Caddo Lake, with its labyrinth of flooded cypress brakes and tremendous quantity of submerged vegetation such as coontail, parrot feather, and fanwort, as well as emergent vegetation like yellow water lily and American lotus, provides ideal habitat. During this time they feed voraciously and can be found in three to eight feet of water easily accessible to fly fishers using floating lines. They move to deeper water and become less active during the warmer months. The fertilized eggs adhere to the vegetation and hatch after about 10 days. The young pickerel are vulnerable to nearly all types of aquatic predators including other pickerel.
Chain pickerel grow rapidly in Texas waters.
The young fish feed primarily on insects until they are large enough to prey on other fish. Studies show that Caddo Lake pickerel grow from 13 to 15 inches in their first year and often exceed 20 inches after three years. Fish older than three years are uncommon and rarely exceed 26 inches in length. Flies, Lures or Bait Medium-weight bass tackle will handle pickerel nicely. Or if you've got vegetation below the surface, run your lure over it.