Millstone River report

[tycomps]

Launched the boat Sunday above the dam at Wilhousky this time and headed up to the Amwell Rd bridge looking for the pike the state stocks in the Millstone. Current was strong and the water was stained and higher than average (not a big fan of mud bottom rivers) so I threw noisy, flashy stuff at pretty much every laydown and weed bed I saw (gold/chartreuse chatterbait, gold/silver johnson spoon, sp minnow). Anchored at the Amwell bridge for a while then drifted back down to Wilhousky. I was surprised by the lack of activity compared to the Raritan and the D&R canal running alongside the river. Two hours up river and two back down and I only saw one turtle on a log, three birds, and NO FISH. I even anchored up at the Whilousky bridge and threw keitechs for an hour for bass without so much as a hit at a spot that usually produces for me. Any day spent fishing is great but this one was frustrating!

[Skunk City]

I don't think I've heard of any Pike being caught from the Millstone EVER.

[Doug Vitale]

Originally Posted by Skunk City

I don't think I've heard of any Pike being caught from the Millstone EVER.

I caught a 5-lb. pike at the confluence of the Raritan and Millstone about fifteen years ago. Since the Raritan does not get stocked with pike, it must have swum down from the Millstone. But I feel Tycomp's pain...a few years ago a friend and I put a boat in at the confluence and fished hard all the way up to the Wilhousky St. bridge. In three hours I got one walleye and he get one pickerel that had someone else's Rapala stuck in its jaw. The Millstone looks very "fishy" but it's not a good producer of fish for some reason. Another poster caught a decent musky in it several weeks ago, but that must have swum down from Lake Carnegie.

[AndyS]

I think it's time to start writing F&G more love letters, time to $%#& or get off the pot on this one. Then again looking at other places stocked with Pike how well do they stand up ? Deal lake ?? Farrington ??? Cranberry Lake ???
At 2k plus pike a year thrown into the Muddystone you would think something would survive. Reading this post and many others from that river is looks like a wash. SOMETIMES you see a pike in the Raritan, rarely, and it seems most are beat up or sickly looking. What is it with that Muddystone ? And going hell bent removing dams for American Shad ? Seems like the ONLY thing that can survive that river is carp. Please someone correct me if I am wrong. Even recent F&G electro-shocking came up a dud on Pike from what I understand.
Good waste of pike stocking there if you ask me, they should go dump them in the D&R canal.

[Heronimo42]

I've caught a boat load of smallies and pickerel in that stretch of the Millstone. Never a pike though.

[thmyorke1]

Originally Posted by AndyS

I think it's time to start writing F&G more love letters, time to $%#& or get off the pot on this one. Then again looking at other places stocked with Pike how well do they stand up ? Deal lake ?? Farrington ??? Cranberry Lake ???
At 2k plus pike a year thrown into the Muddystone you would think something would survive. Reading this post and many others from that river is looks like a wash. SOMETIMES you see a pike in the Raritan, rarely, and it seems most are beat up or sickly looking. What is it with that Muddystone ? And going hell bent removing dams for American Shad ? Seems like the ONLY thing that can survive that river is carp. Please someone correct me if I am wrong. Even recent F&G electro-shocking came up a dud on Pike from what I understand.
Good waste of pike stocking there if you ask me, they should go dump them in the D&R canal.

The canal is odd sometimes too. You can cast for a an hour in seemingly good spots and jig the banks but make it out bite less. Nonetheless it holds nice fish and a variety of them. How would pike do with the current population of pickerel?

Pike do fine in the muddy Passaic, why not millstone?

[buzzbaiter]

I've bank beat the Millstone throughout that area. Not easy as the banks are high/steep and the mud slippery not to mention poison ivy everywhere. Agree it looks great with plenty of snags to cast too but a lot of cover doesn't equate to fish. Caught a few lmb and smb and some pickerel up to 24" but its mostly redbreast sunfish and falfish water. Canal parallel to it has lots of fish but also lot of swaying, seemingly alive weedbeds. which snag everything. you throw.

[bulletbob]

Try live bait maybe.. I have had many problems over the years taking fish from some rivers even when you KNOW there are lots of them.. I have the problem here in the northern susquehanna which is mostly mud.. Lots of fish, but they don't come easily much of the time.. In rivers fish often get programmed to certain food sources, and won't budge from it.. Live bait often helps when they won't touch a lure..
I have had more problems with mud bottom FW rivers than rocky ones.. Fish submerged trees, brushy areas, deep holes, knowing there are fish there, and never draw a hit..been there too many times.. I usually just give up and go elsewhere.. bob