What lives in "tidal" waters ?

[AndyS]

Like near New Brunswick, is it a dead zone. I was looking at the lower Raritan river on Google Earth and it is huge, just wonder what might be lurking in the "zone" between fresh and salt, then I guess I have to tides into effect also. The section of river is close to my home but I read few reports from the area (other than tackle boxes being stolen, etc.)
I looked around the net and it is hard to come up with anything. I have floated the upper stretches, I see alot of boat ramps on the lower end.
Thanx for the help.

[mcfish82]

channel cats, carp, small/largemouth, suckers, stripers, eels, white/yellow perch, bullheads, sunnies, blue claw crabs, etc

[HerringKing]

....and a possible sturgeon

[Mark B.]

All of the above.

In 1978, I was a fisheries worker with NJF&W, helping in a study to see if it was feasible to stock adult American shad in the Raritan River to try reestablish a run. We looked for A. shad & river herring by electrofishing & setting nets, mostly. At the numerous dam holes, we used M-80’s tied to rocks.

Once, while slowly motoring under the Route 1 bridge, the biologist lit such a depth charge & tossed it overboard. 1, 2, 3, 4,……..then a muffled PUUUMMPH!! Then, another 1, 2, 3, 4,………& the water surface around the boat erupted with about 100 menhaden flying into the air,….& a good number of them into the boat!

It was pretty funny!,...like part of a real life Warner Brother’s cartoon.

The taping of the 2012 Raritan R. shad run began on 3/26. So far, we’ve seen a number of gizzard shad, carp, a smallie, a trout & 1 American shad.

[Wilson]

Originally Posted by Mark B.

All of the above.

In 1978, I was a fisheries worker with NJF&W, helping in a study to see if it was feasible to stock adult American shad in the Raritan River to try reestablish a run. We looked for A. shad & river herring by electrofishing & setting nets, mostly. At the numerous dam holes, we used M-80’s tied to rocks.

Once, while slowly motoring under the Route 1 bridge, the biologist lit such a depth charge & tossed it overboard. 1, 2, 3, 4,……..then a muffled PUUUMMPH!! Then, another 1, 2, 3, 4,………& the water surface around the boat erupted with about 100 menhaden flying into the air,….& a good number of them into the boat!

It was pretty funny!,...like part of a real life Warner Brother’s cartoon.

The taping of the 2012 Raritan R. shad run began on 3/26. So far, we’ve seen a number of gizzard shad, carp, a smallie, a trout & 1 American shad.

Mark,
We used to do the M-80 thing back in the day, we put some rocks on a sheet of foil, added 1 M-80 wrapped it up with the fuse punched through the foil, light it and drop it in . Does that kill the fish or just stun them?

[shucker]

[acabtp]

Originally Posted by shucker

Attachment 46606

hahaha

[Mark B.]

Originally Posted by Wilson

Mark,
We used to do the M-80 thing back in the day, we put some rocks on a sheet of foil, added 1 M-80 wrapped it up with the fuse punched through the foil, light it and drop it in . Does that kill the fish or just stun them?

Killed most of them.

That same biologist got a case of ground burst simulators from someone @ Fort Dix.

They looked like thick, red flares. On their side was printed WARNING: Plastic shrapnel – clear 100ft. area.

He tied a rock to one, twisted it to ignite (it let out a whistle) and tossed it @ the base of Duke Island Dam. Glug,...glug,..glug.....nothing. The fuse, obviously, wasn't waterproof.

We were all standing around discussing our next move when,……….WHISTLE,……..crazy Hilary Zich cracked another one, & casually tossed it onto the water’s surface! Laughing, he joined us all in diving behind the state vehicle.

KABOOM!!,………..a geyser of water, & plastic shrapnel, shot up & rained down on us!

So, Hil still had a case of these things. For next year or so, when you least expected it, maybe a slow day @ the Lab,…………WHISTLE,…….. KABOOM!!

Those were simpler, more laid back times. Today,…….you would have SWAT swarm in on you!

[Wilson]

Originally Posted by Mark B.

Killed most of them.

That same biologist got a case of ground burst simulators from someone @ Fort Dix.

They looked like thick, red flares. On their side was printed WARNING: Plastic shrapnel – clear 100ft. area.

He tied a rock to one, twisted it to ignite (it let out a whistle) and tossed it @ the base of Duke Island Dam. Glug,...glug,..glug.....nothing. The fuse, obviously, wasn't waterproof.

We were all standing around discussing our next move when,……….WHISTLE,……..crazy Hilary Zich cracked another one, & casually tossed it onto the water’s surface! Laughing, he joined us all in diving behind the state vehicle.

KABOOM!!,………..a geyser of water, & plastic shrapnel, shot up & rained down on us!

So, Hil still had a case of these things. For next year or so, when you least expected it, maybe a slow day @ the Lab,…………WHISTLE,…….. KABOOM!!

Those were simpler, more laid back times. Today,…….you would have SWAT swarm in on you!

As Bill Murray said in Stripes...I want to party with you someday!

Thanks for the reply. BTW are you fishing on opening day?

[Billfish715]

This thread brings me back to when I was a kid. The same actions today would have Homeland Security dispatched in helicopters and it would be a military action directed toward kids who just wanted to have fun. Yeah, we did the M80 thing too. They can wake the dead when they are lit and tossed without any weight below a dam. Weighted, they sure do a number on any fish in the area. I don't remember too many of them ever just swimming away. My dad told me stories of how his platoon in WWII would go fishing in France with hand grenades. They used their helmets to scoop the fish up and bring them back for lunch. If PETA and the EPA was around back then, they would have tried to bring the soldiers up on charges. My, how the world has changed!