A fish story,.....but I believed it.

[Mark B.]

An angler called today. Said he was @ Brice Park on the Manasquan River, yesterday, & seeing the outline of a 3' long fish slash through the water, tossed his rubber fish jig on 8 lb. test line to it. The fish slammed it & took off. In a period of time, he hooked a total of 6 (!) similar fish, but only managed to get one of them close to shore, before it, too, got off. He said that it was very silvery, and felt that by what he had glimpsed of it & the way if fought, that it wasn't a striper (been fishing for a while & has caught those).

He didn't seem like a bullshitter to me.

[Lard Almighty]

Very interesting...

Just so you know, I once caught a bluefish (small) in the Manasquan a couple hundred yards downstream from the bridge at Bryce Park. If the salt line was far enough up the river, that may offer an explanation as to what those fish were. I'd be particularly interested in knowing how the angler missed the fish; if they bit through the line, then bluefish are probably the culprit.

If they weren't bluefish... well, then we all know what they most likely were.

[Mark B.]

Originally Posted by Lard Almighty

Very interesting...

Just so you know, I once caught a bluefish (small) in the Manasquan a couple hundred yards downstream from the bridge at Bryce Park. If the salt line was far enough up the river, that may offer an explanation as to what those fish were. I'd be particularly interested in knowing how the angler missed the fish; if they bit through the line, then bluefish are probably the culprit.

If they weren't bluefish... well, then we all know what they most likely were.

He didn't get bit off,......the fish just got off.

[Skunk City]

Soo...

...white perch?


Sturgeon?

[AndyS]

We are hoping sea-run brown trout.

[HerringKing]

There are big white suckers in there and with those lips it could easily get off

[Sea Run Hunter]

I don't believe every fish story. The Sea Runs are in the squan. Any one that says differently, has not put the time in to catch one. I say one because you will be lucky to get one. I own part of the Manasquan river north of the dam. I fish it 2 to 3 times a weak, every weak, day and night, all year round. I have kayaked and walked fishing the entire river from West Farms to Lightning Jacks. I have caught 2 around 23" both on a 2" silver and black rapalla. One below Brice park and the other just up river from the Parkway bridge where the river divides. I continue to hunt for a monster like Paul is photoed with. That will be the only trout I don't release.

[Mark B.]

Caught December, 2000
8 lb. 8 oz.

They're out there!

[dfish28]

Hmm Sea Run Hunter... Do I know you?

[Lard Almighty]

Originally Posted by Sea Run Hunter

I don't believe every fish story. The Sea Runs are in the squan. Any one that says differently, has not put the time in to catch one. I say one because you will be lucky to get one. I own part of the Manasquan river north of the dam. I fish it 2 to 3 times a weak, every weak, day and night, all year round. I have kayaked and walked fishing the entire river from West Farms to Lightning Jacks. I have caught 2 around 23" both on a 2" silver and black rapalla. One below Brice park and the other just up river from the Parkway bridge where the river divides. I continue to hunt for a monster like Paul is photoed with. That will be the only trout I don't release.

The sea-runs are definitely there; there just aren't many. Those who catch them are keeping quiet, making the whole fishery very hard to evaluate. In fact, I've heard of more sea-runs being caught by surf and jetty fishermen than from the Manasquan for the past couple of years.

While I can appreciate that the sea-run program is just a side project and does not cost anglers any additional money, I still maintain that the program is largely a waste of resources. If you're willing to put in the time and effort and manage to get one of them, though, then more power to you. It beats working, at any rate!