"Cranford West" - Silver Lake in Hope NJ

[phil]

Originally Posted by logs22

The entire stretch of the river from boulevard in kenilworth down to North Union in Cranford is navigable as long as north Union wing dam is closed and you don't mind scraping bottom a few times and ducking under fallen trees. Most of that stretch runs through parkland/woods and is really nice.

Yea I was talking about the stretch along mohawk and up towards the mill

[logs22]

Originally Posted by phil

Yea I was talking about the stretch along mohawk and up towards the mill

As a "north-sider" my river expertise is limited to the stretch from BLvd in the north to the Lincoln Ave. Mill in the south. More recently I have been exploring further north, so I have some working knowledge of the river from Blvd. north to where river flows under 22 (which I think is one of the most isolated and least visited stretches of the Rahway). Someday I hope to hike/explore the river from my house in Crandord all the way up to its source at the Orange Reservoir in the South Mountain Reserve. A 14 month old baby boy will probably delay that goal for a few years.

Quick note on original thread topic - visited Cranford West, not only did it look like a great place to camp with the family but heard from two different guys there that they had been catching very good size bass pretty easily. Water is crystal clear and contour map shows lots of good drop offs and quick depth changes to target. Its 40 feet deep in the center so who knows what lurks in the depths. Posted a panoramic pic of the campground/lake for anyone interested.

[Suntzu]

I need my fellow Cranfordians to lobby to have the mighty Rahway stocked with pike and stretches stocked with smallmouth
I would happily give up the trout stockings for this
Although I did catch two trout on the Might R Saturday with the fly rod

[logs22]

Originally Posted by Suntzu

I need my fellow Cranfordians to lobby to have the mighty Rahway stocked with pike and stretches stocked with smallmouth
I would happily give up the trout stockings for this
Although I did catch two trout on the Might R Saturday with the fly rod

I have caught plenty of LMB in the Rahway but never a smallie. Are there any in there? I would love it if they stocked the river with some small mouth, they are much more fun to catch than largemouth. I know nothing about pike, so I don't mind not having to worry about accidentally catching one (and releasing it) in the Rahway.

Suntzu- you must have found a nice deep hole to catch trout this time of year, those two almost made it to the finish line (I.e joined the small and exclusive club of Holdover trout). Waters should start cooling pretty soon I would think (hope). Were these trout caught in Cranford or elsewhere on the river?

[Suntzu]

They were caught in Cranford in a stretch where I put them and can holdover
I am an avid pike fisherman in the Passaic which is remarkably similar to the Rahway. Pike would do well in the Rahway from Milburn to Rahway and provide a four seasons catch and release fishery
I have never caught a smallmouth on the Rahway but think they would do pretty well in certain stretches
Would love it if they would remove all the dams on the Rahway but that will never happen
The Raritan, Passaic, Manasquan, get all the attention how about a little live for the Rahway?

[logs22]

Originally Posted by Suntzu

They were caught in Cranford in a stretch where I put them and can holdover
I am an avid pike fisherman in the Passaic which is remarkably similar to the Rahway. Pike would do well in the Rahway from Milburn to Rahway and provide a four seasons catch and release fishery
I have never caught a smallmouth on the Rahway but think they would do pretty well in certain stretches
Would love it if they would remove all the dams on the Rahway but that will never happen
The Raritan, Passaic, Manasquan, get all the attention how about a little live for the Rahway?

Yes I remember your post and all the controversy regarding your relocation practices (I personally see no problem with it). If I ever come across a late season trout I guess I will have to thank you (and remember to look for trout there the following year).

Others' ignorance of the Rahway's bounty is our gain as far as I am concerned. I myself was ignorant of its fishing potential despite living blocks away until just recently. Now I can't believe I used to drive to the union county ponds you read about on here (aka Milton, Rahway park, echo, etc,) only to get skunked when I could have just walked down the street and consistently hooked largemouth in perfect wooded seclusion.

[Suntzu]

Nomahegan has been stocked with channel cats which will make there way quickly into the Rahway offering another good fishery

[phil]

Originally Posted by Suntzu

I need my fellow Cranfordians to lobby to have the mighty Rahway stocked with pike and stretches stocked with smallmouth
I would happily give up the trout stockings for this
Although I did catch two trout on the Might R Saturday with the fly rod

im all for it, who do I need to call or email. ive never been a fan of trout fishing in general and consider it a waste of time and money for them to be stocked in places where they will all be dead and/or caught and eaten by people who don't even have a license. spend more energy stocking real fish that can survive and reproduce and be caught and released. stock baitfish lm&sm bass,pike,perch, sunnies catfish, whatever, I don't care.

can you recommend a decent small fly fishing setup for panfish/small bass. something under $100 all in, reel and rod included

[XXlyakattacker]

Originally Posted by logs22

as a "north-sider".

eeeewwwweeee! Yucky northsiders! Lmao!