Fish Identification

[ltomczyk]

So I fished the Finley from Greenbridge down to Riverside Saturday morning. I was casting a tube in a backwater slough and got a hit. It got off when it was right at the side of my kayak. I'm not sure what kind of fish it was. Long and slender, like gar but not the long snout. The mouth reminded me iof a ducks bill. It had stripes. I did some research on the MO Conservation site and saw a picture of the Pickerel. Has anyone ever pulled in one of these from the Finley. Thanks for any input.

[RSBreth]

I have never caught one in the Finley, but I have seen them as I was fishing. They don't get very big, but are pretty neat members of the Pike family.

[Fly_Guy]

I have never caught one in the Finley, but I have seen them as I was fishing. They don't get very big, but are pretty neat members of the Pike family.

I've caught one in the Finley, down from the old mill in Ozark. y'all are right - Grass pickerel - smallest member of the pike family. We had one at Missouri State in an aquarium for a couple of years, but it finally croaked. It was fun to watch it eat though - it would lurk up in the weeds and fly out when you dropped some minnows in the tank. A more vicious strike than the smallmouth I reckon.

[eric1978]

Chain Pickerel

Grass Pickerel

MO has both. Not sure about the Finley specifically. Cool fish.