[Billfish715]

Fishing was fishing when we were kids. No matter how big or small or which species was around, if it had gills and fins, it was a target. Whether it was big red comet goldfish in Nomahegan Park or using size 14 hooks on 8# test mono to hook chubs and fall fish at the shooting range( before the dam was built) or shiners in Echo Lake, it was fishing. We dug worms in a manure pile at a local farm or found them under the leaves and thatch along the banks.. Homemade dough balls and hand picked night crawlers from the lawn at night all worked as bait. A bass was an exotic species that was seldom caught. If we wanted any other exotics like perch or crappies, we'd have to bike over to the Clark Reservoir. The Ash Brook in Clark also used to be stocked with trout. Our whole world was right here in Union County. Can you imagine a time when the section of the Rahway River just above, under and below the bridges on Route 22 was stocked with trout and crowded with fishermen? More on this at another time.