2/18/2012 Pickerel Parade

[Lard Almighty]

Got a late start, as I wanted the day to warm up a little. Started up in Sayreville at noon, hit the ponds in JFK park. Worked the big pond for over an hour with a suspending rapala, and was just about to call it quits when I made one more cast and worked it painfully slow. Got a very soft hit, and came tight on my first pickerel. Ten minutes later I hooked another, had the lure in his mouth really deep. Wound up having to cut the back hook off the lure, and the fish was bleeding bad, don't think he made it. He got me good though, bit my pinkie and I was dripping blood for a good fifteen minutes. I left shortly thereafter and stopped home for some first aid before heading to my second spot.

I hit some ponds in Farmingdale by the Manasquan River to close out the day. At one spot I was getting follows from several pickerel. They were keeping a constant 1-foot distance from the lure, which was driving me crazy. I finally switched to soft plastics which triggered some bites. I missed a few on a tube jig, and landed one on a slug-go. Again, worked very, very slowly. By then the sun was getting low, so I wrapped it up and headed home.