Passaic River Walleye 11/12/21

[Gonefishing1116]

Fished the Passaic River yesterday into dusk throwing a 4” Rapala Firetiger on the 3rd cast felt like a hooked onto a branch, no fight just slowly being reeled in once close to land noticed it wasn’t a branch and the fish started to put up a fight. I noticed it wasn’t a bass or pike like I’m used to when I fish the Passaic. I wound up landing this nice walleye, first time ever catching one and didn’t think these fish were in the Passaic. Are walleye common in the Passaic River? I’ve fished it since I was a kid and have never seen one caught in there.154411

[RAMMFISH66]

What part of the Passaic?

[Gonefishing1116]

Little Falls

[RAMMFISH66]

Thank you

[Mark B.]

Most likely, the walleye swam from Monksville Reservoir where they are regularly stocked.

[thmyorke1]

good bet there's more walleyes than before in the river now after that flood; there are a lot of walleye stocked in the reservoirs in the passaic watersheds, so likely came from there.

I found one dink in the paulinskill once, likely from an upper lake stocking or even maybe came up from the delaware

[Doug Vitale]

Are walleye common in the Passaic River?

Don't know about common, but not unusual (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-HdGnzYdFQ).

https://www.njfishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56911

https://www.njfishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60801

[Gonefishing1116]

Yea I figured it most likely got there due to the recent flooding it was definitely a nice surprise to see on the end of the line

[Jigman13]

Well fed too.

[dakota560]

Nice clean healthy looking fish. Quite a surprise, congrats on a great catch. Think walleye would survive year round in the Passaic with warmer summer temperatures?

[Mark B.]

They would survive year round.

Northern Pike, originally stocked in Pompton Lake, migrated to the Passaic River. When anglers began catching good numbers of them, NJDF&W started stocking N. Pike in the Passaic River.

[Jigman13]

They survive in the skinny waters of the raritan. I'm sure theyll be fine in the passaic.

[dakota560]

The Passaic has really turned into quite a success story. Still facing challenges with pollution's like all systems running through populated urban areas are, the number of species it supports, quality of those species and amount of bait is pretty amazing. Pretty remarkable transformation.

Does anyone know if they ever considered stocking musky in the Passaic. With the amount of carp alone, I'd think they'd do well. I'm not a musky guy so maybe there's habitat issues preventing their survival but I'd think if it were stocked they'd grow to monstrous sizes.

[Lard Almighty]

The Passaic has really turned into quite a success story. Still facing challenges with pollution's like all systems running through populated urban areas are, the number of species it supports, quality of those species and amount of bait is pretty amazing. Pretty remarkable transformation.The lower/tidal Passaic is still pretty bad. They're still trying to figure out how to handle all the dioxane in the sediments. A proper cleanup would likely run into the billions.

The fish consumption advisories for the tidal Passaic and Newark Bay are... extensive.

https://www.nj.gov/dep/dsr/fishadvisories/marine.htm

[Mark B.]

I recall that when they were discussing the refurbishment of the Dundee Dam on the Passaic River at Garfield, one of the plans called for the installation of a fish ladder. It was shot down, as it would have allowed the Dioxin laden fish to enter the upper river.

[Bruce Litton]

Interesting catch. Little Falls area is good for them, along with the smallmouths.

[jberg_72]

The fact that fish made it out of one of the bigger reservoirs and made the journey down to Little Falls area is remarkable. Or easier, someone caught it someplace else and threw it in the river.