Species profile
Redfin Pickerel
Esox americanus
At a glance
Redfin Pickerel (Esox americanus) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 12 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 2 (Pennsylvania); the most generous is 15 (Florida).
Across 4 jurisdictions with stated minimum sizes, the average minimum is 15.4 in (≈ 1 ft 3 in).
Confirmed by 2,345 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Listed under SARA — verify protected-species rules with the issuing agency before retaining or handling.
Notable details
- The smallest member of the pike family Esocidae, typically reaching just 6–9 inches as adults.
- Named for the distinctive reddish-orange coloration of its fins.
- An ambush predator that holds motionless in aquatic vegetation before lunging at prey.
- Found in slow, weedy streams and ponds from Maine south to Florida.
- Spawns in late winter to early spring, among the earliest freshwater fish to breed.
Where Redfin Pickerel are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Redfin Pickerel
Protected status
- SARA Schedule 1 (special concern): Grass Pickerel. Canadian populations — harm/harvest prohibited under SARA s.32-33.
Always verify protected-species rules with the issuing agency before retaining or handling.
Background
The American pickerels are two subspecies of Esox americanus, a species of freshwater fish in the pike family (family Esocidae) of order Esociformes: the redfin pickerel, E. americanus americanus Gmelin, 1789, and the grass pickerel, E. americanus vermiculatus Lesueur, 1846.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Redfin Pickerel article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.