Re: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: Pickerel on the fly?

Thanks, Andy and Lane…great info!  

Pete

On Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 12:26:25 PM UTC-4 Lane Thurgood wrote:

Peter, your question went in the wrong thread, but I'll bring my answer over here. You asked if you need a boat. I have never fished for pickerel from a boat. I find them very shallow. As in thigh deep water or even shallower. Consequently, in a bigger lake, I'm in the shallow arms and almost always standing on the shore rather than wading as long as there is room for a backcast. Now, as noted earlier, weeds are a "problem." Problem in quotes because that's where the fish are. That's their habitat. So not a problem from the fish's perspective. But when the weeds are up to and matting all over the surface, the pickerel are doing fine, but getting to them may be an issue. Wake a gurgler through THAT? Not possible. As I said, I do the vast majority of my pickerel fishing between November and March. That's because that's when the weeds die back and are no longer matting the surface. If fishing the weedier part of the year with mats all over the surface, I could imagine fishing from a boat to fish the weed line on the deeper side. But I'm off to other fish I DON'T get so well from November to March. I will occasionally target a pickerel or two in warmer water and, this is another reason for a bigger rod, I will sometimes have so much cabbage on my line when I've brought in a big pickerel that I have to unwrap the present.

On a final note, I always pinch my barbs and have a small jaw spreader handy in case the fly is inhaled. And it often is, even on a fast retrieve.

On Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 10:41:53 AM UTC-4 andy...@gmail.com wrote:

Depending where you live in the DC area, the closest I've found, other than Burke, are in some ponds in the Mattawoman Creek watershed especially as you get toward Waldorf. I've never caught more than 3 in a day in that area but living just south of town these are the quickest drive for me to reach. The numerous smaller ponds at Myrtle Grove WMA have a few but the largest two ponds do not. 

If you live more north of town I've heard there are some in the Patuxent system and some swampy overflow ponds but I have not had any luck finding them in that area. 

If I want some GOOD pickerel fishing, I head to the eastern shore ponds, like Eric and Lane said.

If you can find a spot with pickerel that has enough open space and water clear of aquatic vegetation to allow good bank fishing with a fly rod, that is a rare find. Having some type of watercraft will increase your success dramatically. 

On Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at 8:23:24 PM UTC-4 eric...@gmail.com wrote:

I use 17lb fluorocarbon. But as Lane said check the leader after each catch. 

Eric Packard

Artist (I fish sometimes, too) 

On May 11, 2022, at 7:42 PM, Peter Brookes <brookes...@gmail.com> wrote:



Wow, thanks, Lane! Very helpful. I'm printing this out! 

Best,

Pete

On Wed, May 11, 2022 at 5:03 PM 'Lane Thurgood' via Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

They can definitely be caught year 'round. But I target them heaviest from November through March when the weeds die back. I go for bigger pickerel and throw a 6- or 7-weight to handle bigger flies. I really only like a 6-weight with an aggressive taper and when there is little wind. Otherwise, I fish the 7. In heavy winds this year, I even once overlined with a 9-weight pike taper on a fast 7 and that really helped tame the winds.

In a topwater mood, I use a 2/0 gurgler and either strip it so it spits OR lower my rod tip and do a hand-over-hand steady retrieve to throw a steady V-wake, anything from slow to fast. Sometimes a slow hand-over-hand is best, particularly in colder water. And I absolutely catch them on topwater even on the coldest days of January and February as long as the water is open. I'm generally throwing all white, all yellow, or either of them with a chartreuse body.

My most effective flies 12 months of the year are 2/0 rabbit strip flies with plenty of flash (see below). Olive/Yellow, Chartreuse/White (with red or gold flash) are probably my two primaries in that order. With epoxy or otherwise cured heads they are quite durable and half a dozen will generally last me all winter. Keep the tails shorter so they don't wrap around the hook too much. I would say my top fly here should have half that tail. And I use red flash on the olive/yellow, too. 

As Eric says, Eastern shore ponds and even creeks are prime. Burke Lake has a few. So do the Quantico ponds. Also as Eric says, heavy leader material. I have used wire. But most of the time I'm using saltwater 20-pound mono and check after every fish. It's all about the take.   

On Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at 3:07:39 PM UTC-4 Brookes Outdoors wrote:

Anyone have any "skinny" on chasing pickerel on the fly in the area? 

You know: bars, restaurants, metro stops, lakes, ponds, and or streams…? Rod weight and terminal tackle? 

Thanks,

Pete

Dr. Peter Brookes

Brookes Outdoors

Award-winning Outdoor Media

Washington, DC  

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