Passaic River 7/23

[NorthJerzyG]

Hit the river yesterday for a few hours, on the water by about 8am. Slowly worked my way upstream throwing a mix of spinnerbait, jointed rapapla, and senko. Came up empty......

Then, after a mile or two, IT Happened.................

My trolling motor up and died!! F&%#@!!!! Def not the battery cause it was still more than half full. So, after a few minutes of f-bombs, i began awkwardly fishing and rowing my way back downstream throwing the same assortment.

Luckily the current was with me but extremely hard to stay on a fishable drift. Don't know how u yakkers do it, lol.

Off the water by noon. Final tally for the day, no fish, 1 shot trolling motor, and f'n sore arms. Still, nice morning out on the water...........

[buzzbaiter]

Still a nice morning on the water

I must have missed a part in your story where you caught something

[NorthJerzyG]

Even rowing is better than working!!!!

Did I miss ur last post?????

[msgdan]

That suk's about the motor, but as far as kayaking goes, that river is as easy as it gets.....even up river when it's high. Now trying to make your way around Montauk point against the tide, chasing albies and breaking stripers......is another story!

I also hit the river yesterday for 2 hours in a couple of "can't miss" places.....and I missed! I wound up with 2 small pike and 1 pickerel for the late afternoon. I don't know if the water temps are a bit higher, but the areas I hit, should have produced a bunch of pike or maybe they can hear my kayak coming ! LOL

Time to start exploring.

Danny V

[NorthJerzyG]

Yeah, I'm thinkin, without 50+ # of useless motor and battery the rowing would have been a bit easier. Plus, although the level didn't go up much the current seemed a bit stronger than lately.

But I agree about the conditions and the fish being off. I was fishing some real nice areas and I was suprised I didn't catch anything. So goes the river............

[buzzbaiter]

Since the recent rain, the pike seem to have shut off. Even though the river barely rose a few inches, its was muddier than before. The passaic is normally a bit turbid but when its downright muddy - either due to rain or carp stirring things up - they just don't hit. I hit a 'hotspot" which produced 20+ pickerel for me just 2 weeks ago. Last sunday - nada not a damn thing. Only difference was the water was up about 3-4" and it was muddy, not cloudy, muddy. You couldn't see the lure 2" below the water. I ended up fishing the river waaaaay upstream out of pike territory and caught a ton of redbreast sunfish along with some fallfish, lmb and even a few crappie. One thing it has plenty of is snags and fallen trees. Great cover for fish but a real nuisance for anglers.