Lake Hopatcong

[Broad Bill]

Is it me or does it seem like it's been increasingly windy this year on Lake Hopatcong as well as the water seeming colder. I've found some walleye and hybrids but not nearly the action experienced in past years. The wind has been torturous and appears forecast to be gusty this entire week as well. Is it just my imagination or is anyone else experiencing the same? When the sun goes down, it's like the fan goes on. Some areas where in past the herring run would be in full swing by now seem devoid of surface action.

[Mets9n31]

Its windy everywhere, every day! It's been brutal and not only makes the fishing more challenging, but it takes away from the enjoyment of being on the water regardless of the number caught. Hoping this pattern changes soon!

[bunker dunker]

has not stop blowing since december.the south wind keeps bring the temps down.everytime we start to 65-68 the south puts her back down to 60-62.i know its only a few degrees but mother nature works on degrees not time.

[Broad Bill]

That's the problem with all these wind farms, they create too much wind

[icebadger]

the wind has been a problem but i think that the water temps have been on the cooler side and the fish are reacting to the swing in the water temps more than the surface wind even tho the wind is contributing to the temp swing. i think that there is other factors making the fish act weird, ever since the ice came off the crappie bite was insane but that shut down fast at most places. then the nite bite go of to an early start than in years past. they were getting fish early in april. the herring have been doing the normal mating dance but at strange times like 10:00pm till around 1:30am on some nights then at later times the next night. the wind makes them stop and the surface fishing is tough because you can not hear or see your lure. the weeds have grown in fast this year and that adds to the problem. the wind pushes the chopped up floating weeds in to different areas and surface fishing is all but impossible even if you are throwing stick baits you are dealing with the salad in the water. i have noticed a increase in the white perch this year as well. they seem to be every where you go. the wind has mellowed at times after sundown but i have found that the wind has been constantly blowing all night more this year than in years past.

[Broad Bill]

Alex thanks for the reply, well thought out and pretty much what I've been seeing. Fished an area two consecutive nights over the weekend I've done very well at in past years this time of year. First night the water was colder and it was windy and the second night the water warmed up and it was flat calm. First night no signs of herring or surface action whatsoever, second night herring moved in at dusk with a few explosions which I believe were hybrids. Thought it was game on. Both nights not one walleye. Both nights I got one hybrid, (of all things on a lit jig and bobber no less) lot of crappy, white perch, yellow perch, rock bass and a few small mouths for about a 2-hour window and then like a switch they turned off. The second night I thought it was going to be game on as everything was coming together and it just never materialized and then went totally dead around 10:00. Just very strange compared to past years.

[NJSquatch]

fishing has been very inconsistent for me as well...i am finding that i need to jump around alot to find feeding fish

[Broad Bill]

Has anyone noticed a decline in the clarity and coloration of the water. Might have to do with all the rain we've had recently but the water looks very murky with a greenish brown tint in the areas I've been fishing. Very difficult seeing your lure 6 inches under the water. I've spoken to other anglers fishing who have had pretty much the same story, fishing for this time of year is way off. I'm sure there's spots and times when it's on fire but overall it seems to me like the walleye / hybrid vampire night bite during the herring spawn has taken a bit of a nosedive. I hope this isn't the residual impact in some way of the debacle in 2019 when Weldon Quarry was dumping waste water with Crystalline Silica (basically microscopic chards of sharp class generated from cutting marble) into the lake for months before the EPA / DEP and Weldon learned of and or did anything about it.

[bunker dunker]

i've been out a few times this week and the whole lake is just churned up.between all the rain and high winds the water has not settled at all.i agree with Bill that this has allot to do with it.we also had to run and gun to find fish that wanted to eat.also its been very quite on the surface as well.not allot of blow ups when by now we should be in prime time.i know every year is different but this year is very very strange on the cong.

[AndyS]

https://www.facebook.com/LHGSNJ