I miss trout fishing on Sundays. The dog days of July and August are probably not going to let me fish for trout. I am looking for alternate suggestions regarding other types of fish to go after. I would appreciate suggestions as to locations in northern New Jersey. This is worst then cabin fever in winter.
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Suggestions for Bass Fishing in North Jersey
- Thread starter hanknj
- Start date
Just about any park pond in Northern NJ has largemouth and bass bugging is fun. IMHO, it is better sport in June when the post spawn bass are still shallow and the weeds haven't gone crazy, but it is worth a shot, Plenty of underfished gems for the explorer. Look at town, county, and state parks, WMAs etc.
July and August is good smallie and sunnie season to me. The Delaware is the queen of NJ smallie waters and just about any place from Trenton to the NY state line will have fish. In the day they will generally be in the riffles and runs - the bigger fish will be in the deeper pockets - and will be feeding on nymphs, helgrammites, crayfish etc. Therefore, get something big and natural colored down near the bottom (in the spirit of full disclosure I prefer spinning tackle to fish deep runs). During the day watch what shallows have tons of small fish. Go there at night and fish pencil poppers, white buggers, spuddlers, or some streamers. The smallies cruise the shallows in the dark to hunt minnows and that is better fly rod sport to me. Watch for fish breaking.
Most of NJ's larger trout streams run towards smallie water as you head downstream - i.e the Raritan and Paulinskill. The Muskie is the oddball and has it's warmer water above Changewater. The Passaic has good smallies in places. Check out smaller rivers where they have riffle/pool structure and avoid the long muddy bottom stretches - although a short muddy weedy stretch in an generally rocky bottomed stream can be the smallie hot spot.
July and August is good smallie and sunnie season to me. The Delaware is the queen of NJ smallie waters and just about any place from Trenton to the NY state line will have fish. In the day they will generally be in the riffles and runs - the bigger fish will be in the deeper pockets - and will be feeding on nymphs, helgrammites, crayfish etc. Therefore, get something big and natural colored down near the bottom (in the spirit of full disclosure I prefer spinning tackle to fish deep runs). During the day watch what shallows have tons of small fish. Go there at night and fish pencil poppers, white buggers, spuddlers, or some streamers. The smallies cruise the shallows in the dark to hunt minnows and that is better fly rod sport to me. Watch for fish breaking.
Most of NJ's larger trout streams run towards smallie water as you head downstream - i.e the Raritan and Paulinskill. The Muskie is the oddball and has it's warmer water above Changewater. The Passaic has good smallies in places. Check out smaller rivers where they have riffle/pool structure and avoid the long muddy bottom stretches - although a short muddy weedy stretch in an generally rocky bottomed stream can be the smallie hot spot.
Rusty Spinner
Active member
A kayak, belly boat or pontoon boat will get you on a lot of good bass water throughout northwest NJ and allow you to toss poppers at/over structure and towards lily pads and the like. I prefer fishing early in the morning until around 11 or when the bite shuts down due to the heat. Love the frog imitation Dahlberg diver deer hair popper. You can chug it, walk it or just fish it slowly and it kills for bass. I keep at least 2 or 3 on me so I can rest one fly as it gets waterlogged after time. It also keeps 90% of the sunnies off the line. If you like sunnies, drop down in popper size, they're a lot of fun too on light rods.
Catskill Mountain Man
Explore, and implore to explore
greenwood lake
Werloc
Don't Know Nothin Yet
A few of my favorite trout spots near me happen to have a lot of smallies. I've been having a blast the past few weeks wet wading. It's refreshing being in the water in swim shorts fishing in this heat. Keeps you cool and comfy. I'm lucky with my work hours right now, to get out in the water 4 days a week..
Next month that will change, so I'm fishing as much as I can. I went today, but the river was close to flood level..
Next month that will change, so I'm fishing as much as I can. I went today, but the river was close to flood level..
Catskill Mountain Man
Explore, and implore to explore
bass and sunnies??? yeah deff greenwood lake. and you even have a chance at a muskei...
GWL used to be a top notch trout lake with an "amazing" thermocline. But a double whammy of draining the lake for the weed problem and drought destroyed the thermocline (they say it'll never return). On top of it the state retardly stocked muskies and as we all know muskies love to eat trout.. Ive read books that says there still in there but sadly they aren't
GWL used to be a top notch trout lake with an "amazing" thermocline. But a double whammy of draining the lake for the weed problem and drought destroyed the thermocline (they say it'll never return). On top of it the state retardly stocked muskies and as we all know muskies love to eat trout.. Ive read books that says there still in there but sadly they aren't
Werloc
Don't Know Nothin Yet
hanknj,
We went up near you today and caught 7 large mouth (on #10 Blk&Olive Wooly Bugger) in about 30 minutes or so at the pond behind the Black River Reasturant. We were on our way to Ramsey Outdoor in Succasunna. We were on Rt 10 west, saw water, and made a quick hard right....lol Watch the ticks. We had a few on us, plus the freaking red ants. Man, they bite. That little pond had some nice sized bass for a 5wt rod. We may go there again....
We went up near you today and caught 7 large mouth (on #10 Blk&Olive Wooly Bugger) in about 30 minutes or so at the pond behind the Black River Reasturant. We were on our way to Ramsey Outdoor in Succasunna. We were on Rt 10 west, saw water, and made a quick hard right....lol Watch the ticks. We had a few on us, plus the freaking red ants. Man, they bite. That little pond had some nice sized bass for a 5wt rod. We may go there again....
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