Chain Pickerel

The chain pickerel, Esox niger syn. Esox reticulatus , is a species of freshwater fish in the pike family family Esocidae of order Esociformes. The chain pickerel as well as the trout pickerel and the grass pickerel belong to the Esox genus of pikes.

Its range is along the eastern coast of North America from southern Canada to Florida, and west to Texas. On the Atlantic Coast, in Maine and New Brunswick, the chain pickerel extend as far as 46 degrees north latitude. The fish inhabits freshwater from the Mississippi Valley into southern Wisconsin. It also is commonly found in Lake Michigan and the lower portion of the Great Lakes.

It is also known as the "federation pike" or "federation pickerel". Pickerel is often a name given to walleye, although the true name belongs to the chain pickerel. Common nicknames in the southeastern United States are the "southern pike" and "jack fish".

The chain pickerel has a distinctive dark chain-like pattern on its greenish sides. Its body outline resembles that of the northern pike. May reach up to 30 160 inches only on rare occasions. The opercles and cheeks of the fish are entirely scaled.

The average size for chain pickerel, however, is 24 160 inches and 3 pounds. The average chain pickerel caught by fishermen is under 2 pounds . The world record is 9 pounds, 6 ounces.

The chain pickerel feeds primarily on smaller fish which it ambushes from cover with a rapid lunge and secures with its sharp teeth. It is not unusual for pickerel to leap out of the water at flying insects, or even at dangling fishing lures.