[paul gotta fish]

Launched at dawn this morning on Lake Williams. Air temp about 48, light winds out of the north. I paddled straight back across the lake to the far end, which is a large weedy cove. By the time I got to the other side of the lake the wind was blowning hard, but I was sheltered there in the cove. Started pitching a black Horny Toad, 3rd cast hooked up with a 14" LMB. Nice! Several casts later, pulled in a 12" bass. Nothing for another half hour or so, working clockwise around the shore, then got a savage hit, fought it to the boat, and pulled in a 25" pickerel. Then I worked the middle of the cove with with the HT and if a bass missed on it's first strike I followed with a senko, which worked on three more 12" bass. I also lost two bass at the side of the canoe that were easily 3 to 4 lbs, but shook free of the HT. Lake Williams always seems to yield fewer striking fish, but they are larger, higher quality.

I worked my way out of the cove and swithched between the HT, senko and black/gold blade spinner bait. Piked up 3 more pickerel near 20" on the spinner bait, and they were a blast to fight and bring to the boat. But no more bass hit at all over the next half hour. I let the strong winds blow me back to the far shore where I first put in, and picked up one more 12" bass on the lee side of one of the small islands near the dam using the spinner bait; I had given up on the surface lure since the sun was now bright in the blue bird sky.

I will try and get back there again this fall, but will need a calm day, with overcast skies. It is just too much lake on a windy day in a canoe, and because it is so shallow, the bright sun really seems to shut down the fish there.

[Michael]

I love hitting 20"+ pickerel! They are a blast and very aggressive. I nail pickerel easily at Mondo Ponds during mid spring with slashbait action. They come shooting out of nowhere and grab that HJ-8 with force!

Any idea how heavy the 25" gator was? I could easily see around 4 pounds if it was healthy and chubby.

[paul gotta fish]

Hi Michael, it was a fat fish, probably around 4lbs. I know a lot of guys don't like to catch them, but I think they are a blast! They are savage at times, I've had them hit smaller fish that I have been reeling in at the same time. I plan on heading up to Lakeville later this month to try for the beasts that are in that lake. (along with the LMBs)

[Michael]

Of all members of the pike family here in North America, chain pickerel is the most aggressive and energetic for its size. They are the only member of the pike family that can be acrobatic like a bass.

The real fish to catch, though, is the pike/pickerel hybrid found in the Great Lakes system. They are a combination of pike appetite and aggression and pickerel energy and aggression.

I'd consider chain pickerel as a bluefish of smaller lakes and ponds here in CT