Quote:
Originally posted by bz:
Fishbird. Interesting idea to stock pickerel. Are you doing this to control other species? Take a look at this site and read page 393 to 404.
http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/greatlakesfish/becker.html
Is the chain pickerel the same as grass pickerel? If so it would appear that this would be a great fish to control panfish populations in a pond exept when I read how this has worked using its cousin the northern pike. I would also think any type of pickerel or pike in a pond would be a pain when fishing for anything else since their teeth would be constantly biting off hooks unless you always used a wire leader. I don't think I'd want to deal with this in my pond. If you really want pickerel you might try some hatcheries in Wisconsin or Minnesota. I know a lot of them sell Northern Pike but not sure about pickerel.
No, Chain pickeral (Esox niger) are not the same as Grass Pickeral (Esox americanus vermiculatus).

Seems to me you may have to find a place that has wild fish to get any. They are really common in the northeast and are quite hardy. I believe PA has quite a few. How about a vacation farther east and bring some home in an areated cooler? Not sure about the legalities though. I know living in Massachusetts they were thick in mill ponds and weedy waters and easy to catch. In some waters they are so common they were a nuisance.

If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.