Origin Of The Term "Jackfish"?

[omega50]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Well, someone could have at least made up a story of where the term "jackfish" came from.

Ice Fishing in Manitoba in the 60's Dad would call smaller Pike- Jack Handles. When I asked why he said that the small ones froze quickly enough to be used as a Jack Handle if you got a flat on the way home Even watched him demonstrate the technique, but I suspect he was just pulling my leg as was his custom

[buckman]

I grew up in England.

Pike fishing was not that popular as these predators were either not present or removed from most lakes in order for other fish to grow larger.

I eagerly searched for lakes with Pike as I enjoyed catching them.

Jack was a term used by anglers there for a smaller Pike (under 5-7 lbs) Once the Pike was larger it was then a mature fish and called a Pike.

Not sure if this is the origin or not,but when I moved here and fishermen used the term Jack for Pike of all sizes I wondered why.

[pinelakeperch]

Originally Posted by buckman

I grew up in England.

Pike fishing was not that popular as these predators were either not present or removed from most lakes in order for other fish to grow larger.

I eagerly searched for lakes with Pike as I enjoyed catching them.

Jack was a term used by anglers there for a smaller Pike (under 5-7 lbs) Once the Pike was larger it was then a mature fish and called a Pike.

Not sure if this is the origin or not,but when I moved here and fishermen used the term Jack for Pike of all sizes I wondered why.

Has this changed? I see quite a few youtube videos with English anglers targeting pike. BIIIIGGGG ones, at that!

[NorthernAggressor]

Originally Posted by The Spank

Just curious the origin of the term "Jackfish" for referring to Northern Pike? I have never heard the term used anywhere else in Canada except Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Greetings from your friendly message board historian.

The earliest reference I've found (using just a brief search, mind you) is from an English newspaper in 1801, seemingly referring to pike as "jack". I think it's safe to say the term far pre-dates the newspaper article. The first reference to pike as "jackfish" appears in 1832.

I suspect the term, therefore, is British in origin and came to Canada with one of the many waves of immigration from the UK in the late 18th or early 19th century. This would also, perhaps, explain why it did not take hold in the United States in the same way.

So - it's British (I can't be more precise than that, although it may be specific to England), and it likely came to Canada some time before Confederation (Jackfish Bay in Lake Superior would appear to be named after the fish, and it was dubbed that at some point prior to 1885, based on a different article I found on the Canadian Pacific Railroad).

[scel]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

45 years in Alberta. As a kid growing up it was ALWAYS jack and pickerel. Now I feel kinda self conscious as to call them jack/pickerel or pike/walleye. Now a days I go with...... if the person I'm talking to is older than me it's jack/pickerel. If they are younger than me I go pike/walleye. I'm also sick of people on forums/Facebook groups correcting someone for saying pickerel..... ya we know, but thanks..... lol.

I am 42 years old. I am a complete product of the metric system---I started school in 1980. I have only ever used the term walleye. I grew up (and still use) interchangeably using 'pike' and 'jack'

It only bothers me when people use 'pickerel' when there are actual chain pickerel or grass pickerel in the ecosystem. It is confusing, like the imperial measurement 'ounces'---do you mean volume or mass?

In Alberta and Saskatchewan, I have learned 'pickerel' implies 'walleye', just like 1 yard is slightly smaller than 1m, 1 ft is very close to 30cm, and 1mile is just over 1.5km. When someone tells me ounces, I ask them to tell me in grams or litres, just like I ask 'do you mean walleye' when they are pickerel in the ecosystem.

Anyway, I love watching the Swedish pike fishing videos, and even they call them 'jacks'

[Dewey Cox]

Originally Posted by NorthernAggressor

Greetings from your friendly message board historian.



The earliest reference I've found (using just a brief search, mind you) is from an English newspaper in 1801, seemingly referring to pike as "jack". I think it's safe to say the term far pre-dates the newspaper article. The first reference to pike as "jackfish" appears in 1832.



I suspect the term, therefore, is British in origin and came to Canada with one of the many waves of immigration from the UK in the late 18th or early 19th century. This would also, perhaps, explain why it did not take hold in the United States in the same way.



So - it's British (I can't be more precise than that, although it may be specific to England), and it likely came to Canada some time before Confederation (Jackfish Bay in Lake Superior would appear to be named after the fish, and it was dubbed that at some point prior to 1885, based on a different article I found on the Canadian Pacific Railroad).

Nice detective work.
That's very interesting.
Maybe there's an English fishing forum where someone would know the origin of the word?

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by scel

I am 42 years old. I am a complete product of the metric system---I started school in 1980. I have only ever used the term walleye. I grew up (and still use) interchangeably using 'pike' and 'jack'

It only bothers me when people use 'pickerel' when there are actual chain pickerel or grass pickerel in the ecosystem. It is confusing, like the imperial measurement 'ounces'---do you mean volume or mass?

In Alberta and Saskatchewan, I have learned 'pickerel' implies 'walleye', just like 1 yard is slightly smaller than 1m, 1 ft is very close to 30cm, and 1mile is just over 1.5km. When someone tells me ounces, I ask them to tell me in grams or litres, just like I ask 'do you mean walleye' when they are pickerel in the ecosystem.

Anyway, I love watching the Swedish pike fishing videos, and even they call them 'jacks'

Where did you grow up as a kid?

[scel]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Where did you grow up as a kid?

Red Deer Alberta.

Sent from my XT1097 using Tapatalk

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by scel

Red Deer Alberta.

Sent from my XT1097 using Tapatalk

Maybe that's it. I'm a northern boy. We up there are 10 years behind. Either that or it could be a bit of a rural/urban thing.

[scel]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Maybe that's it. I'm a northern boy. We up there are 10 years behind. Either that or it could be a bit of a rural/urban thing.

Haha...you might be right. I actually remember asking my dad, "what is the difference between a walleye and pickerel". My dad responded, "about 37 years". It was not really funny until now.

[weedhaul]

"Jackfish" comes from around 1735-45, a "jack" was a small or lesser thing, so it was used to refer to young, smaller pike.

Interestingly, "pike" or "pikefish" dates back to around 1300, and is derived from the term pike which was a pointed spike or spear. The fish were felt to be a similar shape.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by weedhaul

"Jackfish" comes from around 1735-45, a "jack" was a small or lesser thing, so it was used to refer to young, smaller pike.

Interestingly, "pike" or "pikefish" dates back to around 1300, and is derived from the term pike which was a pointed spike or spear. The fish were felt to be a similar shape.

That's what I figured.

[weedhaul]

"Pickerel" comes from the 1300's as well, and meant literally a "young pike", adding the French suffix "-rel" to "pike". Much like "jack" its a diminutive expression.

[buckman]

Originally Posted by jhutter

Has this changed? I see quite a few youtube videos with English anglers targeting pike. BIIIIGGGG ones, at that!

Yes its changed big time.

Many of the largest Pike are now caught it reservoirs that are stocked with Trout.

[The Spank]

Originally Posted by NorthernAggressor

Greetings from your friendly message board historian.

The earliest reference I've found (using just a brief search, mind you) is from an English newspaper in 1801, seemingly referring to pike as "jack". I think it's safe to say the term far pre-dates the newspaper article. The first reference to pike as "jackfish" appears in 1832.

I suspect the term, therefore, is British in origin and came to Canada with one of the many waves of immigration from the UK in the late 18th or early 19th century. This would also, perhaps, explain why it did not take hold in the United States in the same way.

So - it's British (I can't be more precise than that, although it may be specific to England), and it likely came to Canada some time before Confederation (Jackfish Bay in Lake Superior would appear to be named after the fish, and it was dubbed that at some point prior to 1885, based on a different article I found on the Canadian Pacific Railroad).

Thanks for that!! It's kind of neat knowing the term has been in use that long!

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by weedhaul

"Jackfish" comes from around 1735-45, a "jack" was a small or lesser thing, so it was used to refer to young, smaller pike.

Interestingly, "pike" or "pikefish" dates back to around 1300, and is derived from the term pike which was a pointed spike or spear. The fish were felt to be a similar shape.

Darn, I thought my story sounded plausible. I'll have to work on my story telling/inventing.

[32-40win]

Coming from BC, we had no walleye or pike in the areas I grew up and fished in. I grew up on trout, lakers, squawfish and salmon and other saltwater fish.
I'd seen pics and the various names used in magazine articles, so had some idea of what people were talking about at least, enough that it was purportedly something that looked like either a pike or a walleye. Not sure why anyone would call a freshwater fish a Ling, that one evades me, they are a saltwater fish as far as I know. Pike, I like fishing for, walleye I find kinda boring, remind me of squawfish, they quit way too soon.

[vcmm]

Jacks northern Alberta.... Pike,slough shark southern Alberta
Walleye=Walleye

[waterninja]

Originally Posted by Sask Bearman

I fish pickerel and jack.

I fish for Pickeral, Jack and Walleye

[wags]

Originally Posted by waterninja

I fish for Pickeral, Jack and Walleye

So I understand Sask's statement. Growing up in Saskatchewan, Pike were called Jack, and Walleye were called Pickeral.

What do you mean when you are fishing for pickeral, jack and walleye? What is a pickeral if not a walleye?

[waterninja]

Originally Posted by wags

So I understand Sask's statement. Growing up in Saskatchewan, Pike were called Jack, and Walleye were called Pickeral.

What do you mean when you are fishing for pickeral, jack and walleye? What is a pickeral if not a walleye?

What I mean is Pickerel, Jack (northern pike), and Walleye are 3 different fish species.
It is interesting how different generations, or people in different locations, refer to things differently. I was flamed by some members recently because growing up we simply called Morel and Verpa mushrooms brown or black top Morels. I know now that there is a difference, but it never made a difference to us when it came to picking and eating them.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

You must be under 40.

I don't even know if that is an excuse. I'm only 35 and I remember looking at the regs when I was a kid and wondering why Jacks and Pickerel weren't mentioned in there. I think I didn't really know what a pike was until about 93... Everyone I fished with back then was either from Tiger Lilly or Wabasca though, so maybe that helped fuel my ignorance to an uncommon degree.

[wags]

Originally Posted by waterninja

What I mean is Pickerel, Jack (northern pike), and Walleye are 3 different fish species.
It is interesting how different generations, or people in different locations, refer to things differently. I was flamed by some members recently because growing up we simply called Morel and Verpa mushrooms brown or black top Morels. I know now that there is a difference, but it never made a difference to us when it came to picking and eating them.

I think i understand Pickeral to be a group of fish - would it be the Chain Pickeral, Redfin Pickeral, American Pickeral?

Ironically, pickeral are in the pike family. Was this out east you were catching them?

Cheers

[The Spank]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

Darn, I thought my story sounded plausible. I'll have to work on my story telling/inventing.

You almost had me believing....not!! Good story though!!

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

Darn, I thought my story sounded plausible. I'll have to work on my story telling/inventing.

That's not the first time I've heard that the name "Pike" came from their resemblance to the medieval weapon that also bears that name... I thought that was more or less relatively common knowledge.

I hadn't heard the part about the origins of "Jack" , but he's not the only one saying it and I do think it makes sense. There are a few species of saltwater fish, including the lesser species of Tuna that I've also heard refered to as "Jack".

Not sure where the story telling jabs are coming from?

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Crankbait

in the 70's that died out, bulls were called by some dollys and I now get weird looks when I say I'm fishing for ling

I grew up calling Ling Mariah... in retrospect did we call any fish by its actual name in the Canadian mid-west 50 years ago?

[waterninja]

Originally Posted by Bushleague

That's not the first time I've heard that the name "Pike" came from their resemblance to the medieval weapon that also bears that name... I thought that was more or less relatively common knowledge.

I hadn't heard the part about the origins of "Jack" , but he's not the only one saying it and I do think it makes sense. There are a few species of saltwater fish, including the lesser species of Tuna that I've also heard refered to as "Jack".

Not sure where the story telling jabs are coming from?

A lot of Salmon fishermen call small Salmon "Jacks".

[Penner]

Born and raised in Alberta. Always called a Walleye a Pickerel and A Northern a Jack.