# Catching Grass Pickerel



## Vin (Oct 7, 2014)

Hi all,

I’m hoping someone can give me some current advice for catching a grass pickerel. My goal this year is to catch all 3 native Ohio esox species on hook and line and while musky and northern pike were relatively easy to get, I’m struggling to catch a grass pickerel (Esox americanus) . Now, I know spots that have plenty of them, but they’re often difficult to target in these areas. I’ve tried many small headwater streams that have lots of them, killbuck marsh, and some spots in the Darby, all to no avail. 

In many of these spots, they’re sitting in a couple inches of water in dense vegetation that’s damn hard to get a decent presentation in front of them without spooking them. Especially in smaller streams, it’s hard to approach without them becoming aware of your presence. 

Does anybody have any spots that they frequently catch them, where it would be relatively easy to target them? Any tips are appreciated, as I’m running out of time.


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## Snookhunter52 (Apr 1, 2019)

Did you read this thread? Hope it helps. 

https://www.ohiogamefishing.com/threads/grass-pickerel.44865/


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## Vin (Oct 7, 2014)

Snookhunter52 said:


> Did you read this thread? Hope it helps.
> 
> https://www.ohiogamefishing.com/threads/grass-pickerel.44865/


Yeah I read through that, good info thanks! I’m trying to avoid driving super far so I was hoping for some (relatively) local spots to Columbus


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

Vin said:


> Yeah I read through that, good info thanks! I’m trying to avoid driving super far so I was hoping for some (relatively) local spots to Columbus


you have to find lili pads or weed growing to top water,use bober and live 3" to 4" chub,they like red tail shiners.put the bait 4' from weeds 1' to 2' below bober.


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## Snookhunter52 (Apr 1, 2019)

In the recent edition of fishes of ohio it says grass pickerel have been collected for fish assemblage studies in the big Darby headwaters in Logan, union and madison county. Maybe use google earth to look for wetlands and oxbows that are close to or connected to big Darby creek. I caught redfin pickerel during our free time while we were surveying fish in the northeast, they're a lot more difficult to catch than chain pickerel. Stay away from water that is well channelized or murky.


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

There used to be some in Greenfield Lake in Lancaster. I have not fished there in years though, so don’t really know if they are still there?


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## BrandonMiller526 (Dec 18, 2018)

Vin said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I’m hoping someone can give me some current advice for catching a grass pickerel. My goal this year is to catch all 3 native Ohio esox species on hook and line and while musky and northern pike were relatively easy to get, I’m struggling to catch a grass pickerel (Esox americanus) . Now, I know spots that have plenty of them, but they’re often difficult to target in these areas. I’ve tried many small headwater streams that have lots of them, killbuck marsh, and some spots in the Darby, all to no avail.
> 
> ...


Theres a drainage ditch that connects from my grandparents property to the little Darby, About this time of the year after a heavy rain they get trapped in an area under a bridge on the property. Such a cool fish, I catch them on a small spinner or jig. I've never caught one while fishing directly in the little Darby, but I'm sure theres plenty.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

BrandonMiller526 said:


> Theres a drainage ditch that connects from my grandparents property to the little Darby, About this time of the year after a heavy rain they get trapped in an area under a bridge on the property. Such a cool fish, I catch them on a small spinner or jig. I've never caught one while fishing directly in the little Darby, but I'm sure theres plenty.


in clear water work good,spiner,road runer,cleo,and light spoon.
put the light spoon on casting harnes with slip sinker for longer casting.
casting harnes
24" or 36"mono with 2" loop and beed inside the loop,work as stoper for slip sinker,second end dual clip.
i have 1/4 oz slip sinker,i put on from 1 to 4 depend on the dept where i fish.


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

Killbuck Marsh is actually one of the best locations I found a catch grass pickerel on hook and line in Ohio. The most effective thing I found is sight-fishing them in those small back channels in the shallow areas of weeds. The main issue is fishing something small enough that you can actually hook, I think my best all-time bait to land grass pickerel has been a small ice fishing jig called rat finke (sp?) I site fish using just The Jig no float and try to cast to the largest ones I can find. Though a large grass pickerel is only about 8 in in most of the ones I catch are 3 to 4 inches long. They are by far the most difficult of the native esox to land, good luck


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## maxpower (Jul 2, 2008)

Hey riverKing,

In looking at Killbuck Marsh on Google Maps, I'm wondering how you approach fishing there. Do you just pull off the road and fish wherever you can, or are there specific areas designated for fishing? I've never been there, but I'm quite intrigued by the prospect of catching a grass pike. Thank you for any information you can provide and for the information you have already shared.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Yup concentrate on spring fed ditches or marshes, Ive taken many in oxbow style ponds along the upper Little Miami river and lower Mad River PM if you want any more specifics
also Ive had best luck with micro floating rapalas that I can snake into weedy/woody pockets and also the tiniest rooster tails, once you find one, you can beat on them with dozens of casts and miss him repeatedly until you hook up, Good luck!


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## Flyfisherguy (Jan 5, 2022)

maxpower said:


> Hey riverKing,
> 
> In looking at Killbuck Marsh on Google Maps, I'm wondering how you approach fishing there. Do you just pull off the road and fish wherever you can, or are there specific areas designated for fishing? I've never been there, but I'm quite intrigued by the prospect of catching a grass pike. Thank you for any information you can provide and for the information you have already shared.


I basically live in killbuck year round lol, care to give me some tips because I have no clue how to even begin fishing that place.


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