Wanaque back in the day
 

Don't know if they still run boats there, but was lucky to get to fish it a couple times as a kid.

http://www.njfishing.com/forums/pict...&pictureid=339

Re: Wanaque back in the day
 

No electronics, no trolling motor and one rod. Some of my best days ever.

Re: Wanaque back in the day
 

Lets hear some stories about this place. Never fished it but have dreamt about fishing it hundreds of times.

Re: Wanaque back in the day
 

We fish there in a boat with the same guide in your picture, can't remember his name, a few times between '75 and '80. The guide liked us because he could fish with us as opposed to being a babysitter with the big shots, putting on bait and taking off their catches. If I recall correctly some of the NY Yankees fished there too and one was the "old timer' Enos Slaughter, I'm sure that not too many people here even heard of him.LOL We tried to get out when the water was up so we could fish Cooper's swamp and pre 9/11 you could fish from certain shore locations with a daily pass. Those were the days!

PS: Supposedly, the State record brown trout was caught from a restricted area down by the dam and someone else took credit for it, claiming they caught it in Greenwood Lake.

Re: Wanaque back in the day
 

Here's a picture of our guide and for some reason I think his name may have been Lou.

Attachment 133277

Re: Wanaque back in the day
 

My father brought me up there prior to 9/11 with daily shore passes. The fishing was surreal. We were getting monster smallies on Mepps Aglia #4 spinners on the drop. Thinking back, I didnt understand the size of those fish as much as I do now. 21" smallies that were round like footballs is not the norm lol. Shame it cant be fished anymore. Limited access would be awesome. Maybe someday.

Re: Wanaque back in the day
 

oh it can and IS fished by plenty of kids haha

Re: Wanaque back in the day
 

I grew up in Ringwood in the 80's. Man if I only knew!

I know people that would sneak in but most were eventually caught.

Re: Wanaque back in the day
 

Each of the five commissioners had a boat. They could use it at will with a reservoir employee as a guide. My old fishing partner somehow got in to see the chief of the reservoir police. This resulted in a case of Gallo jug wine being placed in the trunk of his car. When a boat was not scheduled for the day my buddy would get a phone call and off we would go.

Re: Wanaque back in the day
 

I lived in Hewitt in the mid nineties. One evening as I was driving down Greenwood lake turnpike I saw an angler walking to his car from the reservoir with an amazing stringer of fish slung over his shoulder. From what little I could see he had some trout, bass, perch, and huge crappies.