American pickerel
Medium-sized North American predatory fish of the pike family.
The American pickerel (Esox americanus) is a medium-sized species of North American freshwater predatory fish belonging to the pike family. Two subspecies are sometimes recognized: the redfin pickerel (E. americanus americanus) and the grass pickerel (E. americanus vermiculatus). There is no widely accepted English common collective name for the two subspecies; 'American pickerel' is a translation of the French systematic name brochet d'Amérique.
- Scientific name
- Esox americanus
- Family
- Esocidae
- Order
- Esociformes
- Subspecies
- Redfin pickerel (E. a. americanus) and grass pickerel (E. a. vermiculatus)
- Typical size
- Up to 13 inches (33 cm) and around 2 pounds (0.91 kg)
- Native range
- Freshwater bodies of North America
- Conservation status
- Not specified in source
Lore & Background
The two subspecies are very similar, but the grass pickerel lacks the redfin's distinctive orange to red fin coloration; its fins have dark leading edges and amber to dusky coloration. The light areas between the dark bands are generally wider on the grass pickerel and narrower on the redfin pickerel. Lesueur originally classified the grass pickerel as E. vermiculatus, but it is now considered a subspecies of E. americanus.
The redfin and grass pickerels occur primarily in sluggish, vegetated waters of pools, lakes and wetlands, and are carnivorous predators feeding on smaller fish. Larger fishes such as the striped bass, bowfin and gray weakfish prey on the pickerels when the latter venture into larger rivers or estuaries. The pickerels reproduce by scattering spherical, sticky eggs in shallow, heavily vegetated waters; the eggs hatch in 11–15 days, and adults guard neither the eggs nor the young.
The redfin pickerel's range extends from the Saint Lawrence basin in Quebec down to the Gulf Coast, from Mississippi to Florida; the grass pickerel's range is further west, from the Great Lakes Basin down to the western Gulf Coast, from eastern Texas to Mississippi. Both subspecies are not to be confused with their more aggressive big cousin, the northern pike.
Reader's Guide
The American pickerel, though not as highly prized as a game fish as its larger cousins the northern pike and muskellunge, is nevertheless caught by anglers. McClane's Standard Fishing Encyclopedia describes ultralight tackle as a sporty if overlooked method to catch these small but voracious pikes. The species represents a distinct medium-sized branch of the pike family, with two recognized subspecies that differ subtly in coloration and range. Its ecological role as a predator in sluggish, vegetated waters and as prey for larger fish highlights its place in North American freshwater food webs. The taxonomic history—with the grass pickerel originally classified as a separate species—illustrates ongoing refinement in ichthyological classification. For anglers and naturalists, the American pickerel offers a accessible example of pike family biology, with a distribution spanning much of eastern North America.
Did You Know?
- The grass pickerel lacks the redfin's distinctive orange to red fin coloration; its fins have dark leading edges and amber to dusky coloration.
- Record size grass and redfin pickerels can weigh around 2 pounds (0.91 kg) and reach lengths of around 13 inches (33 cm).
- The eggs hatch in 11–15 days, and adult pickerels guard neither the eggs nor the young.
- Lesueur originally classified the grass pickerel as E. vermiculatus, but it is now considered a subspecies of E. americanus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an American pickerel?
It is a mid-sized predatory freshwater fish native to North America, classified within the pike family (Esocidae). The common English name is actually a translation of the French systematic term 'brochet d'Amérique.'
How big do American pickerels typically grow?
Adults generally reach about 13 inches (33 cm) in length and weigh close to 2 pounds (0.91 kg), making them a modest-sized member of the pike group.
What subspecies are recognized under the American pickerel?
Two are commonly listed: the redfin pickerel (Esox americanus americanus) and the grass pickerel (Esox americanus vermiculatus), though some taxonomists treat them as a single undivided species.
Where can you find American pickerels in the wild?
They inhabit freshwater systems across North America, favoring lakes, slow-moving rivers, and other inland water bodies where they hunt as ambush predators.
What is the American pickerel's taxonomic classification?
Its scientific name is Esox americanus, placing it in the order Esociformes and the family Esocidae alongside other pike and pickerel relatives.
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