Raritan river 4/21/25:

[AndyS]

I had a very odd thing happen to me today while fishing the Raritan and it has happened before but with different results. Today I hooked a fish and never saw it, while it smoked my reel and burned my drag and almost snapped my rod.
I think many of us react instinctively upon hook set, waiting for either a big head shake or a drag burning run. Whatever this fish was reminded me of when a yellowfin picks up your sardine and you slide the lever on your 30TW to "full" and all you can do is just hang on !! Odd in the fact no head shake. I only know of 1 other fish in the river that I have caught with NO headshake and that was a carp. Yes they take off once hooked, BUT the ones I have hooked I have landed because of their thick "rubber" lips I don't usually miss a hookset. This fish took off for about 8 seconds and came unbuttoned. This "run" I was fishing is more likely to hold staging American Shad other than carp. The shad have paper thin jaws so if I had to place a bet I am guessing I hooked what was a very large American Shad.
Aside from that is has been quality over quantity when it comes to fishing the river in general. I am still looking for the "elusive" stocked Rainbow Trout.
Water levels are dropping and temperatures have somewhat leveled off. I am seeing more surface action in the slower parts of the runs.
Carried out what I could at each spot, lost count of bald eagle sightings while the Blue Bells play their "silent symphony"