Species
Chain Pickerel
Esox niger · family Esocidae
Live · updated
Native toothy predator of mill ponds, blackwater rivers, and grassy shorelines — especially common on the Eastern Shore. Hits spinners, spoons, and minnow plugs aggressively. Cold-weather fishery when bass have shut down.
Preferred conditions
- Water temp
- 45–80°F (ideal 60°F)
- Tide
- either
- Moon
- either
- Depth
- 3–15 ft
- Active months
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec
Best chain pickerel conditions today
Deep Creek Lake
Prettyboy Reservoir
Monocacy River — Buckeystown
Blackwater NWR — Fishing Area
Rocky Gap State Park — Lake Habeeb
Loch Raven Reservoir
Liberty Reservoir
Triadelphia Reservoir
Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake
Burke Lake Park
Lake Anna State Park
Greenbrier State Park
Broadford Lake Park
Shawnee State Park
Raystown Lake — Seven Points Beach
Laurel Hill State Park
Cowans Gap State Park
Prince Gallitzin State Park
Yellow Creek State Park
Tuscarora State Park
Cacapon Resort State Park
Jug Bay — Patuxent River
Lums Pond State Park
Gifford Pinchot State Park
Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Lake Champlain
No locations match that filter.
Regulations by jurisdiction
Maryland (non-tidal)
Stale: last verified 51 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 5
Non-tidal MD: 14-inch minimum, 5 per day. Open year-round.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Virginia (non-tidal — VDWR)
Stale: last verified 51 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 5
Non-tidal VA: 5 per day, no statewide minimum size. Lake Gaston and Buggs Island (Kerr Reservoir) have no daily limit. Less restrictive on size than MD (which requires 14-inch minimum).
Source · verified 2026-04-22
NY
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 5
15" minimum, 5/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29