got my personal best pickerel... then I got another one!

[mazzgolf]

I had off today. Asked my buddy to come with me to our favorite honey-hole March fishing spot. He had to work. I was going to bail myself because the forecasted winds looked sketchy, but my buddy pushed me to go, so I went solo - took my waterfowl sneakboat so I can get to some spots where I know the fish like to hang out this time of year.

Started catching early and often... a couple bass, mostly pickerel. But the story of the day was the huge pickerel I landed!

I caught the first one thinking, as soon as it hit, that it must be a bass - it hit and fought hard. I got it in the boat and texted my buddy, "If this isn't my personal best pickerel, it's pretty darn close!".

After marveling at this nice pickerel, I released it and continued on...

Then, only 20 minutes later, I landed a monster ...  even bigger than the first one! Ha! Personal best latest 20 minutes because this easily bested that first one. It was huge, and I knew it as soon as it hit. As I'm fighting it to get it to the boat, I'm begging... "Please don't come off, don't come off, don't come off"

I don't think the pictures do either of these fish justice... This second one has to be the fattest pickerel I ever saw. It was a pig. Had a girth that was bigger than many of the bass I've caught.

 

[BowhunterNJ]

Nice ones!  Congrats!

[Silver Belly62]

Nice fish, congrats 

[Rusty]

Nice fish!  

[Live to Hunt]

Very cool 

[hammer4reel]

Looks like a fun day 

[electricstart]

Nice

[Bigmac]

2 nice pickerel!

[JD48]

Congrats, nice going

[Devil Horns]

Nice!

[Coyoteslayer]

Nice work mazz.

[Bonefreak]

Nice!!  Some of the best fish flesh I have eaten …after watching a few videos how to filet the Y bone out!!

[Cedars]

Nice fish  

[archer36]

Terrific! I never tried this early. 

What bait/lure you using? 

Edited March 18 by archer36

[SPEARFISH]

Excellent