Saddle River County Park - Glen Rock

[KRocks]

Hit the local park this evening with my 8 year old for about an hour and change. This park is beautiful this time of year. The cool weather and the fact that it is a Monday made it feel that much more special since that kept the crowds out. Based on the footprints near the water, am sure it was cheek to jowl on Sunday. We rode bikes from Glen Rock side into Fair Lawn and fished in and near the waterfall. Picked up 4 trout, 3 fingerlings and 1 just keeper sized. All were released. I suspect the photo of one of the fingerlings (attached) was a wild trout since so small. It couldn't have been bigger than 5 inches. Grabbed a 1 1/2 pound LMB on our way out at that less-than-spectacular duck pond. Not a bad Monday at all. Tight lines!

[shrimpman steve]

I grew up I. FL. Spent a lot of time on that bike path and park. Glad to hear it is still nice!

[baetis]

It was a native. The Saddle River has a good number of native browns, especially far upstream where they no longer stock. It's a shame the bucket brigade treats them like stockies.

[skippy]

I grew up in FL as well and fished that stretch of river and the waterfalls alot. Descent fishing and the lake itself in Glen Rock holds some large carp. Rolled up bagel dough or bread does the trick, it's great for kids. If you are looking for large bass, walk down the river to under the midland ave bridge in paramus and there is a small pond on the right, between the houses. Caught a ton of lm's in there. good luck.

[DoubleG]

WOW this site is like a FL reunion, I grew up in FL and spent A LOT of time fishing Saddle River. There are some big snapping turtles in the GR Duck Pond too! I used to take my kids sunny fishing in the pond too.

[acabtp]

after college i also lived in Fair Lawn for a while! right on Fair Lawn Ave by River Rd. i didn't really start using saddle river county park until I lived in elmwood park later though.

since we're on the topic of fair lawn and fishing... you guys all know about the ancient indian fish trap in the passaic river right there, right? it's the V that sticks out of the water at low flows just upstream of the fair lawn avenue bridge. they've been fishing that section of river for a LONG time!
http://www.lutins.org/weir/

[DoubleG]

Oh yea, I messed around in the Passaic a lot while growing up, way before all of the stocking. When carp were the only game in town, loved mulberry fishing for them.

[jdigrande91]

Also from Fair Lawn as well! lol I fished that pond a lot when I was a kid. Mostly sunnies cats and carp. However lately there seems to be a bigger LM bass population that it used to. As for carp, they are there and HUGE and you always see them jumping. I never caught one from there thought but really didn't have the patience to REALLY try lol. I'm going to definitely try some dough and bread to see if that does the trick. There are also some big Koi/Goldfish that swim around that you see occasionally hang by the shorelines at dusk.

As for the snapping turtles..........

[DoubleG]

That's what I was talking about, those turtles are huge!!!

[basskicker]

Has anyone launched a boat in the Passaic in Fairlawn near Lincoln Ave. I am moving to southern Ridgewood and it looks like a great place to get a yak in the water. How is that stretch of river for smallies?