Thursday on the d - NJFishing.com Your Best Online Source for Fishing Information in New Jersey

ALS Mako · #1 10-12-2018, 07:44 AM

Had the day off from work due to weather; so after taking care of some errands decided to hit the river. Got to the river in the drizzle. Started throwing a keiteck and got one on but came unbuttoned. Moved down river and tried a spot that I wanted to hit last time in the high water but no one home. Moved up a little bit and nailed a short walleye on a crankbaits. Moved around a little more and got a 12" class smaller. Decided to call it a day before the next heavy downpour. Fished from 10 am to 1pm. River was slightly high but clean and a good 3 feet down from when I fished last. Lots dieing weeds and leaves in the water.

ALS Mako · #2 10-12-2018, 07:46 AM

#3 10-12-2018, 07:52 AM

Don't know how you do it. Been to the D below and above the Gap a few times the last few weeks and absolutely covered up with weeds on every cast. Slip bobbers with shiners, keitechs, raps, stick and crank baits......didn't matter. Weeds were so bad I couldn't fish it. Is that due to the high water in general or water being released up state or both?

HBird11 · #4 10-12-2018, 09:18 AM

It’s that time of the year when the eelgrass starts dying off and becoming a huge pain in the ass! Add some high water and leaves your in for a bit of frustration

FASTEDDIE29 · #5 10-12-2018, 08:09 PM

It’s all good!!! Better fishing is on the way!!!

#6 10-20-2018, 11:34 AM

Fished the D last night, between 10 to 1:30 am. As ALS Mako I believe recently posted, river definitely cleaned up with fewer leaves and eel grass and water level dropped from last week. Clarity was excellent. Fished first spot for about an hour without a touch. Lot of bait in the shallows but no takers or surface activity.

Made a move to second spot. Parked, got out of the car, saw a bunch of bear prints in the mud so decided for prosperity sake moving on to spot three.

Got to that spot and from around midnight to 2 in the morning caught five walleye, nothing big all in the 16 to 18 inch range and released. Missed maybe three or four others. Relatively new to walleye fishing but 4 of the 5 fish had a second walleye follow it in when I landed it. I know or at least thought they spawn around March / April so was surprised to see that. Not sure if it means anything, I'm really just getting started with walleye fishing so maybe it's common place for a school fish. Just found it interesting.

Coolest part of the night was the last fish caught. Was fishing an area with a relatively steep vertical drop. Switched over to a 4 inch Keitech and made my first cast. Wanted to make sure it was swimming right so when I got it close to where I could see it I turned my headlamp on and the second I did a walleye shot up and absolutely crushed it. Again not big but very aggressive strike. Very cool to see.

Started to rain and got pretty windy so called it a night. Water temps have definitely dropped, noticeably colder than the last few weeks. With the drop in temps hopefully fish are feeding up for the long winter ahead.

Jigman13 · #7 10-20-2018, 11:50 AM

The smaller males are def aggressive and feisty esp when schooled up. The numbers breed competition.

bulletbob · #8 10-20-2018, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jigman13

The smaller males are def aggressive and feisty esp when schooled up. The numbers breed competition.

correct,, Many years ago I caught 26 cookie cutter size males, all fighting each other for the lure, trying to take it away from the fighting fish.[ORL]. that was in a one and a half hour period, and I had a keeper size[ all about 16-17 inches or so], on every cast... they must have covered the bottom in the area I was fishing as this was mid afternoon, broad daylight... Never again saw anything like that, not even close, but it did show how those males get crazy when bunched up tight... Walleyes can be tough to catch when they aren't schooled up, but when they are, they can be as stupid and unwary as a very hungry bluegill... bob

thmyorke1 · #9 10-20-2018, 06:22 PM

Great looking fish. Hopefully weeds and leaves get going already!

#10 10-21-2018, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bulletbob

correct,, Many years ago I caught 26 cookie cutter size males, all fighting each other for the lure, trying to take it away from the fighting fish.[ORL]. that was in a one and a half hour period, and I had a keeper size[ all about 16-17 inches or so], on every cast... they must have covered the bottom in the area I was fishing as this was mid afternoon, broad daylight... Never again saw anything like that, not even close, but it did show how those males get crazy when bunched up tight... Walleyes can be tough to catch when they aren't schooled up, but when they are, they can be as stupid and unwary as a very hungry bluegill... bob

Bob that's an insane hour and half stretch of fishing! Jigman that's what I thought might have been happening. Fish were smaller in size and they were all males based on what I've read about distinguishing a male from a female walleye. Very cool either way seeing a set of lit up eyes following your hooked fish but not really seeing the fish itself. Females were probably deeper or not in the area I was fishing.