Union County Catfish

[Billfish715]

I saw in the hatchery summary of stocked fish that Lower Echo Lake received some channel catfish. If I remember correctly, there were other lakes in Union County that had been stocked with cats over the years. Is anyone catching any of the channel cats in Echo? I remember they were stocked several times in Echo over the years. .

Any and all of the Union County ponds need to be dredged periodically because of the accumulated sediment. The middle lake in Echo was dredged many years ago and seriously needs dredging again. The same can be said about Surprise, Lenape and other no name ponds. Without any attention, the local ponds in this area will just silt up and die.

[Skunk City]

You can find 2015, as well as past years stocking summaries at this link. It goes back to 1999...

http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/hacktown.htm#summaries

[logs22]

Originally Posted by Billfish715

I saw in the hatchery summary of stocked fish that Lower Echo Lake received some channel catfish. If I remember correctly, there were other lakes in Union County that had been stocked with cats over the years. Is anyone catching any of the channel cats in Echo? I remember they were stocked several times in Echo over the years. .

Any and all of the Union County ponds need to be dredged periodically because of the accumulated sediment. The middle lake in Echo was dredged many years ago and seriously needs dredging again. The same can be said about Surprise, Lenape and other no name ponds. Without any attention, the local ponds in this area will just silt up and die.

I also noticed that Lower Echo had received some Channel Cats and actually took advantage of the warm weather and rising lake levels to try and catch one of them last night. Of course the only part of the Lower lake free of ice is way up where upper lake feeds the middle lake, and then the open water hugged the far side of the middle lake up to the bridge. The middle lake side of the bridge was open water and the lower lake side was solid ice.

I tried my luck first up near the outlet for upper lake in a relatively deep section close to the current (which was strong from the rain) but protected by a small cove and a lay down/log jam. I also was dead sticking some power bait hoping for one of the last winter trout and had a third pole, my first baitcaster, that I was just messing around with and learning how to use. I didn't have any luck there but something BIG jumped so close to Me it scared the hell out of me. It was probably a carp, but I haven't seen that many carp in Echo so who knows.

Next tried my luck by the bridge using a bottom slip rig and casting under the bridge as well as near the rocks on either side. I was using a treble hook with Cats Blood bait on one rod, and a couple small dead shiners on a octopus hook on the other. Once again no luck. I have been trying the same setup to catch one of the channels in Nomahegan (also stocked) and also in some of the deep pools in the Rahway back in Nomahegan park. You guessed it, nada.

Anyone want to provide some tips? I had only caught catfish by accident until a few weeks ago when I realized during the cold weather months trout an catfish would be better targets than my usual quarry, the LMB. Regardless it's been fun to learn new techniques.

[Delawareriver]

If you are just trying to catch any channel cat I don't think you can beat chicken liver, if you want big channels gotta use cut bait, trout especially the heads are my favorite but suckers, creek chubs, sunfish all will work. In the the dead of winter they can be tough to catch but very possible, best time is late March, april, early may or late September and october.

[catfishonthelake]

Lower Echo and Nomahegan (post drain) have both had recent late-year stocking with channels that are already pushing 20 inches. I have tried Upper Echo many times and have only caught hundreds of 8-inch bullheads. Now, if you REALLY want to catch channels in UC, go to Warinanco in Elizabeth. It's loaded with them and there are fish pushing 10 pounds in there. All you need is chicken livers.

[Billfish715]

I knew about the Warinanco stocking but not the size of the fish. Echo has been stocked in the past but I haven't heard of anything of any notable size. Besides the silting problems in all the U.C. ponds, there isn't much forage except for sunnies and their fry. A large supplemental stocking of shiners or fathead minnows more often will go a long way to help sustain the fish population.

Thanks for the fishing report from Echo. I've heard that the majority of the fall stocked trout have been taken during the warm fall and early winter.

[logs22]

Originally Posted by Billfish715

I knew about the Warinanco stocking but not the size of the fish. Echo has been stocked in the past but I haven't heard of anything of any notable size. Besides the silting problems in all the U.C. ponds, there isn't much forage except for sunnies and their fry. A large supplemental stocking of shiners or fathead minnows more often will go a long way to help sustain the fish population.

Thanks for the fishing report from Echo. I've heard that the majority of the fall stocked trout have been taken during the warm fall and early winter.

Went out again last night and hit up a spot on the Rahway that I had long suspected was good for catfish but avoided because it seemed to get a lot of pressure during the summer and after the spring stocking because it is so easily accessible. Anyway I figured my concerns related to fishing pressure wouldn't really be an issue fishing in February so I headed over there with my dog around 10 pm and was not disappointed. No pics as phone was dead and I really planned to do more 'scouting' than fishing but suffice to say I think I found my catfish honey hole.

The only downside is that I might have to refrain from my habit of fishing super late at night due to the (excessive) police patrols of the parking lot with the closest access. I was fishing for An hour and a half last night and saw three seperate police patrols come by, each time shining their spotlight into my parked car (whereas at Echo and Nomahegan lakes I have fished every hour of the night and never even seen a police car). Of course as I was leaving another patrol was going by and was in the process of peering into my car when I walked up. Maybe it's the fishing pole, the dog, or combination of both, but this is the second time I have interacted with the police while fishing technically after hours and both times the police were more interested in whether I caught anything than with the fact that the park closed hours before.

Billfish - Send me a PM if you are interested in the spot. Anyone with even limited knowledge of the river stretch between Route 22 and the GSP would likely be familiar with this hole.

[Jigman13]

The po po usually leaves you alone if you're JUST fishing. If you stink like ganja or grandpas cough syrup it might be a diff story. I've never been chased out of anywhere by cops when I was fishing. I think they're more relieved if anything when they see a vehicle owner approaching their car with fishing gear and collected garbage.

[catfishonthelake]

Originally Posted by Jigman13

The po po usually leaves you alone if you're JUST fishing. If you stink like ganja or grandpas cough syrup it might be a diff story. I've never been chased out of anywhere by cops when I was fishing. I think they're more relieved if anything when they see a vehicle owner approaching their car with fishing gear and collected garbage.

Ha ha. Well put.

[Matt A.]

tough time of year to catch cats. you do the same thing fishing at night in a few months and it will be hard to NOT catch one.