That’s a wild predicament to be in.
Sometimes we all have eyes bigger than our stomachs, but I’ve never heard of having eyes bigger than your mouth like this guy.
Pickerel are a predatory freshwater fish that you can find in a number of different waterways across the Eastern portion of North America. They are known for their sharp teeth, aggressive behavior, and appetite. In the same family as northern pike and musky, they will attack other fish and swallow them whole.
Pickerel are opportunistic feeders and will eat almost any fish that is available. They are ambush predators and typically lie in wait for their prey in shallow waters, hiding until they see their prey as they strike in a flash.
Sunfish are a common prey item for pickerel, as they generally have higher populations. They are known for their distinctive round shape that can sometimes seem like they are as wide as they are long.
This pickerel was spotted out struggling as a man was walking by the shoreline. The man decided to check out what was going on and quickly jumped in to being a fish surgeon.
The pickerel had attempted to swallow a sunfish, but the fish was too wide for its mouth and it was literally choking out the pickerel.
The man picks the fish up, who was barely moving, and begins to work. He uses a spreader to avoid the sharp teeth and free the fish from its self-induced troubles. He gets the sunfish free and puts it in the water, it immediately swims away fine.
He then removes the spacer and tries to get the pickerel going again. The man runs the fish back and forth, forcing water through its gills. and finally, the fish springs back to life and takes off.
Hopefully this ol’ pickerel learned a lesson.
