Where I live in North Texas, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department notes that can be anywhere from December through February, depending on the year and severity of the winter months.
In fact, chain pickerel-a toothy cousin of the northern pike and the muskellunge-actually head for the shallows to spawn as water temps approach the 50 degree mark. Unlike many other fish species stuck in the winter doldrums right now, the winter months are actually a great time to target these fish while everything else is curled up out deep. Simple, go looking for some jackfish, that’s what, or the chain pickerel as the species is better known to many. With largemouths still weeks away from the spawn, the summer blitz of freshwater striped bass even further away, and bluegills not even thinking about making a saucer-shaped spawning bed, what’s a guy to do if he likes to fish with the long rod? (Photo by Lynn Burkhead)Īside from that, options can be limited, particularly if you live miles from good trout water like I do, and a guided redfish trip near the Big Easy is out of the financial cards this year. One word of warning when targeting chain pickerel on the fly: Watch out for their dental work, which can shred an angler's fingers.
And in certain portions of the Gulf Coast, the period from Christmas through Mardi Gras can provide some great saltwater action for the biggest bull redfish of the year. In the Ozarks of Arkansas, streamers can bring a flurry of action, particularly when water temps get cold enough to cause a shad kill. Winter can be a challenging time for fly anglers, no doubt.įor trout guys out west, tailraces and small midge patterns can produce some action, not to mention BWO’s on cold and stormy days. "Chain pickerel offer a good opportunity to tune up your fly casting before the spring season begins in earnest, and many of the waters they occur in are pretty and peaceful at this time of year."- Fly-fishing guide Rob Woodruff.
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