Can you guy's maybe help me out on where to go in NJ this weekend for smallies???

[Rich196]

FIRST I would like to say hello to everyone, i just joined the forum.

This is my first year with my new Bass Boat, so lake fall fishing is all new to me. I pretty much fished the hell out of the Manasquan Res., from spring and right up to the 2nd week of Aug. I was doing KILLER. Anyway, the last month or so, have been getting harder and harder to find the smallies, and that most likely I would imagine has to do with my lack of experience, because the last 2 times, I got completely skunked. With that said,., I was wondering if you guy's were able to help figure out where the best lake might be this weekend for Smallies, and also Large Mouth, and maybe a couple tips on what to use. (My boat is well equipped, well so i think..LOL) I'm from Jackson, NJ, but not afraid to travel, I would be going early morning this Saturday. My boat is a 16' Stratos with a 150 hp evenrude, with a 112lb Minn Kota trolling motor, with 1 Lowrance fish finder up front, and a Raymarine Dragonfly 7 for the rear, so i should be good for any lake. Thank you guy's in advance. I'm ALWAYS looking to learn!!! Rich

[AndyS]

Welcome to the site !! My go to spot for SMB is Split Rock Res. Do you have a 12ft. rowboat and an electric motor ? A boat that size you are limited to the places you can fish.

[Chrisper4694]

smallies are moving that's why it's harder to find them, but they are feeding, chasing bait. Drag your lures around with the trolling motor to find them then have a lure ready to cast when you do.

[Skunk City]

Not a huge Bass guy, but I would suspect they are moving into their fall patterns and moving out of the shallows where you probably have been catching them. Try jigging some deeper rocky areas if you can find them. We have been getting Smallies while targeting Walleyes in 20-25ft of water right on the bottom. They may also be suspended chasing herring, so you may need to drop shot them up. Good luck.

[Jigman13]

NJ fish& game site is a good place to start your search... Check the stocking lists for places with smallies. Then fish them deeper. Fall patterns as others have mentioned.

[Rich196]

Welcome to the site !! My go to spot for SMB is Split Rock Res. Do you have a 12ft. rowboat and an electric motor ? A boat that size you are limited to the places you can fish.

Andy, Trust me, I have had my eye on Split Rock all year, but as you mentioned, I cant use my boat there, and that's all i have. Thanks for the tip though.

[XXlyakattacker]

Why not fish for hybrids at Manasquan res?

[Rich196]

Why not fish for hybrids at Manasquan res?

Honestly I never fished for hybrids, even though I hear they are the best fighting fresh water fish. I wouldn't have the first clue on how to fish for them.

[Jigman13]

Troll, down line with herring/shiners, or chicken livers.

The hard part is finding them.

[briansnat]

What about Merrill Creek Reservoir? You can't use the gas motor there, but the electric should move you around well enough.

[The Birdman]

Pompton lake actually has some pretty nice smallmouth and lots of nice largemouth too. we got a 3.5 SMB# last week.
not many ppl know that pompton has smallies but they swim down from the ramapo river and grow bigger than they would in the river.
get them in the deeper water.
also you can open up that 150 e-tec since pompon is unlimited HP and its a great lake to explore.
If you just got a new bass boat and all the gear, pompton lake is a must.

[yumasdad]

want to fight the best fresh water fighter...the next time you go swimming with your woman tell her that her ass got really big over the winter!!!:D

[TheDreamCatchers]

PB Smallmouth: 21 inches - Passaic River, Little Falls Mill

The Passaic River is a fantastic place for big smallmouth especially at the Mill in Little Falls. The SBR also has some river smallmouth. But if you want to use your boat on bigger waters I would go for Union Lake, RVR, Ryker or Lake Audrey. But I kid you not every single big reservoir up in the north part has smallmouth. I dont think a single reservoir in Sussex or Passaic county doesn't have smallies. The reservoirs that you need to get a permit from (Canistear, Oak Ridge, Wanaque, Point View, Splitrock, Echo, Clinton) are the best smallie lakes because they are the least fished. Audrey and Ryker are release only lakes so they probably have a bunch as well.

[Rich196]

PB Smallmouth: 21 inches - Passaic River, Little Falls Mill

The Passaic River is a fantastic place for big smallmouth especially at the Mill in Little Falls. The SBR also has some river smallmouth. But if you want to use your boat on bigger waters I would go for Union Lake, RVR, Ryker or Lake Audrey. But I kid you not every single big reservoir up in the north part has smallmouth. I dont think a single reservoir in Sussex or Passaic county doesn't have smallies. The reservoirs that you need to get a permit from (Canistear, Oak Ridge, Wanaque, Point View, Splitrock, Echo, Clinton) are the best smallie lakes because they are the least fished. Audrey and Ryker are release only lakes so they probably have a bunch as well.

Thank you for the info, Union lake was also another option, I hear they do well there. I was looking in to Lake Audrey last week, and the update on thier page doesnt look to good, it looks like the PH levels were coming back up, and fishing was down, and the fact that they also said, the locals were catching the bass and putting them in another lake... Nice right?

[huntcountypussbuck]

Spruce run has lots of bait and plenty of small mouths. Really low water though so launch I can't comment on. 9.9 only limited horsepower

[Jigman13]

I think spruce is lower now then it was this time last yr...it's crazy. I was shore fishing it last weekend late nite and I was easily standing in a spot I couldn't reach casting plugs during the spring/early summer. Realistically, I was prob standing where 25-30' of water once existed.

I'm curious to know if the major draw downs stress the fish. It was also crazy seeing bait getting demolished all night long on the surface this late in the yr. Herring all over the place! Such a rich population of forage in there.

[Bruce Litton]

Lake Audrey, South Jersey across & down from Jackson. You might have to fish 20-25 feet deep, but I've caught nice smallmouths in the shallows, Lake Hopatcong this year, but at the tops of steep, rocky drop-offs. Try Lake Audrey shallow & deep, and while I doubt it has much stone structure, it has to have sand or gravel at the least for them to spawn, and if it is as free of structure as I think it may be, then whatever structure you do find is where to try.

[Bruce Litton]

Audrey is small at 120 acres, but not for the electric: http://www.sjbca.org/audreyinfo.htm

Lake Hopatcong is fine for all your power, but a long, long drive from Jackson. If I were in your shoes, between LH and Manasquan, I'd just concentrate on finding them at Manasquan.

[xDirty]

Great advice in this thread

[Rich196]

Yes, I cannot not believe the support on this forum, it has been great, lot's of GREAT advice, and I would like to thank everyone for their post's. As far as manasquan, I have been fishing there all year, and just want to fish something new. Also, I do not know if it has anything to do with it, but it also got hit HARD with the water level being way down, and have been talking to a lot of other guy's on the ramp when I come in, and it seems like nobody has been doing anything in the last month to speak about, and honestly, nobody has been catching any smallies at all. I was def. looking into going to lake Audrey, but as i mentioned in one of my last post's, that from what I understand, the fishing doesnt look good at all, here is the article.


"Unfortunately, numerous reports are continually being received regarding people illegally transporting fish from Lake Audrey to nearby ponds such as South Vineland Park and Giampetro Park Pond. These people have helped to devastate the adult smallmouth bass population in the lake. Another contributing factor to the decline in the bass population here is a gradual decline in the pH level of the water. The placement of a huge quantity of lime in the lake in 2006 brought the pH up to an ideal level for bass survival and reproduction. But the level has slowly declined since that time, making the water acidic again. Electro-shocking and seining performed by Fish & Wildlife biologists has shown that the presence of adult & juvenile smallmouth bass has been steadily declining. Largemouth bass, apparently introduced by local fishermen, now dominate the overall bass population"


Making a little trip doesnt bother me at all. Looks like I have narrowed it down to three places, Now I just have to decide, either, Pompton Lake, Merrill Creek, or Union lake. I'm 45 years old, and I feel like a kid that just just got his first bicycle for Christmas every time I plan to go somewhere fishing on the weekend..LOL .Fishing deep water for the smallies is all new to me, for half the season I got all my smallies, either on the rocks in 8-10 feet of water, or hanging around trees and stumps, so now with all this prep, I probably wont catch a thing..LOL. I'm gonna try like hell though, you can bet on that. With going deep, I gather I should learn how to drop shot? What else would I use to get down deep once I find the schools of bait fish?

[Chrisper4694]

smallies won't necessarily be down deep right now, they may be up shallow over deep water. They'll basically be where the bait is chasing it. they can even be up on the surface feeding. anywhere in between.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Your not too far from some BIG D access points. I'd give that a shot but wouldn't fly solo. I'd bring a friend to put on boulder patrol. All kinds of species are being caught right now. Plenty of room for the Bass boat on the river. Just gotta take your time if you've never fished it before. Good polarized glasses are a must.
Let us know how you do. GOOD LUCK!!!

[Rich196]

Any idea how fishing has been in UNION LAKE? Has anyone heard anything? I'm leaning towards Union, or Merrill Creek