Resevoir Fishing

[PeteyHD]

Hi All. Fished a local reservoir yesterday from my kayak with absolutely no success. Wind blowing in the am and I threw topwater, spinners, senko, even had some shiners as backup with nothing.

I am usually a salt guy but often fish NE lakes and rivers with success. Realized rocky reservoir fishing is very different. Just a tough day with tough morning conditions or did I do something wrong?

[cantthink0f0ne]

Hi All. Fished a local reservoir yesterday from my kayak with absolutely no success. Wind blowing in the am and I threw topwater, spinners, senko, even had some shiners as backup with nothing.

I am usually a salt guy but often fish NE lakes and rivers with success. Realized rocky reservoir fishing is very different. Just a tough day with tough morning conditions or did I do something wrong?

Far from an expert by any stretch, but i've had success on cranks and/or jerkbaits in rocky waters. Just out of curiosity, which reservoir were you on with the kayak? I know the Suez watersheds (Oradell, Tappan, Woodcliff) don't allow boating of any kind, would love to explore some new waters on my kayak.

[Jigman13]

Could've just been an off day with the high pressure front and wind. Things will turn on nicely soon post summer doldrums. Also, if the reservoir you were fishing has a pop of alewife as the primary forage that can limit production using shiners.

[FASTEDDIE29]

It was a rough weekend all over form what I'm hearing. Not a fan of that bright ass full moon when it comes to fishing in general. It may make the toothy critters move but the other species seem to lay dormant. Lots of variables when reservoir fishing. 90% of the fish are in 10% of the res. You'll get em next time.

[Lard Almighty]

The high pressure and wind likely threw them off the bite. The whole weekend was weird, though, typical patterns just didn't seem to work. Small curly tail grubs were the only thing I had any action on.

[Riz]

I agree , the cold front sure doesn't help things. if ya fish after a front downsize and slow down.

[briansnat]

I fished Round Valley all afternoon yesterday and only came up with a 1 lb smallie while lead line trolling for trout. It probably was a tough bite this weekend everywhere.

But specifics about which reservoir you were fishing would be helpful for obtaining advice. Every one is different. Some are rocky, some aren't. Some have plenty of weeds, some don't. The way you fish the Newark sheds would be quite different from the way you fish Round Valley or Merrill Creek.

[PeteyHD]

Sorry.....fished the Haledon reservoir in Franklin Lakes. The wind ended up dying down and turned out to be a nice warm day but no bass action. Saw some kids catching some sunnys but I was looking for the lunkers.

I didn't throw any Cranks but just read that might be a good choice in rocky waters?

[rwp2101]

come to think of it i have never had great luck this time of yr bassin' around the full moon. one exception was one yr up in maine around a frog hatch-- the topwater was on like donkey kong

[NorthJerzyG]

I went there for the first time myself recently. Intended to go after some broodstock kitties but I should have scouted it first. Couldn't even find a place to park let alone figure out how to get the boat in the water, lol. Pulled in, pulled out and hit plan B!

[23cardinal]

Sometimes a good bottom jig or a tube. Work that bottom. Or a vertical jig

Also the drop shot sometimes gets me for deep water. Had a bad skunk up in ny state and I dropped shotted a shiner. Didn't lose rigs and hammered em)

[PeteyHD]

come to think of it i have never had great luck this time of yr bassin' around the full moon. one exception was one yr up in maine around a frog hatch-- the topwater was on like donkey kong

Oh Man that sounds amazing! Love topwater frogging!!

[PeteyHD]

I went there for the first time myself recently. Intended to go after some broodstock kitties but I should have scouted it first. Couldn't even find a place to park let alone figure out how to get the boat in the water, lol. Pulled in, pulled out and hit plan B!

I was the first car in the parking lot so didn't have that problem but when I came out the lot was Packed! must be because that NS is renting paddles out there.

[cantthink0f0ne]

Sorry.....fished the Haledon reservoir in Franklin Lakes. The wind ended up dying down and turned out to be a nice warm day but no bass action. Saw some kids catching some sunnys but I was looking for the lunkers.

I didn't throw any Cranks but just read that might be a good choice in rocky waters?

I went on Haledon res a few times this summer, never had any luck there either. I was talking to some guys shore fishing and they all said that its rare to get anything big in that body of water. Same for sheppard pond in Ringwood, always strike out there.

[PeteyHD]

Sometimes a good bottom jig or a tube. Work that bottom. Or a vertical jig

Also the drop shot sometimes gets me for deep water. Had a bad skunk up in ny state and I dropped shotted a shiner. Didn't lose rigs and hammered em)

Never tried such a thing. Maybe the bass were in deeper water. I'm still a rookie at the rocky water and appreciate all the feedback from you gents.

[Jigman13]

Rocky structure is perfect to ultra light/ finesse bounce z man trd tubes on 6-8 lb fluoro. Irresistible to smallies

[Fred E. Goose]

Surprised that there's still sunnies in it, considering the bucket brigade pounding it was taking the last 2 times I was there. I don't have any luck there, but never went full force either (I was just walking the trails with my wife and brought along a rod to cast here and there :p)

I know one guy that does OK there on a kayak, and I mean he does JUST OK.

I went there for the first time myself recently. Intended to go after some broodstock kitties but I should have scouted it first. Couldn't even find a place to park let alone figure out how to get the boat in the water, lol. Pulled in, pulled out and hit plan B!

That lot gets full with the kayak rental and picnic crowds...but the signs say car top only, no trailer parking permitted. Just a heads up if you were trailering your aluminum.

[Moz]

I fished Round Valley all afternoon yesterday and only came up with a 1 lb smallie while lead line trolling for trout. It probably was a tough bite this weekend everywhere.

But specifics about which reservoir you were fishing would be helpful for obtaining advice. Every one is different. Some are rocky, some aren't. Some have plenty of weeds, some don't. The way you fish the Newark sheds would be quite different from the way you fish Round Valley or Merrill Creek.

Tough weekend on the Valley, I would have paid for a 1 LB smallie!

Got out Saturday, was like 43 degrees when I left the house and the lake was empty at 6:30 AM and never got busy when I left shortly after 9. Couldn't buy a bite with the bass, I brought my ultra-lite along as I had some small Keitechs left and I must have found a school as I quickly caught caught 6 red breasted sunfish. Had never caught one at the Valley before that day so interesting I had a big run on them and not a single rock bass. :confused:

Went out again on Monday also at 6:30 but a good deal warmer and a lot more boats out there. I got nothing on that day, a couple of tugs on the small Keitches but nothing hooked.

Didn't mark or sight any fish along structure or drop-offs. Fish I did mark were down 15 to 20 feet where the water was 30 feet deep and a flat bottom. Tried some trolling some small and big stuff with the yak to cover more ground and still nothing.

Just tough conditions statewide I guess. Hopefully things get better this month.

[23cardinal]

Rocky structure is perfect to ultra light/ finesse bounce z man trd tubes on 6-8 lb fluoro. Irresistible to smallies

Amen man.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/mysterytacklebox.com/blog/drop-shot-fishing-101-unraveling-the-mystery-of-the-drop-shot-rig/amp/