Reservoir Wading

[Hookmanski]

Hey all, I'm looking for some recommendations on a good place to wade and fish, preferably in a reservoir. I know you aren't allowed to wade in Round Valley, which is where I usually go. I have the day off tomorrow so I want to make the most of it, but I also want to keep cool in the crazy heat we have this week. Not trying to spot burn anyone, so if you have a recommendation you don't feel comfortable with posting shoot me a PM. Tight lines!

[23cardinal]

Split rock is nice, but it is tech. Not allowed. Thou I imagine their usually looking for swimmers by the dock

[Lard Almighty]

Not a res, but maybe give the Raritan River a try. Lots of good access for wading, and thanks to Andy and company's cleanup efforts, you can practically wade barefoot without a care!

Plenty of good fish, too.

[Hookmanski]

Thanks for the recommendations!

Lard, any specific locations you could PM me to start/end at? I'm somewhat familiar with the Raritan but have never really done much fishing in it other than a few spots.

[thmyorke1]

Thanks for the recommendations!

Lard, any specific locations you could PM me to start/end at? I'm somewhat familiar with the Raritan but have never really done much fishing in it other than a few spots.

Anywhere with access will do but it's up to the angler to find the right spots on the river (shade, depth, structure).

Also don't fish the head gates at Duke island park. Most pressured spot on the river next to the ladder.

If lard forgets to respond, pm me.

[tycomps]

+1 on Raritan!

[Skunk City]

Most, if not all, of the reservoirs in NNJ/CNJ restrict swimming. Guess they don't want to scoop your soggy corpse out of our drinking water :p.

[Hookmanski]

Anywhere with access will do but it's up to the angler to find the right spots on the river (shade, depth, structure).

Also don't fish the head gates at Duke island park. Most pressured spot on the river next to the ladder.

If lard forgets to respond, pm me.

Thanks thymorke! I think I've decided to start at my home creek and hit the raritan after. I will report back!

[Eskimo]

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Some reservoirs have a guarded swimming area, but none of them allow people to just swim freely. Swimming leads to gatherings which inevitably leads to drunken picnics with blasting music which inevitably leads to drownings.

In fact, the other week Roberto E. Figueroa-Rivera, 35, of Newark, jumped in the water at Round Valley and drowned.
Link to an article about the incident:
http://www.nj.com/hunterdon/index.ssf/2017/07/35-year-old_man_taken_to_hospital_after_being_pull.html
http://www.wfmz.com/news/western-new-jersey/swimmer-dies-days-after-being-rescued-from-round-valley-reservoir/585606133

If you wear a PFD and look like a serious fisherman and not a picnicker, they might leave you alone. But they might not, either.


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[tycomps]

.

Some reservoirs have a guarded swimming area, but none of them allow people to just swim freely. Swimming leads to gatherings which inevitably leads to drunken picnics with blasting music which inevitably leads to drownings.

In fact, the other week Roberto E. Figueroa-Rivera, 35, of Newark, jumped in the water by the dirt ramp at Round Valley and drowned.
Link to an article about the incident:
http://www.nj.com/hunterdon/index.ssf/2017/07/35-year-old_man_taken_to_hospital_after_being_pull.html
http://www.wfmz.com/news/western-new-jersey/swimmer-dies-days-after-being-rescued-from-round-valley-reservoir/585606133

If you wear a PFD and look like a serious fisherman and not a picnicker, they might leave you alone. But they might not, either.


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wow, the triangle claims another! I can understand the no pfd, mid water, hypothermia situation but at the boat ramp in the summer? must be more to that story.

[Mark B.]

You can wade (waders or shorts) to fish Round Valley & Spruce Reservoirs.

You can’t wade to fish Merrill Creek & Manasquan Reservoirs.

Splitrock Reservoir is a NJDF&W Wildlife Management Area. You can wade (waders or shorts) to fish it.

[Hookmanski]

You can wade (waders or shorts) to fish Round Valley & Spruce Reservoirs.

You can’t wade to fish Merrill Creek & Manasquan Reservoirs.

Splitrock Reservoir is a NJDF&W Wildlife Management Area. You can wade (waders or shorts) to fish it.

THANK YOU MARK! I wish I had remembered to check the site this morning, I would've gone to RV, but now I know for next time. Instead of going to a reservoir I ended up hitting the creek behind my house, report coming soon!

And a shame about what happened to that guy. The valley scares me a little because of stories like this, doesn't keep me away but I definitely get some ominous feelings when I go there.