Chain pickerel
The chain pickerel (Esox niger) is a species of fish that has a number of nicknames such as the grass pickerel, jack, pickerel, common pickerel, and eastern pickerel. It is a freshwater game fish and the smallest member of the Esocidae family. They are native to Atlantic and Gulf Coast tributaries.
| Chain pickerel | |
|---|---|
| |
| Esox niger | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Esociformes |
| Family: | Esocidae |
| Genus: | Esox |
| Species: | E. niger
|
| Binomial name | |
| Esox niger | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Esox reticulatus | |
Chain pickerel have been introduced into the Lakes Ontario and Erie drainages as well as other places.
They are found in shallow pools of lakes, streams, and tidal and non-tidal rivers. They are ambush feeders that will strike at anything that swims near them. They feed mainly during daylight hours.
Physical description
Chain pickerel has the same torpedo-like shape of the Muskellunge and Northern pike. They have different markings than either of their family members. They have a chain-like pattern of dark markings on a yellowish to greenish body.[3] This pattern is what they were named for. Like other pike they have a forked tail fin and a long pointed head. Chain pickerel have a dark bar underneath each eye.[4] The eye color is yellow or yellowish. They can live up to 10 years.[4]
Habitat and forage
In waters not shared with Northern pike or Muskies, Chain pickerel can be abundant.[3] They prefer shallow weedy pools and submerged trees, limbs or man-made structures. These can be dock pilings, or riprap.[4] Pickerel ambush their prey. They eat other fish, frogs, crayfish and small mammals.[4] Young pickerel eat aquatic insects and small Crustacea.[5] During the winter months the adult fish move to deeper water.[6]
Spawning begins when water temperatures approach 50°F.[4] Unlike others in the pike family, Chain pickerel eggs are sticky and ribbons of eggs stick to underwater weeds.[4] Females lay up to 50,000 eggs. Unlike other fish, Chain pickerel do not remain to guard their young fry.[4]
Angling
Chain pickerel are not as popular as other game fish. A good number are caught by accident while fishing for other fish. But they are popular with ice fishermen in the winter.[7] Chain pickerel are a very good fighting fish. Anyone hooking one is in for an exciting fight. They will attack a live minnow or any lure that resembles one.[3] In Canada, Walleyes are called 'pickerel' which sometimes confuses identification.[3] But a walleye and a pike are very different in appearance.[3]
The world record for a chain pickerel is 9 pounds 6 ounces.[8] It was caught in Georgia in 1961.[9] Chain pickerel rarely grow longer than 36 inches.
Chain Pickerel Media
The roof of a chain pickerel's mouth, showing several rows of angled, sharp teeth.
A chain pickerel caught from Dyer Pond in Cranston, Rhode Island
References
- ↑ NatureServe (2015). "Esox niger". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
- ↑ Esox niger (TSN {{{ID}}}). Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Ken Schultz, Ken Schultz's Field Guide to Freshwater Fish (Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2004), p. 153
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 "Chain Pickerel, Esox niger (A.K.A. chainsides, jackpike, pike)". Maryland Department of Natural Reources. Archived from the original on 2 July 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
- ↑ "Chain pickerel". Conservation Commission of Missouri. 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
- ↑ Rainer Froese; Susan M. Luna (September 2012). "Esox niger, Lesueur, 1818, Chain pickerel". FishBase. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ Ed Mendus, 'Northeastern Ice Picks', Field & Stream, Vol. xcv, No. 10 (February 1991), pp. 58–59
- ↑ "pickerel, chain Esox niger". International Game Fish Association (IFGA). 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
- ↑ In-Fisherman (2 June 2013). "How To Catch Chain Pickerel". In-Fisherman Magazine/InterMedia Outdoors. Archived from the original on 20 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.