Passaic River Surprise (5/25)
 

Had a little bit of time after dinner on Memorial Day to take my nephew (who had never caught a fish) fishing. It was a last minute plan, and I figured I could pick up some worms and take him to the Passaic right by the house and catch a few bullhead cats. Unfortunately, the nearest bait store was closed so worms were out. I had a few scraps left over from a yellowfin tuna I caught on Saturday on an offshore trip, and grabbed a couple of leftover hotdogs as well.

We went down to the river and set out one rod with a piece of yellowfin, and the other with a chunk of hotdog (cooked by the way). Within a few minutes the yellowfin tuna chunk gets eaten and my nephew landed his first fish ever, a bullhead catfish. A few minutes later, the hotdog gets hit. Im thinking its another cat, but its fighting a bit harder. My nephew pulled the fish to the surface, and it ended up being a 24-26 inch pike! Here I am, thinking hard about lure choice when I fish, and this one decided to scoop a chunk of hotdog off the bottom. Unfortunately, it bit through the light line before we had a chance to take a picture, but it was a still a successful trip with his first two fish. And a pike at that!

Re: Passaic River Surprise (5/25)
 

Yellowfin for bait?!?! That's some high-end catfish chow buddy!! Hahha!

In all seriousness, nice job getting the kiddo out there. I can only imagine his face seeing a pike rolling around during the fight! Priceless!

Re: Passaic River Surprise (5/25)
 

I remember reading a report that a guy caught a pike on the lower Raritan river on a clam ! Good stuff !!!!

Re: Passaic River Surprise (5/25)
 

It's amazing what the river Pike will grab and eat. I've heard quite a few stories where anglers catch them on hot dogs, corn, nite crawlers and other assorted baits. Fish eat when they are hungry. Sounds like a fun day!

Re: Passaic River Surprise (5/25)
 

I was fishing the river last summer and a group of younger HS kids were fishing, said they landed a decent Pike on a hotdog as well lol.

Re: Passaic River Surprise (5/25)
 

Now that would be another great commercial for Snickers --- You not yourself when you are hungry... LOL

Great stuff getting a small one out and putting him on the fish.

Andre

Re: Passaic River Surprise (5/25)
 

there's a freshwater spot by me that's loaded with surf clam shells in the shallows. I dont really know what the guys are fishing for but its cheap bait I guess and im sure something eats it.

Re: Passaic River Surprise (5/25)
 

I've caught a couple on hot dogs, it's a very nice surprise

Re: Passaic River Surprise (5/25)
 

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Very interesting.
Pike definitely have some scavenging tendencies. In Europe, fishing with dead baits is a popular way to fish for pike.


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Re: Passaic River Surprise (5/25)
 

All this time I had been trying to match lures to water temp, season, etc. All I needed was a nice hotdog. I should have been "matching the hatch" to bbq season.

Re: Passaic River Surprise (5/25)
 

Do pike prefer meat hot dogs or all beef? Does it matter if it's kosher?

Re: Passaic River Surprise (5/25)
 

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It depends on the area of the Passaic you're fishing.
In the Fairfield area, standard Oscar Meyer Wieners are fine, but as you go upstream to Livingston-Short Hills-Millburn area, the hotdogs must be Kosher.

Downstream in the Paterson-Newark area economic concerns necessitates the use of generic store brand hotdogs.

I guess hotdogs are effective because they are made from finely-ground processed meats and fat which exudes particulate matter into the water, making it easy for the fish to find it.


Here is a list of ingredients in hotdogs:
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/...nts-explained/


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