Rar I tan river today

[huntcountypussbuck]

Went for about an hour . Caught one smallmouth right at head gate . Lots of leaves. If you find a purple jointed mirrolure it's the one I lost when my bail closed on th cast. It's a sinking lure so it's gone. Maybe Andy will find it on a river cleanup. No other fisherman around.

[TheDreamCatchers]

Nice. Does anyone know about fallfish? Ive always wanted to catch them and Ive heard the Raritan is on of the only places to get them in NJ. Most people think their trash fish but the can grow to over two feet long and apparently fight pretty hard. Anyone with any experience?

[AndyS]

Leaves are a PIA this time of year ! Fallfish, aka chubs ?? Big ones in the Delaware river, not so many in the Raritan.

[Eskimo]

Nice. Does anyone know about fallfish? Ive always wanted to catch them and Ive heard the Raritan is on of the only places to get them in NJ. Most people think their trash fish but the can grow to over two feet long and apparently fight pretty hard. Anyone with any experience?

I've caught them in the past in the river or maybe it was some other cyprinid that looks very similar to fallfish. The ones I've seen were 8 to 10 inches long.
I suppose they are a good baitfish for predators since they don't have any sharp spines and they are long and skinny.

http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/species/identification/images/fallfish.jpg

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[Eskimo]

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I'm not an icthyological taxonomist, but I caught this fish last night on the South Branch and it looks a lot like a Fallfish.

[ratherbe]

I seem to run into smaller versions of that fish all the time on the SBR - thought they were chubs....not that I have any clue what the difference is.

One of these days, i'm gonna take a bucket of them to Spruce and see what is hungry! Id bet something toothy

[Lard Almighty]

Chubs and fallfish are very similar, and usually can be found in the same bodies of water. The best way to tell the difference is that chubs have little horns on the tops of their heads, whereas the top pf a fallfish's head is smooth. The biggest chub I have ever seen is about 10", while I've seen fallfish push the 20" mark on occasion.

[Jigman13]

Tell me where in the sbr and I'll give you a dollar. :D

[bulletbob]

Chubs and fallfish are very similar, and usually can be found in the same bodies of water. The best way to tell the difference is that chubs have little horns on the tops of their heads, whereas the top pf a fallfish's head is smooth. The biggest chub I have ever seen is about 10", while I've seen fallfish push the 20" mark on occasion.

Correct.. For whatever reason, I don't see many chubs here in NY state, but as LA stated, we do see fallfish around here that push the 2 foot mark.. At that size they fight pretty well too.. not as good as a bass, but better than a walleye of similar size.. They jump too sometimes.. If they were good to eat, they would probably be classified as "gamefish".. I Never see the big ones in spring or summer.. Mostly in the fall/early winter... bob

[NorthJerzyG]

Here's a few fallfish I caught earlier this year. Definitely hit lures, and pretty hard as well. But once hooked, not much fight after. Thought a few were trout until I was reeling them in.....

http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i419/NorthjerzyG/IMAG1954.jpg (http://s1092.photobucket.com/user/NorthjerzyG/media/IMAG1954.jpg.html)......

http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i419/NorthjerzyG/IMAG1944.jpg (http://s1092.photobucket.com/user/NorthjerzyG/media/IMAG1944.jpg.html)

[Jigman13]

I'm drooling looking at those gorgeous hook baits for frozen times...

[Mark B.]

Fallfish are very similar to Creek Chubs, but lack the black spot on the anterior base of the dorsal fin.

Creek Chubs only get those horns in the spring,…………used for sparring with other males during spawning.

In rivers, Fallfish are found in the same habitat as smallies, with which they compete.

When hooked, Fallfish put up a weak fight. Lots of them in the Delaware R.

[TheDreamCatchers]

thats amazing. exactly what ill try to accomplish next year. What bait is best when catching them?

[Mark B.]

thats amazing. exactly what ill try to accomplish next year. What bait is best when catching them?

I never heard of anyone targeting fallfish.

On the Del. River I catch them on spinners, rapalas when targeting smallies.

[MudCat08]

I think the fallfish is a species of chub, with the males seasonally developing the bumpy growths on their skull around breeding season. they certainly look like other chub species shape wise. fallfish are completely silver and have no stripes like the creek chub (which is generally smaller than a fallfish). Also they can have a pinkish color hue around their head (also seasonal i think).

I have found fallfish in the upper Ramapo river and upper Delaware river.

One of their favorite baits is a small jighead with a piece of worm on it. Although i have caught them on pieces of nitecrawler, on curly tail grubs, and on tied flies. adding a tiny piece of worm to the fly also makes it irresistible for them.

[saxmatt]

I'm drooling looking at those gorgeous hook baits for frozen times...

Me too...best pike bait you can get!