Heading to the Raritan

[cantcatchme]

On way to try my luck in the Raritan. Going to fish between South Bound Brook and maybe Dukes if I make it that far. If anyone wants to meet up let me know I'll pm you my number.

[AndyS]

If I were you I would go down river to Somerset. Go BIG.

[cmoran719]

I might hit the Raritan today as well, PM me

[cantcatchme]

Tried the hot spot over by the fish ladder and it was a bust. Saw one smallie and 2 small stripes. Very small!

[NJD Bassman]

Was there today also. Made a couple of donations to the river but no fish for me. Did see another guy fishing the ladder catch a walleye.

[AndyS]

WALLEYE !!! Over 10,000 walleye go into Canistear anually (don't you need a permit to fish there ?)
1,800 donated to the Delaware river for our neighbors in PA. to enjoy.
10,000 in Lake Hopatcong and 10,000 in Monksville every year.
9,000 in Swartswood and over 7,000 in Greenwood lake that we share with NY.

You know how many walleye are stocked in the Raritan river each year


Z E R O THANKS NJ F&G.

[AndyS]

Raritan river in Manville
http://i1333.photobucket.com/albums/w626/AStill/902837_372952889485821_482027772_o_zpsfc09cd2a.jpg (http://s1333.photobucket.com/user/AStill/media/902837_372952889485821_482027772_o_zpsfc09cd2a.jpg .html)

[SkillfulAngler908]

Raritan river in Manville
http://i1333.photobucket.com/albums/w626/AStill/902837_372952889485821_482027772_o_zpsfc09cd2a.jpg (http://s1333.photobucket.com/user/AStill/media/902837_372952889485821_482027772_o_zpsfc09cd2a.jpg .html)

Thats an awesome picture of an awesome spot in my hometown. Theres stripers in the hole below that riffle too.

[AndyS]

Now close your eyes and imagine Sea Run Brown Trout in there in the winter !

[SkillfulAngler908]

Now close your eyes and imagine Sea Run Brown Trout in there in the winter !
Fighting a 20lb sea run brown all the way up the Millstone from there.

[cantcatchme]

That river would be better off for the program but as a whole I just don't think this program would work in our region. I'm pretty much as close to the Muddysquan as you can get and even tho the secret society doesn't report like they should these fish are pretty rare. I know a ton of people who fish the prime spots at the prime times and have only encountered 1 or 2. Two major factors are pressure from people when they dump them in and all the predatory species in our waters. I have watched people catch 40-50 of them out of a hole after they dump them. Think about how many are caught within a month and thrown back and float belly side up. Then they get to the ocean and are candy for bigger fish. If you think about all the fish that get dumped in our streams and rivers every year that lead to major rivers, bays and oceans we should have reports more often of sea run trout.

[acabtp]

Did see another guy fishing the ladder catch a walleye.
:eek:
It Is Unlawful To:
Fish within 100 feet (or as posted) of any fish ladder entrance or exit from March 1 through June 30.
Hmmmmmmmmm

[AndyS]

The entrance to the fish ladder is on the other side of the river. You would have to take a swim to get near it. I'm sure fishing off the wall is okay.

[cantcatchme]

I agree with Andy. I'm sure the fish was caught off the wall across the river from the ladder where I stated I was earlier. I think there are more fish cops on this site then in the field.

[acabtp]

fishing the wall, fishing the falls, whatever from the south side is fine, as long as you don't cast out that far... the river is only ~150' wide across from the ladder entrance and ~200' wide at the falls, so you could cast 1/3 the way across towards the ladder entrance and still be legit. Probably fine casting all the way across the falls, but it might depend on what they define as the "ladder entrance". But none of that is anything i would describe as "fishing the ladder", because as andy reminds, it's across the other side of the river. you wouldn't say "fishing that tree" when you cast 50' towards a tree 150' away, would you? when someone says "fishing the ladder" a reasonable person would have to assume that they meant somehow fishing the ladder, either from the ladder side (which is possible to get to, but requires parking elsewhere and luck not getting caught) or by casting close to the ladder (easily possible with large lures and braid or unifilament).

I think there are more fish cops on this site then in the field.
you are exactly right, but further, that is how it has to be, and it's really not a bad thing. there's only a handful of DEP officers, so few that it is nearly impossible for them to respond to anything that's called in. so, it is our responsibility to educate other anglers about the regs and help prevent poaching. most times people just don't know the rules. i am sure from reading this thread, someone who did not know about the spring fish ladder restriction (ladders are fairly rare in NJ, the vast majority of dams in the state do not have them) has learned. keep in mind that for every one of us who is a registered user posting in this forum, there are 5-10 lurkers just reading the threads.

[GetANet]

I don't like LURKERS!!! Either your in or your not!!! If you just wanna steal spots and info and not share SHAME ON YOU!!!!!

[FASTEDDIE29]

I don't like LURKERS!!! Either your in or your not!!! If you just wanna steal spots and info and not share SHAME ON YOU!!!!!
I like your attitude Dale and agree. I met around 10 lurkers at the falls this past week. I told them they should join the site. We'll see what happens. Once your in, your in for life! You wana get out, well, lets just wait and see what happens!!!!!:D

[AndyS]

Let 'em lurk I say. What do I always say to new people, WATCH your "Private Message Inbox", there is a river of information on here that NEVER makes it to the top.
Reading the Message Board is only HALF of what goes on around here.

[NJD Bassman]

They were fishing across from it.. I just refer to that spot in a whole as the ladder.

[bigfishy]

I agree when you say " let em lurk" but be mindful that are literally thousands of lurkers on this site alone...Not to mention the ppl that move reports that are'nt even their own , to other sites....There are guys out there that think nothing of keeping large slob large and smallmouth, very big pike and egg laden trout....Why? because? Of course it is usually legal but ppl like ourselves would know the difference between a breeder needed to keep a population going and non breeder that is at the perfect harvest size.. Just look at the amount of guests before you click on the freshwater section....There are usually hundreds of guests and very few members at any givin time.....

So if its not a " famous body of water" be assured that you have attracted the masses...A few good fisherman in lesser known spots can clean it out in a matter of weeks....This has become the norm on certain trout streams, but what about lakes full of five to ten yr old bass and pike?? keeping egg layers could very easily be detrimental to that particular fisherie depending on the existing population....

I've just seen too many hyealthy fisheries go into the crapper because of a few selfish individuals.....
Sorry to ramble, just my buck fifty:p

[shucker]

I love how everyone goes to the falls but 100 yards downstream not a soul to be seen and just as good fishing. Access isn't great downstream so that keeps everyone at the falls ya have to get wet ,muddy, bushwhack thru poison ivy and dodge snakes falling from the trees to get to the fish.

[AndyS]

I have to disagree on some aspects. You talk about people keeping all the large fish ? How many 24" largemouth and 20" smallmouth do you think there are in any given area, then these so called poachers have to catch them, no easy task. People keeping 12lb. pike, again, no easy task.
I actually want people to fish the Raritan river. I want to see trout stocked signs in Bound Brook, maybe the homeless people living under the Queens Bridge will get the message.
I was fishing the Raritan in Bound Brook last night and the kids tearing up the river banks with quads were giving ME dirty looks. I want better access to the river also.
Just because someone reads the site "and lurks" does not make then bad, I lurk on 5 other freshwater sites, does that make me a bad person ? Welcome to the world of the internet and the double edged sword.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Just to change it up a bit, I have two friends that have been bailing channels and walleye out of the lock above Queens bridge. They've been fishing shiners at night. Hey, go catch something!!!:D

[15FOOTER]

Hey Andy you are right about it being no easy task! But one of the lakes we love (you) in particular is gettin hammered. Once you figure out a lakes pattern you can really dial in and have some great days targeting some monsters. Its times like these as a skillfull and knowledgeable angler that you have to show some restraint in regards to culling the big boys or damage will be done. Theres a guy from hunterdon county anglers who is the nicest guy in the world but hes keeping 5lb smalmouth after 5lb smallmouth. Fish like that are not like doritos it takes many years to make more and they keep the population going. As long as its legal people are gonna keep the big boys, I just wish as people become better anglers because of this site that they could show SOME restraint and let some big guys go..hey keep one every once and a while but not all the time! Just my 2cents any fisherman is cool in my book!

[bigfishy]

I have to disagree on some aspects. You talk about people keeping all the large fish ? How many 24" largemouth and 20" smallmouth do you think there are in any given area, then these so called poachers have to catch them, no easy task. People keeping 12lb. pike, again, no easy task.
I actually want people to fish the Raritan river. I want to see trout stocked signs in Bound Brook, maybe the homeless people living under the Queens Bridge will get the message.
I was fishing the Raritan in Bound Brook last night and the kids tearing up the river banks with quads were giving ME dirty looks. I want better access to the river also.
Just because someone reads the site "and lurks" does not make then bad, I lurk on 5 other freshwater sites, does that make me a bad person ? Welcome to the world of the internet and the double edged sword.

Ppl who keep big fish within the legal limits are by no means poachers...
Larger lakes and fairly long river systems have quite large numbers of 20+" large and smallmouth....It would probably surprise you....While i don't have hard scientific data, i do have manymany yrs. of specifically targeting these larger than average fish.....It gives me a gr8 idea of an areas population, and i do see larger fish taken every yr.....Most ppl have found these lesser known areas via the internet.... I'm not saying that thats a bad thing by any means.....what i am saying is that the more notoriety a given place gets , the better the chances that the fishing will go down hill......RV is a perfect example....While there are many reasons that its gone downhill, the fisherman like you and i know the real reasons and we did'nt need scientific data or exstensive research to know what we know......Its common sense and if we ALL use it more often , our fisheries will only benefit.....

[Lard Almighty]

Take a look at this:

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/232/480776386_14a50aea8a_z.jpg

http://rahfish.com/wp-content/gallery/vintage-fishing-pics/vintage-5.jpg

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/203/504495798_82df25943f.jpg

I'm sure there are some on this board whose stomachs turn at these photos. Fifty years ago, EVERYONE was doing this. They kept whatever they caught and didn't even consider the future of the fishery. Guys like Lee Wulff who preached catch and release were the exception, not the rule.

Now, thanks to organizations like BASS and TU that have raised awareness of the importance of catch and release to the health of fisheries, scenes like the above don't happen nearly as often. Yes there are a few meat fishermen who keep everything, but overwhelmingly the conscientious angler who releases his catch, or only keeps what he can use, has become the national standard.

And regulations reflect that. Recently the daily possession limit for trout in PA went from 8 to 5. The size limit for trout in NJ recently went from 7 to 9 inches. As a point of reference, the first BASS tournament ever held had a 15-fish daily limit per angler, and all the fish were brought dead to the weigh-in on a stringer. Now the limit is at 5 fish, and anglers are penalized if they bring a dead fish to the weigh-in.

My point is that yes, there are some anglers that will keep the giant trout, and smallies, and pike, etc. And, as long as they follow all size and possession limits, it is their legal right to do so. But they are far outnumbered by people like us who put conservation and recreation before getting a meal. And we will be the ones who will ensure the future of the sport for the next generation.