Redfin Pickerel

Casting spoons, small spinnerbaits, poppers, walkers, and frog patterns that create surface commotion. Soft plastic shads and swimbaits work well, though their teeth will quickly destroy soft plastics. Small minnows are the preferred live bait, presented with a bobber or float in shallow water.

Late spring through fall after spawning concludes, with peak action in summer months. Spawning season from late February through early May should be avoided for fishing to protect reproducing populations.

Use slow, erratic retrieves as these fish are ambush predators waiting in cover. Long-handled dip nets work well dragged through heavy cover during summer. Minnow traps placed in narrow stream passages can also be effective but require patience to master.

Carnivorous ambush predators that feed primarily on smaller fish, crayfish, and insect larvae. Juveniles consume small crustaceans, water fleas, amphipods, and insects until reaching about 4 inches. Adults position themselves among thick vegetation waiting for prey to enter striking range.

Native to the Coastal Plain with some populations in the western Piedmont (Catawba basin) and upper Roanoke basin. They inhabit swamps, sloughs, creeks, mill ponds, natural lakes, and tannin-stained blackwater streams wherever dense vegetation or cover exists.