Spring Creek, GA 3/11/2010

[jadams92002]

After the weather broke this afternoon I couldn't wait to get on the water. Barhopr was suppose to go and hold the camera for me, but wasn’t able to go so bare with the pictures. The water temp was 66 degrees and the water up in the sloughs is clear. I caught the first bass within five or ten minutes of getting there, a few casts later I caught a Jack. Fished slowly back up in the slough and had a few strike, but they missed the lure. Thirty minutes later I had the second bass in the boat. By that time it was starting to get dark so I started to fish my way back out tossing a spinner bate. More short strikes so I put on a trailer hook and next cast another Jack. Not much time on the water but not a bad afternoon.

[Redphisher]

Nice fish... I've never heard anyone call those fish Jacks, I've always called them Pickerel's. Or Grass Pickerel's. Are they good eating?

[Sea Dawg]

Now 2 me the jack is the best eating you can find just have to be careful lots Y bones so you have to gash him and fry crisp ..In the south there called Jacks

[Redbelly]

I always called them a Jack or a Pike.

[Barhopr]

Wish I could have gone. Would love to have chucked the fur and feathers at them. Keep me on the list...next time fo'sho.

[captkeyser]

Nice bass! Never ate a Jack. You'll have to tell me how that goes.

[dolphinatic]

Jacks, a.k.a. Pickerel is a dang fine fish to eat. We used to just filet, butterfly about 1" all the way down and FRY 'em well. Nice white meat and great to eat

Nice catch by the way. Me thinks ole Barhopr was out on another "hog" expedition with his camera

[jadams92002]

What these guys said about the Pickerel/Jack same fish. To get them where they are eatable you have to gash them like a sucker. I haven’t gashed them yet so I will try to take some pictures and post for a reference. Cleaning them isn’t hard just scale and filet with the skin on. To gash them start at the tail and cut down to the skin about knife blade with all the way towards the head the thinner the better. Barhopr you just have to say the word and I am ready. Captkeyser you need to get up here to the pond and let me show you what there Georgia bass look like. Things should be heating up over there. I am thinking of heading over there this weekend to try to stay out of some of this wind.

[jadams92002]

Link http://www.bigbendfishing.net/phpBB3/vi ... 14&t=24895

[RHTFISH]

"Jack" is an eastern chain pickeral and first cousin to a Pike. All the pike family, as SEADAWG said,
have rows of Y shaped bones. My Dad could take the backside tip of a pen knife and working against his thumb pull the Y bones out in rows. I never had any luck whatsoever in getting them out so
I take a sharp filet knife and gash longways and fry crisp. They are tasty!

PS..careful lipping those bad boys!