Moving out! (to pikeville)

[Hookmanski]

Hey all!

Exciting time for me as I'm finally moving out of my parents house. Relocating to Little Falls to be closer to work.

Whats even more exciting to me is my new place is going to be a block away from a stretch of the Passaic River that is stocked with pike! I've never caught one before so I'm very excited to try when I move. That being said, I have no idea how to target them. I assume a steel leader is pretty vital, and I've heard they like spinnerbaits, but beyond that I'm clueless as to what they like to bite on.

I'm also curious as to what else lives in the Passaic. I bet there's carp in there, but what else?

Any info you could pass on is greatly appreciated. I'm ready for all this ice to be gone!! (sorry ice guys!!!!) Tight lines fellas!

[akoop]

I haven't fished for pike in the Passaic River but I catch them in Budd Lake on Z-man Chatterbait lures. Something about that vibration just seems to make the attack it.

[thmyorke1]

My first and only so far was caught in the same river but way further upstream, around New Providence.

I used a $1 black spinnerbait from wally world, along with a steel leader.

Also congrats on the big move.

[Jigman13]

They'll eat virtually anything that moves. Stained, muddy water so flash helps. You can use wire or heavy fluoro. I prefer single hook lures over trebles due to hang ups.

[NJSquatch]

Spinner baits and soft plastic jerkbaits - White

[Eskimo]

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I used to fish the preserve upstream from Little Falls. People aren't encouraged to visit the preserve as it's run by a bizarre group of misanthropes. Parking is always a problem and the swamp's bugs will drain your blood and give you terrible diseases - but there are fish to be caught back there!

.

[Ken Lyons]

The Passaic has as big a variety of species as any body of water I know of. LM, SM, white perch, sunnies, carp, pickerel, catfishes and god knows how many different bait fishes all in addition to Pike. I have seen pike over 40 inches. White spinnerbaits and big jointed Rapalas seem to work best.

[Chrisper4694]

top waters work and will be able to go over some snaggy spots where they're hiding, spinnerbaits work well for that too. sturdy gear to get them away from snags. I usually start with buzz baits or spinnerbaits just cause it's so much easier to deal with a single hook or even with a stinger hook. plugs work better sometimes though.

late spring is great, early fall too, but you can catch them pretty much any time of year. there's a lot in the 25-32" range but you have to be prepared for a 35-40 incher.

also if you do wading be careful it's very muddy, you can go into hip deep mud off the edge or worse! I just stay on the shore in the small sections and put the jon boat into the medium sized sections, no wading for me on that river.

[JDTuna]

Very nice! A lot of good info above. Ill just add my 0.02.

You can catch pike on lures in the river year round, as long as it isn't covered with ice. Im pretty sure Ive caught pike on artificials every month of the year on the Passaic. Water levels are more of a factor of success, and dictate fishable areas. My favorite period of the year is May through Dec.

You can use wire or heavy fluoro for leader. I prefer fluoro, as it wont kink. Theyll hit most lures. I like big and flashy stuff...spinnerbaits, spinners, plugs.

As Chrisper said...DO NOT WADE. The mud is thick.

Now, the fun part is getting out and exploring! Lots of pike and some big smallies in that area.

[Hookmanski]

THANKS ALL!!!!!! Tons of awesome information here, i greatly appreciate it. I move in April 1st, just in time for some spring fishing! Im very excited to get after some pike. If anyone else wants to give their two cents I'd welcome it!

[Cape Cod]

My ex-neighbor used to do really well on his kayak through the Fairfield area. I think chatter baits and spinner baits were his lures of choice. Good luck.

[akoop]

My ex-neighbor used to do really well on his kayak through the Fairfield area. I think chatter baits and spinner baits were his lures of choice. Good luck.

Any ideas where to park and launch a kayak from in the Fairfield area? There is a dirt lot at Two Bridges Road where the Passiac & Pompton rivers meet that I was thinking of trying. Just don't know much about that area. Should I head up or down river from there?

[Skunk City]

Best tip I can give you is be prepared. Have a good set of pliers handy, not a chincy pair of forceps. A lot of times they will totally engulf the lure, so having something that can get deep down there to remove the plug is critical.

Also, be ready to handle a bigger, stronger freshwater fish than you're used to. That, plus teeth. It kills me when I see Bass guys catch a Pike and the poor fish gets the Shake n' Bake treatment flopping on the ground. That can also mean a death sentence to an otherwise healthy fish. If you don't have a landing net, be prepared to grab the fish by holding it like the picture below. It is the best way to have control of the fish. If done correctly, your fingers are nowhere near teeth. Stay away from boga grips, Pike tend to spin and thrash like crazy on them. I've seen broken jaws and holes in mouths from Bogas.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h252/QuikSilverSRT4/Fishing%20Photos/FB_IMG_1511886272149_zps4nynzgyx.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/QuikSilverSRT4/media/Fishing%20Photos/FB_IMG_1511886272149_zps4nynzgyx.jpg.html)

[Eskimo]

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Thanks for those pics. I'll give that a try.
I have never picked up a pike with one hand because I know one of us will get hurt. :D

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http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h252/QuikSilverSRT4/Fishing%20Photos/FB_IMG_1511886272149_zps4nynzgyx.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/QuikSilverSRT4/media/Fishing%20Photos/FB_IMG_1511886272149_zps4nynzgyx.jpg.html)

[Hookmanski]

Best tip I can give you is be prepared. Have a good set of pliers handy, not a chincy pair of forceps. A lot of times they will totally engulf the lure, so having something that can get deep down there to remove the plug is critical.

Also, be ready to handle a bigger, stronger freshwater fish than you're used to. That, plus teeth. It kills me when I see Bass guys catch a Pike and the poor fish gets the Shake n' Bake treatment flopping on the ground. That can also mean a death sentence to an otherwise healthy fish. If you don't have a landing net, be prepared to grab the fish by holding it like the picture below. It is the best way to have control of the fish. If done correctly, your fingers are nowhere near teeth. Stay away from boga grips, Pike tend to spin and thrash like crazy on them. I've seen broken jaws and holes in mouths from Bogas.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h252/QuikSilverSRT4/Fishing%20Photos/FB_IMG_1511886272149_zps4nynzgyx.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/QuikSilverSRT4/media/Fishing%20Photos/FB_IMG_1511886272149_zps4nynzgyx.jpg.html)

Thank you so much! This is really helpful!! I can't wait to get out there and catch one :D

[Hookmanski]

Any ideas where to park and launch a kayak from in the Fairfield area? There is a dirt lot at Two Bridges Road where the Passiac & Pompton rivers meet that I was thinking of trying. Just don't know much about that area. Should I head up or down river from there?

Down in Little Falls there is a park, Suchorsky Park, that has a public boat ramp. Its a bit downstream from Fairfield, but I don't think the paddle up to the confluence would take too long!

[Mark B.]

NJDF&W launches our electrofishing boat @ 2 Camp Ln, Fairfield, NJ 07004.
Owned by Fairfield, it was gated & locked (emergency launch only), but someone tore down the gate.

Wide open the last 2 years we launched there.

Collected this N. Pike (36.3 “, 14.4 lb.) just upstream of there in fall 2016.

[akoop]

NJDF&W launches our electrofishing boat @ 2 Camp Ln, Fairfield, NJ 07004.
Owned by Fairfield, it was gated & locked (emergency launch only), but someone tore down the gate.

Wide open the last 2 years we launched there.

Collected this N. Pike (36.3 “, 14.4 lb.) just upstream of there in fall 2016.

I saw that ramp the other day when I was scouting, but not sure how it would be to leave my Jeep parked there while out on the river.

[Mark B.]

I saw that ramp the other day when I was scouting, but not sure how it would be to leave my Jeep parked there while out on the river.

I can’t say.

We left the State van w/ trailer there for hours & had no problems.

No gate for years, then after complaints about guys shooting from boats, they put up the locked gate. I used to have to call Fairfield Public Works to unlock it.

After the gate was torn down, I got the impression from Fairfield Public Works that they gave up keeping people out,……….they weren’t going to erect a new gate.