Chain Pickerel
Chain pickerel are found from the St. Lawrence drainage to Florida, east of the Appalachian Mountains, and in southern Mississippi drainage, including New Hampshire. This torpedo-shaped fish has a large mouth with needle-like teeth, dark chain-like markings, and a dark bar beneath the eye that distinguishes it from redfin pickerel and northern pike. These fish inhabit shallow waters of lakes, ponds, and slow-flowing river sections, typically near aquatic vegetation for ambushing prey. Chain pickerel spawn over aquatic vegetation just after ice melt, allowing their young to grow large enough to feed on other fish species' offspring hatching later in spring. Although they are short-lived, chain pickerel can reach up to 2 feet in length by their third year and are strong swimmers, sometimes found in faster-flowing waters.
