pickerel

REDFIN PICKEREL Esox americanus americanus Gmelin, 1788: DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE: Native. The redfin pickerel is the eastern subspecies of E. americanus which has a western subspecies E. a. vermiculatus. In Massachusetts, redfin pickerel are commonly found throughout the coastal lowlands. There are a few records of this species from the flood plain of the Connecticut River, just north of the Connecticut state line. Records from the Housatonic drainage are probably introductions.

NORTHERN PIKE Esox lucius Linnaeus, 1758: DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE: Introduced. Northern pike were introduced into the Connecticut River in Vermont and New Hampshire as early as the mid- 1800's. They were first observed in the Connecticut River in Massachusetts as early 1846. These early introductions met with little success, except for a small population that became established in the Easthampton Oxbow of the Connecticut River. Later introductions of Lake Champlain stock in the early 1950's established populations in a number of western ponds, including Cheshire Reservoir and Onota Lake. Since that time, northern pike, and more recently tiger muskellunge, have been routinely stocked statewide as a sportfish and as a management tool to control over-abundant or stunted forage fish populations.

MUSKELLUNGE Esox masquinongy Mitchill, 1824: DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE: Introduced - Non-reproducing. Only one or two records of single fish, each probably released inadvertently with other stocks during the late 1960's or 70's.

CHAIN PICKEREL Esox niger Lesueur, 1818: DISTRIBUTION: Native. Chain pickerel are generally common and widely distributed statewide in Massachusetts; occurring in suitable habitats within all major drainage systems. We are unsure if the species occured naturally on Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard prior to stocking.