Pickerel - How to not get cut?

[FishingTheFL]

Seems every time I get into the Pickerel they always tear my fingers up... Probably when I pull them out the hole my fingers are getting it on a tooth or gills. Is there a good set of water proof gloves? Better way to get them out the hole without them bite my line off... I slide my hand down the line and grab the lure usually unless they swallow it... Then that's when I get my fingers near the Gill plate and teeth...

 

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[Fat Trout]

Seems every time I get into the Pickerel they always tear my fingers up... Probably when I pull them out the hole my fingers are getting it on a tooth or gills. Is there a good set of water proof gloves? Better way to get them out the hole without them bite my line off... I slide my hand down the line and grab the lure usually unless they swallow it... Then that's when I get my fingers near the Gill plate and teeth...
 
Sent from my moto e5 play using Lake Ontario United mobile app
 
 

Google "pickerel mouth spreaded". I grab them just behind the gill plates with a firm but not killem squeeze and use an appropriate sized moutb spreader. The pike and musky ones are a bit much for a small pickerel so just keep that in mind

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[FishingTheFL]

I'll give grabbing behind the head a try. Always worry about them taking off and breaking the line. When ever I can get away from the pickerel I would get some nice perch but they seem to be every where today.

Sent from my moto e5 play using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Fat Trout]

I'll give grabbing behind the head a try. Always worry about them taking off and breaking the line. When ever I can get away from the pickerel I would get some nice perch but they seem to be every where today.

Sent from my moto e5 play using Lake Ontario United mobile app

If you're grab them right there is a spot right at the back of the gills along the top of the head where its solid and has a little indent without smashing the gills. Doesn't work as well with the really big bastards though

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[lost a lure]

Gaff or lip gripper.

 

[Sk8man]

Just something to keep in mind when handling Pickerel and Pike. They are loaded with bacteria in the mucus covering on them. Any cuts received can get severely infected requiring antibiotics. My son encountered this last year pulling a 16 pound Pike out of the water (on 4 lb test line no less) so grabbing them anywhere around the mouth area is risky. Insertion of a gaff hook carefully inside the gill or mouth is the preferable way to go. I think the fish may have had the last laugh as he slid back down the hole when released

Edited January 28, 2019 by Sk8man

[tmag]

@ Sk8man, beauty photo there

[Sk8man]

Thx Tmag

[BP Swing]

Gaffs are now illegal in NY arent they? Ive never had an infection in over 50 yrs of pike fishing and in fact Ive never heard of that. Maybe he just had some kind of reaction? Nice fish though.

Edited January 30, 2019 by BP Swing

[Sk8man]

Fish cut related infections are well known and can be serious as mentioned. The mucus layer on the fish contains all sorts of bacteria which may be "protective"   for the fish (e.g.places where rubbed off can be predisposed to fungal infections on the fish). "Fish poisoning" can lead to very serious consequences and that is why I mentioned it.

It really isn't a minor issue despite your being lucky enough to avoid it as for most part so have I.

The use of gaff hooks in freshwater is permitted only while ice fishing.

[relaxer]

as a cool water "fishing" glove these are good. 

Serius all weather glove - $30 on sale usually

 

Well fitted so you can manipulate most things. I fish the fall/winter Chesapeake Bay Rockfish season (striped bass) rarely taking them off and catch/release hundreds of fish some days with them.  They will probably handle pickerel teeth..not sure on a large pike though.

 

Do not expect these to keep you warm all day in weather below 30... but as a glove to grab and handle hooked fish in wet conditions, these are reasonable.  Mine get pretty smelly by end of season even after washing them.  You'll need a warm glove when not reaching into the hole or grabbing fish though since these are "cool weather" gloves and not intended for ice season.  Days that we fish the bay below 30, I often need to warm my hands a couple times or keep those $1 hand warmers in the palm of my glove.

 

 

 

[dgio67]

My father and his friend both had to get antibiotics from infections from cleaning fish.  His buddy ended up in the hospital for IV antibiotics.   They think is was from a pike or from the pectoral fin from a perch in a open cut.   Either way it was nasty.  Something to think about if you ever get a random infection to check for. 

[GAMBLER]

On ‎1‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 12:35 PM, BP Swing said:

Gaffs are now illegal in NY arent they? Ive never had an infection in over 50 yrs of pike fishing and in fact Ive never heard of that. Maybe he just had some kind of reaction? Nice fish though.

Gaffs are legal on the ice.