Grass pickerel (Esox americanus vermiculatus) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 11

Special significance of the species

The grass pickerel is often the top predator playing an important role in its habitat. In Canada, it is rarely, if ever, thought of as a food or game species, or baitfish. Becker (1983) indicated that the larval and swim-up stages of the highly prized muskellunge are highly vulnerable to grass pickerel predation where the two occur together. In contrast he stated that, according to Richardson (1913), grass pickerel fry 51-64 mm total length (TL) fed on carp fry (Cyprinus carpio) in Illinois. In many parts of its range in the USA, it is considered a "nuisance species" or "a youngster's fish".

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