Garden State Trout

24" solid fish. Good fight on 6lb test. Topwater.

Nick looking pickerel-from a northern NJ lake? South Jersey rivers are supposed to have some big pickerel too. They are a great fish as they bite in all kinds of conditions-I have gotten them in March in fridgid open water as well through the ice, both on a jig as well as on shiners/tip ups.

I've caught small pickerel in Batsto creek years ago, but I bet there are bigger ones near the reservoir, or in deeper pools on the creek. I fished there in 1981.

Very nice!

Here's an ugly story about my largest pick. When I was young and stupid, I fished lake Hopatcong in a canoe with three friends. Two to a canoe. I managed a 22" pick, and as I was letting him go, my friend asked to keep him. His dad would love it. I did. When we got home that evening, he decided he didn't want it after all, and threw it in the garbage.

I never went fishing with him again.

Sussex cty pond.