Winter swimbait fishing = Giant (PB) pickerel!

Where: Northwest, NJ
When: December 11, 2020
Water: 45 degrees (as per Lowrance HDI-5)
What: 26.5″, 6lb 2oz pickerel on 6″

Dreamsmasher weedless shad swimbait Every year I love winter fishing more.

I never thought I would have the confidence I do in the cold, but my outcomes each year cement the fact that winter fishing is a KEY time for particularly large fish. I always get at least one giant bass, I’ve caught a freekishly large yellow perch, and now it’s given me a new PB pickerel. Some bass anglers don’t like pickerel, but I think they are awesome. Just scaled down versions of their larger cousins (pike, musky).

Those razor sharp teeth, torpedo body, and that camouflage….they are thoroughbred freshwater killers! I do lose a good number of soft swimbaits to them, but thankfully this giant didn’t swallow it too deep and those razors it calls it’s teeth were not in reach of my line.