Chain Pickerel
Esox niger
The chain pickerel is a slender, aggressive member of the pike family named for the dark chain-link pattern on its greenish flanks. Introduced and now widespread through the Saint John River system and southern New Brunswick, it is a hard-striking ambush predator — considered invasive in the province, where anglers are required to keep the ones they catch in designated waters.
Warm, weedy lakes, slow rivers and backwaters of the Saint John River drainage and southern New Brunswick; an invasive ambush predator carried at a 10-per-day limit with mandatory retention in listed waters.
How to Catch Chain Pickerel
Whether you're new to targeting Chain Pickerel or refining your approach, success starts with matching your tactics to where the fish lives. Chain Pickerel (Esox niger) is typically found in lake water and river water, so concentrate your effort where those conditions line up. Mature Chain Pickerel average around 20 inches, which helps you choose the right line, lure size, and tackle for the fight.
Where to Find Chain Pickerel in the USA & Canada
Chain Pickerel is recorded across a range of North American waters, including spots in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia. Browse the linked water guides below to see the specific lakes, rivers, and coastal waters where anglers report catching Chain Pickerel, then plan a trip around the water closest to you.
Chain Pickerel Fishing Regulations & Limits
Fishing rules for Chain Pickerel vary by state and province. Before you head out, check the daily bag limits, minimum size limits, and open seasons that apply in your area. When FishFinder has matching records, the regulations link below takes you to the rules hub. Following local limits keeps Chain Pickerel populations healthy for future seasons.
Related Water Guides for Chain Pickerel
Explore these FishFinder water guides for places where Chain Pickerel is recorded:
- Loch Lomond Reservoir — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Saint John River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Kennebecasis River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Mactaquac Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Grand Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Oromocto River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- St. Croix River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Spednic Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Magaguadavic Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Lake Utopia — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Harvey Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Mira River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Shubenacadie Grand Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Porters Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Big Mushamush Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Mersey River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Tusket River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Lake Rossignol — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Lake Milo — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Aylesford Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Panuke Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Bantam Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Mansfield Hollow Reservoir — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Pachaug Pond — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- St. Johns River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Lake Seminole — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- St. Marys River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Ogeechee River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Satilla River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Sebago Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Great Pond — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- China Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Damariscotta Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Pushaw Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Deep Creek Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Youghiogheny River Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Loch Raven Reservoir — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- St. Mary's Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Conowingo Reservoir — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Rocky Gap Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Quabbin Reservoir — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Wachusett Reservoir — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Onota Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Pontoosuc Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- South Pond (Quacumquasit Pond) — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Congamond Lakes — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Lake Chaubunagungamaug — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Lake Cochituate — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Ipswich River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Merrimack River (Massachusetts) — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Pascagoula River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Current River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Eleven Point River (Missouri) — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Lake Winnipesaukee — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Ossipee Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Spofford Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Massabesic Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Umbagog Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Connecticut River (New Hampshire) — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Merrimack River (New Hampshire) — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Lamprey River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Lake Hopatcong — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Greenwood Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Mountain Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Assunpink Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Parvin Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Alloway Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Splitrock Reservoir — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Lake Wawayanda — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Union Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Delaware River (New Jersey) — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Manasquan River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Lake Champlain — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Cayuga Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Otsego Lake (New York) — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Delaware River (New York) — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Lake Gaston — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Neuse River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Lake Phelps — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Delaware River (Pennsylvania) — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Nockamixon Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Frances Slocum Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Pawcatuck River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Wyoming Pond — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Beach Pond — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Worden Pond — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Tiogue Lake — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Flat River Reservoir — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Indian Lake (Rhode Island) — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Lake Marion — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Little Pee Dee River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Waccamaw River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Edisto River — Chain Pickerel fishing water
- Buggs Island Lake (Kerr Reservoir) — Chain Pickerel fishing water
Chain Pickerel Regulations
Review current FishFinder regulation records before targeting Chain Pickerel:
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of water is best for catching Chain Pickerel?
Chain Pickerel (Esox niger) is typically found in lake water and river water. Focus your effort where those conditions line up to improve your chances.
How big does Chain Pickerel get?
Mature Chain Pickerel average around 20 inches, though individual fish can run larger. Matching your line, lure size, and tackle to that range makes for a better fight and landing rate.
Where can I catch Chain Pickerel in the USA and Canada?
Chain Pickerel is reported across North American waters, including spots in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia. Check the locations listed on this page to find the lakes, rivers, and coastal waters closest to you.
Do I need a fishing license to catch Chain Pickerel?
A valid fishing license is required in most US states and Canadian provinces. Daily bag limits, minimum size limits, and open seasons for Chain Pickerel vary by region, so review the regulations on this page and with your local wildlife authority before heading out.