Redfin Pickerel

[NMCMLK]

Hey guys,
Landed this little beauty and was hoping to get some confirmation that it is indeed a Redfin pickerel.

If so, I was doing some reading and adults max out at 16" 2.25lbs.
I didn't have a scale or tape on me at the time to measure, but this one easily hit 16" and I'm thinking more like 18".
The photos aren't perfect but...
Any thoughts?

 

[Alfiegee]

Hey guys,
Landed this little beauty and was hoping to get some confirmation that it is indeed a Redfin pickerel.

If so, I was doing some reading and adults max out at 16" 2.25lbs.
I didn't have a scale or tape on me at the time to measure, but this one easily hit 16" and I'm thinking more like 18".
The photos aren't perfect but...
Any thoughts?

Northern Pike, no doubt.

Alfie.

 

[Tyler0420]

Pike Forsure

 

[NMCMLK]

Thanks, I thought it was too large...
It was a live release before season opens

 

[MuskieBait]

Aside from the very obvious patterns on the body that identifies your fish as a Northern Pike...

Redfin Pickerel (and its subspecies Grass Pickerel) has full scaled gill cover and cheek.

In Northern Pike the cheek is full scaled but only the upper portion of the gill cover is scaled. The lower portion of the gill cover is scaleless.

Redfin Pickerel is only found in the US. We do not have Redfin Pickerel in Ontario. We do have Grass Pickerel in Ontario and I have caught a few in recent years.

Here's a picture of a Grass Pickerel from Ontario. You can see that the gill plate is completely scaled. The pattern may look like a Muskellunge. However, the cheek and gill cover of Muskellunge is scaled only on the upper half. The lower half is scaleless. The presence and absence of scales on the cheek and gill cover is the positive identification characteristics between Grass Pickerel, Northern Pike and Muskellunge.

So far, none of the Grass Pickerel I've caught exceed 8 inches. This is their average adult size, but they can potentially reach 12 inches.

Again, a recap:

Grass Pickerel - cheek (fully scaled), gill cover (fully scaled)
Northern Pike - cheek (fully scaled), gill cover (upper half scaled, lower half scaleless)
Muskellunge - cheek (upper half scaled, lower half scaleless), gill cover (upper half scaled, lower half scaleless)

 

[tossing iron]

Ha ha.
Fish even has a tat
Kenneth photography😊

 

[MuskieBait]

Ha ha.
Fish even has a tat
Kenneth photography

All my recent fish mysteriously comes tattooed with "Kenneth Tse Photography".

Once upon a time, I caught fish without these tattoos and found one commercial site used my picture of a Greater Amberjack without permission for financial gain.

Now, I actually have people ask for permission to use my pictures of these tattooed fish.

 

[tossing iron]

Well.
That covers your butt.
But has the fish given consent

 

[MuskieBait]

Fish are possessions...hence they apply to "possession limit". You don't ask for consent from your possession.

Do you ask your chair whether you can sit on it or not? :mrgreen:

 

[tossing iron]

Lol
I ask the dog if she wants out

 

[MuskieBait]

Dog is family though...it's different ;-) :lol:

 

[tossing iron]

True enough