Nighttime the Raritan 8/7/16

[AVA67]

I decided quite late last night that I needed to get out of the house and hit the water. I typically over pack for most fishing trips and I don't like going out unprepared, but I just grabbed a handful of hooks and sinkers and figured I would hit a spot on the North Branch I always figured would hold catfish or eels. Long story short, I smashed my knee in an unseen storm drain, almost walked off a 10 foot drop off, and somehow bumbled my way into a massive green briar patch before I ever made it to my spot.

At that point I said F$%* it and walked back to my car and started driving home. Two minutes from my house I passed a spot on the Raritan that I scouted earlier this year for smallmouth and carp. The water here is much shallower then I normally think of as prime catfish water, but I know the area well enough to at least get to the water without bleeding anymore and hoped that I might manage a few eels or a bullhead or two.

The first 2 casts I broke off 2 of the 4 slip sinkers I had brought with me. Finally I managed to get a line in the water for a few minutes without snagging bottom. I missed the first few light bites I had before finally connecting with my first fish of the night with turned out to be a nice 4 lb channel cat. The next 40 minutes I never went more then 5 minutes with out a bite. I finished the night with 2 channel cats both around 4 lbs, a big 16" brown bullhead, and 3 cookie cutter 12/13" stripers.

Fish were still chewing very well when I lost my 4th and last sinker I had with me. Oh well, nice ending to what started off as a really crappy night.

All fish safely released.