Pickerel moving slower with warming water?

[Martini78]

I hit some hot spots for chain pickerel at a local reservoir yesterday. I didn't hook any, but twice I watched through the crystal clear water as the wide-open mouth of a 4 or 5 pound chain pickerel loomed a few inches behind my lure. It really seems that they are moving slower. Usually, I see them dart out from their ambush spots and hit lures pretty quickly.
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[lunkerhunter2]

I have this problem all the time. They are staying back for lack of interest. I find myself using scents when this happens and it works very good. Pro-Cure makes a few really good ones and they stay on cranks for a long time. Try that and see what happens.[cool]
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[Martini78]

Thank you. I'll see if I can find some at the local fishing shop.

If the pickerel are sluggish and uninterested, I wonder if their larger relatives (northerns and muskies) are behaving similarly.
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[lunkerhunter2]

What is your water temp? I know by this time last year my tiger musky waters were much warmer and they were hitting topwater with ease. It is almost a month late this year due to cold temps, snow, and wind, ENOUGH ALREADY!![pirate]
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[Martini78]

I'm not 100% sure as to the water temps. The chain pickerel fishing I do is in a large, crystal-clear reservoir, and the pike and muskies I'm after are in a river that runs like chocolate milk.

If I had to guess, I'd say the water temps are down 5 degrees from average, and with the air temp dipping down close to freezing tonight, I wouldn't guess its getting any better.
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