American pickerel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Redfin and grass pickerels |
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| Redfin pickerel, E. americanus americanus | |
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| Grass pickerel, Esox americanus vermiculatus | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Esox
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| Species: |
americanus
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| Subspecies | |
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Esox americanus americanus J. F. Gmelin, 1789 |
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The American pickerels are two types of freshwater fish found in North America. They are both subspecies of a fish called Esox americanus. These fish are part of the pike family, known as Esocidae. The two subspecies are the redfin pickerel (E. americanus americanus) and the grass pickerel (E. americanus vermiculatus).
Contents
Where Do They Live?
Both types of American pickerels live in North America. They are different from the larger and more aggressive northern pike.
- The redfin pickerel lives in the eastern parts of North America. You can find them from the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico coast. This includes states like Mississippi and Florida.
- The grass pickerel lives further west. Their home stretches from the Great Lakes Basin, including Ontario and Michigan, down to the western Gulf Coast. This area covers eastern Texas to Mississippi.
What Do They Look Like?
The redfin and grass pickerels look very similar. But there are a few ways to tell them apart:
- Redfin pickerels have fins that are bright orange to red. This is how they get their name!
- Grass pickerels do not have these colorful fins. Their fins usually have dark edges and are amber or dusky in color.
- Also, the light stripes between the dark bands on a grass pickerel are usually wider. On a redfin pickerel, these light stripes are narrower.
Both types of pickerels can grow to about 13 inches long. They can weigh around 2 pounds. They are usually smaller than their cousin, the chain pickerel, which can grow much larger.
What Do They Eat?
American pickerels like to live in slow-moving water. You can find them in calm pools, lakes, and swamps that have a lot of plants. They are carnivores, which means they eat other animals. Their main food is smaller fish.
Sometimes, bigger fish will eat the pickerels. These include fish like the striped bass, bowfin, and gray weakfish. This usually happens if the pickerels swim into larger rivers or estuaries.
How Do They Reproduce?
These fish lay their eggs in shallow water. They choose spots with lots of plants. The eggs are round and sticky. They stick to the plants until they hatch.
The eggs hatch in about 11 to 15 days. The adult pickerels do not guard their eggs or their young fish.
Fishing for Pickerels
American pickerels are not as popular for sport fishing as their bigger relatives. These include the northern pike and muskellunge. However, anglers (people who fish) still catch them. Some people enjoy catching these small but hungry fish using very light fishing gear.
History and Names
The grass pickerel was first named E. vermiculatus by a scientist named Lesueur. But now, scientists consider it a subspecies of E. americanus.
Sometimes, the E. americanus americanus is called the brook pickerel. There isn't one common English name for both types of E. americanus. "American pickerel" is a name that comes from their scientific name and the French name brochet d'Amérique.
See also
In Spanish: Lucio americano para niños
