 years ago and I would guess there are still some big pickerel in that lake.I would NEVER ice fish near that spot due to the current from the dam that cuts across over to the launch.