Any luck at Round Valley

[JimmyLivebait]

Just wondering if anyone has tried hitting the valley with any luck...I really want to go drown some shiners if its worth it.

[Jigman13]

I fished the Valley from 1 PM - 4 PM on Sunday 3/10 from shore. Waded and threw yo-zuri pins magnet minnows. Not a touch. A lot of people fishing the shorelines and a handful of boaters fishing too. Heard one guy that was anchored up scream at the top of his lungs across the entire lake that he caught a laker. It was pretty hilarious. I could see his boat from where I was standing and hardly noticed them pull anything up--must've been small lol.

Any how... It was a nice day. Too bad nothing tugged on the end of my line...

[JimmyLivebait]

Gotta love that! No bumps eh...i havent drowned a shiner there in a while might give it hell if this rain lets up early

[jrock]

Was out from shore on sunday for about 6 hours and managed one nice bow about 17 inches. Last week was out from shore for about 4 hours and nailed 4 nice browns during the storm. All on a silver and black heddon floating stickbait. My advice would be if you can take a yak or any small boat and park on the south or east shore and fish those shorelines they are soooo less pressured you will do much better than your standard boat launch areas.

[JimmyLivebait]

Thanks for the advice rock...topwater eh? might go try it...suns popping thru now

[jrock]

Actually i was just reeling in at a slow retreave which has the bait swimming a few feet under the surface. Just a strait retreave no jerking or anything pretty damn simple just gotta get lucky and run it by some fish snd they should hit.

[Jigman13]

That'd be nice! Seems like that whole north and west shoreline is heavily trafficked. Helluva long walk to the shorelines east and south!

[bigfishy]

Park it and walk..... from the main park entrance head toward the campers boat launch and walk till your hearts desires from there.....There are plenty of ppl that walk to there campsites from here....Bout a mile walk from parking lot to far side of south dam....Just cannot fish from the either north or south dams riprap surroundings.....But other than the dams you can fish around the entire reservoir on foot , during operating hours....Only the main boat launch area can be fished from shore 24/7...:cool:

There are a few select ppl that walk over the mountain on the south side....They of course know somebody with a house on the south side...

[Jigman13]

I was looking at a map and noticed the privatized areas on the south end. Is there no way back there w/o trespassing on someones property?

I park by the 2nd launch back by the ranger boat dock and huff it along the back. I'm not opposed to the walk...it's just a ton of ground to cover and lots of very shallow water along some of those shorelines. I never ventured far enough to reach the western dam or beyond.

[Mark B.]

The eastern shoreline, where the wilderness campsites are, is a long hike up & in from this Hunt. Co. Park on the north side:
http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/...etunk/info.htm

And, you are not supposed to access RVR state park from the above county park, but nobody has ever bothered me. I see a few hikers, Mtn. bikers, but rarely any anglers.

I usually do the best when the wind is right in my face, out of the NW,….the stronger, the better.

[Mark B.]

try this one:

http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/parks/ParkAreas/Cushetunk/info.htm

CushetunK Mtn. Preserve.

[Eskimo]

I was looking at a map and noticed the privatized areas on the south end. Is there no way back there w/o trespassing on someones property?


I don't know what the hell is going on back there. There is a boy scout camp and a lot of private land. All the land owners are crazy and hang signs up on every tree threatening you with arrest, prosecution, and eternal damnation if you step off the marked trail and onto their property.

When I was a teenager, I was making the long walk from the main parking lot to the side of the reservoir where all the camp sites are when I noticed a tiny pond just off the trail that was stocked with Largemouth Bass.

I didn't have a fishing rod with me. I was just looking at the bass in the water when a big SUV driving by on the road next to the pond slams on its breaks and came to a screeching halt. A fat lady who was driving the SUV lept out of the truck and started screaming like a lunatic. I couldn't really understand what she was saying because she was in hysterics, but she was screaming about private property and something about her ducks or geese or something.

I tried to just nonchalantly walk away but the crazy fat lady started to chase me! I was in good shape back then and I was able to run up the hill towards the campgrounds and lose her.

I have no idea who the hell that was. If something like that were to happen to me today, I would just pull out my iPhone and record a video of the crazy lady.

[AndyS]

CUSHETUNK MOUNTAIN PRESERVE

That is the back end of the lake right ? The side with no fishing pressure ?

[Mark B.]

CUSHETUNK MOUNTAIN PRESERVE

That is the back end of the lake right ? The side with no fishing pressure ?


Right,.....CUSHETUNK MOUNTAIN PRESERVE parking access is on Old Mountain Rd. on the Northeast side of the res. From there hike up & over the mountain to RVR's eastern shore.

[Mark B.]

I don't know what the hell is going on back there. There is a boy scout camp and a lot of private land. All the land owners are crazy and hang signs up on every tree threatening you with arrest, prosecution, and eternal damnation if you step off the marked trail and onto their property.

When I was a teenager, I was making the long walk from the main parking lot to the side of the reservoir where all the camp sites are when I noticed a tiny pond just off the trail that was stocked with Largemouth Bass.

I didn't have a fishing rod with me. I was just looking at the bass in the water when a big SUV driving by on the road next to the pond slams on its breaks and came to a screeching halt. A fat lady who was driving the SUV lept out of the truck and started screaming like a lunatic. I couldn't really understand what she was saying because she was in hysterics, but she was screaming about private property and something about her ducks or geese or something.

I tried to just nonchalantly walk away but the crazy fat lady started to chase me! I was in good shape back then and I was able to run up the hill towards the campgrounds and lose her.

I have no idea who the hell that was. If something like that were to happen to me today, I would just pull out my iPhone and record a video of the crazy lady.


I know that pond,…………..@ The Round Valley Youth Center, as the NJ State Parks trail goes through their property & you are not supposed to stray from it.

RVYC rents out its property to boy scout troops, & the like, for camping events.

In the summer of 1970, Hunterdon County sponsored an overnite teens campout there. They had a rescue squad generator truck there supplying power for a local band (guys in their 20’s). I can’t remember the band’s name,……..but they were good,…playing Stones, Doors, Jimi H., Cream. We rode our motorcycles to it.……weed, beer,…skinny dippin’ in the res.,……..it was great!!!,….thru the night ‘til dawn.

I don’t know what those adult’s were thinking,……..the few chaperones there, out numbered by we teens, eventually gave up & retreated to their tents.

It was, after all,…..the summer after “The Summer Of Love”,…..1969.

[huntcountypussbuck]

Looks like no camping this spring at RVRA. I've been camping there since early 80's. Lots of damage from Superstorm Sandy and the park might not open at all for CAMPING this season per Kim at the park office.

[Skunk City]

I know that pond,…………..@ The Round Valley Youth Center, as the NJ State Parks trail goes through their property & you are not supposed to stray from it.

RVYC rents out its property to boy scout troops, & the like, for camping events.

In the summer of 1970, Hunterdon County sponsored an overnite teens campout there. They had a rescue squad generator truck there supplying power for a local band (guys in their 20’s). I can’t remember the band’s name,……..but they were good,…playing Stones, Doors, Jimi H., Cream. We rode our motorcycles to it.……weed, beer,…skinny dippin’ in the res.,……..it was great!!!,….thru the night ‘til dawn.

I don’t know what those adult’s were thinking,……..the few chaperones there, out numbered by we teens, eventually gave up & retreated to their tents.

It was, after all,…..the summer after “The Summer Of Love”,…..1969.


Nice!!!

[Mark B.]

Also, @ RVR back then,….no parks buildings, macadam roads, etc. But the swimming area was there, with gleaming white sand beckoning to all of us kids.

We road in on our motorcycles, & walked in for swimming / partying after school, through the summer. No one bothered us until some joker set an old car on fire & rolled it into the water. The cops shut us down.

The main res. wasn’t open to public fishing & no trout were yet stocked. Guys from here @ The Fish Lab caught tons of nice smallies there. SMB’s are a pioneer species,….doing extremely well in brand new impoundments.

[Jigman13]

Is there still a quality SMB fishery in RVR? All the times I've been there I've never caught anything notable. I know the LMBs are big--I've seen and caught them.

[AndyS]

Go to Merrill Creek for smallmouth.

[Jigman13]

I love those MCR smallies!!!

[Wilson]

Go to Merrill Creek for smallmouth.
Great picture, no face just the fish....who took that?

[Bassload]

Mark I'm from the area and know that Park off Mt Ave. How long of a walk is that until you hit the shore of RV???

[Mark B.]

Mark I'm from the area and know that Park off Mt Ave. How long of a walk is that until you hit the shore of RV???


According to this map:

http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/parks/ParkAreas/Cushetunk/trailmap.pdf

looks like it is about 1.5 miles from the parking lot to the water’s edge.

The “yellow” trail to the “white” trail which goes up & over the lowest saddle

of Cushetunk Mtn. That low saddle is very obvious looking south from RT’s. 78 & 22.

Yesterday evening, there, I managed 2 short browns.

[huntcountypussbuck]

NOTE: From January 1st to August 1st each year, certain areas of Cushetunk and Round Valley Recreation Area are closed to the public for the protection of the Bald Eagles' nest and habitat. Please help protect the Bald Eagles and obey these closures.

[Mark B.]

NOTE: From January 1st to August 1st each year, certain areas of Cushetunk and Round Valley Recreation Area are closed to the public for the protection of the Bald Eagles' nest and habitat. Please help protect the Bald Eagles and obey these closures.

The "White" Parking lot & Ridge trails close for protection of the eagle.

The trails to the res., that I described above, are open year round.

[Bassload]

Thanks for the info Mark. I'm going to give it a try sometime soon. Maybe we'll bump into each there.