100 pike and an impaled foot !

[msgdan]

Of course I didn't catch 100 pike, but between the ones I caught, the ones I missed, the follows that I had and the amount of pike that I saw hugging the bottom in the clear water sections....was close to 100. I guess I landed about 15 with only 2 being over 30 inches with all the rest being in the low to mid 20 inch range. I am not even going to count the 15 - 6"-8" pike that I was catching in one spot like sunnies. I put on a smaller spinner bait and caught a 6" pike on every cast until I moved on. This area is miles from any place that they stocked unless they stocked by boat as well as by truck. So I am guessing that all of the small ones weren't stocked

The water was extra clear today and I can't tell you how many pike that were stacked together near trees that were in groups just hanging out. I was placing the spinner bait on a few of the heads of the pike and they just moved on.

Now for the bad part....There is a low section of the river that I had to get out of the kayak and drag the kayak through te river for about 25 feet to get back to deeper water. I must have walked the kayak through this section 100 times during the past 10 years when the conditions are this low. I guess I was lucky the past 100 times that I never found this "spike" sticking up from the bottom, attached to a piece of wood.

I knew it as soon as I put my foot down that something had gone through my hip boots and was now impaled in my foot. I was able to pull my foot from the spike, but I had to get my foot out and pull the boot off, which was not too easy.

I made it back to my car in 15 minutes and didn't take my boot off until I got home and of course my sock was soaked in blood. I made it to the shower on one foot and my wife did some first aid and gave me a few antibiotics. I had a tetanus shot within the past year so I should be fine with that. I am just glad that it didn't pass through the top of my foot, because this spike was big enough for that to happen.

The river is full of surprises !!!

Danny V

[AndyS]

Geeeeeeez ! Glad to hear about the pike, but not so happy to hear you put a spike through your foot. Saltwater guys got it easy compared to what we have to go through in the freshwater. Tread softly and carry some good tackle I guess.

[buzzbaiter]

I for one hope the river keeps dropping. The lower it gets, the better the fishing. Fish seem to congregate to certain areas when its low. Plus the lower it is, the clearer which also helps. Chance of t-storms wed/thurs but nothing too heavy I hope.

Last summer I could see into some of the deeper holes and the amount of fish I saw was incredible. Bass, crappie, perch, pike, suckers, carp, sunnies, etc you name it, you could see it.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Pretty intense story Dan!!! Good catching with a BAD injury!!! I know all about that.

I hope it rains tomorrow, for I like high water and a challenge!!!!! Haven't hit the river this month. I love me some rain or a HURRICANE right about now!!!!!!!

[iceehot6766]

Be careful Dan....Sounds like a nightmare(except the fish)......Is a tetanus shot good for that long?.......

[Jigman13]

Re: tetanus. They say 7-10 yrs. To err on the side of caution, I'd still head to the doctor, or at least call, to get their professionally trained opinion on the matter. A rusty nail in the foot isn't something to take lightly. It's not so much the nail that's the worry--it's the dirt and grime on the nail that is cause for concern (esp on the passaic).

Nice job on the fish though dude... But again, a trip to the dr's office would certainly be in your best interest.

[Eskimo]

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I've never fished a body of water with so much crap in it than the Passaic River. Sometimes, the garbage makes for good structure. I caught a bass in the Passaic off a debris pile consisting of what appeared to be a highway road sign, some concrete blocks, mixed in with tangled tree limbs, weeds, and a plastic tarp.

It's amazing how easy a nail penetrates your boots when you put your weight on it. You definitely may want to get that hole in your foot checked out. Puncture wounds are highly susceptible to infection from bacteria other than tetanus, especially if they involve rusty nails in a muddy, polluted urban river.



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[buzzbaiter]

Its cleaner than it looks otherwise u wouldn't have such a variety of not only fish but wildlife. Of course where you are matters as well. I'd say anything south of the GSP is infection water. Above there the river is fairly clean from a bacterialogical pov. I work for a lab and have tested it numerous times. Fecal coliform counts r generally <200 cfu/ml(colony forming units per milliliter for u non-chemists) which is the failure limit for surface waters.