Merrill Creek

[briansnat]

I only fished Merrill once, on a very hot summer day. But the deep reservoirs like Merrill and Round Valley are difficult for me. I spent most of my life fishing
typical NJ lakes with shallows, weed beds, stumps, down trees and sudden drop-offs from 5 to 15 or 20 feet. Places like Merrill and Round Valley, and even Monksville where the bass seem to hold in deeper water throw me for a loop. My go to lures like an unweighted Senko or T-rigged plastics with light weights don't work.

Someone here suggested that I was fishing for bass too shallow in Round Valley and that is something I will keep in mind the next time I go for bass there. I'm thinking heavier jigs like 1 oz and drop shots and Carolina rigs with 1 oz weights may be the ticket.

Merrill is even stranger to me. It's like a huge bowl and drops of precipitously right at the shore. It's very deep even a few feet from shore. The edge of the standing timber was 40 feet deep. Again I think the key is heavier jigs, Carolina rigs with heavy sinkers and heavy sinkers on drop shots. Something I will try next time I'm looking for bass there.

For trout I'm now armed with two trolling rods with lead core and planing boards. It definitely gets the baits down because I hung up on the bottom in 60 feet of water at Merrill. And now I have a downrigger (thanks to a present from my wife). That should help for lakers.

[jimmythegreek]

This time of year w water temps in the mid/high 40s they are 2 places. the top 20 ft of the water column and the bottom. lakers can and usually do hug the bottom just like if you were ice fishing. U either drop bait to marks on ur FF or just jig and bounce the bottom w a binsky, tube, jig/meat, etc. trolling is great for covering water and make a good spread w a few rods, one on the top, one 10ft down, one 15ft, one 20. look on youtube for lures and techniques, floating rapalas, spoons, hoochies, etc. all work up high. down deeper u wanna run dodger/flasher combos and pop gear like cowbells. The guys who do well deep either jig em up in between trolling (mark fish as u troll on bottom and go back to them to jig). If you have 2 downriggers set one at a safe depth and work the other literally hitting bottom once in a while or just above it, thats where the bigger lakers hang. Watch the weather, if its sayswind is 5-10 it will be 20 on MC or RV, as for MC make sure u are equipped for electric TM trolling, battery wise and motor wise

[Big Steve]

Wait one month, then go with herring.: I don't think someone who fished a particular lake 1 time should be giving advice on how to fish it. Listen to Andy.

[Big Steve]

Originally Posted by briansnat

I second the 2 battery suggestion and make sure they are fully charged.

The thing about Merrill is that it drops off very quickly from the shore. You can be 10 feet from the shore and in 25+ feet of water. Though I didn't do well the one time I fished there (last summer on a 100 degree day) I like the look of the standing timber. But again, at the edge of that timber you are in like 40 feet of water.

I saw a Youtube video last year of some guys hauling in trout after trout near the dam.

You fished it once and you're giving advice?

[acabtp]

Originally Posted by Big Steve

You fished it once and you're giving advice?

jeez, what's your problem, mr. 10 posts? how many times does one have to fish some place before you'll allow them to share their experiences?

[briansnat]

Originally Posted by Big Steve

You fished it once and you're giving advice?

I fished it once and I know that's fairly big for a lake that only allows electric, especially if you choose to troll. So yes, I'm giving advice. Bring two batteries and make sure they are fully charged. My other comments were empirical observations supported by my depth finder and the lake contour map I own. If you want to fish Merrill with one battery, feel free to ignore my advice. And if I see you there drifting without power, I'll be happy to toss you a line and tow you back.