Pickerel ... Fly Fishing

[Buschwacker]

I hunt and fish primarily in southern jersey ... want to start fly fishing for pickerel ... need advice on rod, reel, line, backing, flies, etc. Thank you in advance.

[Mikey topaz]

Not sure how far south u are but takanassee is loaded with pickerel! Just a heads up! Rod wise all depends personally i like fighting fish on light tackle i would say a 5wt or 6 wt that way u could use it for trout fishing as well if u wanted to. fly line wise id go with a wt fwd line that will cast good for you and sit high up on the water above the weeds.flies i would suggest is u cant go wrong with any minnow patterns. Good luck and enjoy!

[Buschwacker]

Thank you ... fish small bogs and lakes around thwe Warren Grove area and fish Lake Osewgo (just outside Penn State Forrest) in south Jersey.

[Worksforjerks]

There isn't really one answer to this but here are some options. 5wt should be good for what you are doing. I agree with weight forward floating line. The options come into play with leaders and tippits. Rio makes a leader made up already with 6in or so with a steal wire and a small clip to change flies. I've landed pretty good size picks with a 4x tippit but that wasn't on purpose. They also make a tieable nylon coated line called toothy critters. Works well but hard to make knots. If they are hungry they will hit pretty much anything moving, bait imitations are good and so are bigger articulated flys. Poppers are cool too. There really are so many options its hard to say use this line this rod this fly an so on. Any advice fly wise you need feel free to pm me and good luck

[Leif]

Originally Posted by Buschwacker

I hunt and fish primarily in southern jersey ... want to start fly fishing for pickerel ... need advice on rod, reel, line, backing, flies, etc. Thank you in advance.

Pickerel are a great fish to catch on a fly. I would always target them in Deal lake when they were plentyful and it was a blast. Pickerel are one of my favorite fresh water fish. Takanassee is productive like Mikey said and my son and I have had great sucess there fly fishing.

There is a killer fly for Pickerel...I discovered it years ago while fishing in the catskills. The fly is the bead head purple crystal bugger. Pickerel can't resist it. The other is a yellow deer hair streamer.

I use an Orvis 7ft 9in 5wt rod with weight forward floating line as mentioned above. The reel is a Orvis Battenkill Bar stock for 3-5 wt line. The backing is 75 yds of 20lb dacron. The shorter rod will allow you to cast under hanging branches and tight conditions.


Leif

[PGAProfishional]

Originally Posted by Buschwacker

Thank you ... fish small bogs and lakes around thwe Warren Grove area and fish Lake Osewgo (just outside Penn State Forrest) in south Jersey.

Wow, Very cool! I grew up in Manahawkin, been up in Bergen Co. for the past 8 years but I have fished Oswego a bunch!

Caught a small Pickerel when I was visiting my folks in Ocean Acres. Here's the pic from Holiday Lake (Ocean Acres Country Club Lake). I caught her on an inline Mepp's #3 - Black Fury, Mid October. Not on a fly rod.

It's always good to hear from someone around your old stomping grounds, ya know!

Best of luck down there this year!

[GoIslanders]

Flies-anything with lots of flash/mylar

[Buschwacker]

I would like to thank everyone for the vaulable advice. I have $100.00 Bass Pro card and know how it will be spent and have an idea on what equipment to sart with. Once gain thank you.