Fish #16 Redfin Pickerel

Fish number 16 of the quest was quite special. This little fish is a tiny predator of swampy water that is acidic and stained with tannins from rotting vegetation. Areas like this on the Taylor River is what we are talking about.

In the current, just ahead of a culvert.  We floated a small ice fishing jig tipped with a red worm.  We could not see any fish, but we figured that would be the spot a fish would be.  On the second cast we had a strike and pulled in this beauty - a Redfin Pickerel, Esox americanus americanus

 

 It is in the same family as the pickerel and pike, but this little delicate jewel hangs out in small water where the other two dare not swim. 

NH Fish and Game considers these fish a "Species of Concern" because there are not that many records of them and they live in water that can be severly impacted from development. Taking one of these fish will not hurt the population and we feel very lucky to have seen one.