Ramapo 2/18/19

[Hookmanski]

Hit the Ramapo this morning, threw the kitchen sink and finished with nada. Spinners, plugs, jigs, they weren’t having any of it. Beautiful water though, flows were right about normal and the water was pretty clear.

It was my first time fishing here and I’ll definitely be going back. Saw one other guy with a HUGE pole, maybe fishing for carp? That’s the only thing I could think of.

Hope y’all had better luck than me if you were off today! tight lines :D

[thmyorke1]

Maybe tenkara, or noodle rod drifting bait?

Try smaller lures, rainbows wouldn't touch my larger jigs but were over my small things

[FASTEDDIE29]

It happens man! The fish are there for sure. Maybe they were just cranky. Haha! You’ll get em next time.

[AndyS]

What town were you fishing the Slam-A-Po ? Get photos?
It was raw and windy later in the day, glad you got out at least.

[Hookmanski]

It happens man! The fish are there for sure. Maybe they were just cranky. Haha! You’ll get em next time.

True that!! I'm going with they were cranky :D

Maybe tenkara, or noodle rod drifting bait?

Try smaller lures, rainbows wouldn't touch my larger jigs but were over my small things

Could've been a noodle rod drifting bait, way to thick to be a tenkara rod and he was soaking it, not really casting at all. I tried my whole arsenal of jigs, still nothing!! Also, I saw the biggest crayfish I've ever seen in NJ. It was dead, but freshly dead and was intact. Going to bring some trout slayers (same company as trout magnet) with me next time to try and match the hatch better.

What town were you fishing the Slam-A-Po ? Get photos?
It was raw and windy later in the day, glad you got out at least.

I actually fished a park right near Ramapo college, it was nice and access was pretty good, until i walked upstream a ways and found a private stretch with tons of posted signs. But going downstream was pretty open and there were lots of nice stretches of trout water. No photos as I was run and gun fishing the whole time trying to catch at least one! :D Next time for sure!

[Fun King]

I don't think there are any trout in the Ramapo right now. Cormorants eat them all. I don't even see suckers in there any more.

[Hookmanski]

I don't think there are any trout in the Ramapo right now. Cormorants eat them all. I don't even see suckers in there any more.

Interesting. Now that you mention it, I didn't see a single fish the entire time despite the water being pretty clear. No creek chubs, suckers, nothing. I'm sure they're in there just probably much harder to find.

I wonder if trout stocking programs have had a direct effect on Comorant populations over the years. Easier to survive if its easier to get food...

[BT67]

Interesting. Now that you mention it, I didn't see a single fish the entire time despite the water being pretty clear. No creek chubs, suckers, nothing. I'm sure they're in there just probably much harder to find.

I wonder if trout stocking programs have had a direct effect on Comorant populations over the years. Easier to survive if its easier to get food...


Been fishing the Ramapo over the last 3-4 years during trout season. All I can say is its a strange river. Some good spots with flow and rocks and other very slow stretches with tons of trees and snags. Definitely put and take and almost no by catch in the areas I fish. Not a fan but its the closest main river to where I live in Bergen county.

[Hookmanski]

Been fishing the Ramapo over the last 3-4 years during trout season. All I can say is its a strange river. Some good spots with flow and rocks and other very slow stretches with tons of trees and snags. Definitely put and take and almost no by catch in the areas I fish. Not a fan but its the closest main river to where I live in Bergen county.

Very interesting. Yeah the stretch i fished was a deeper section with slower moving water, rocks and submerged trees. Luckily only snagged real bad once, the other times i was able to get it out. It seriously looked like a perfect trout habitat, but I guess if most people see it as a put and take, plus the comorants, there might not be many left in there at this point in the year.

[JDTuna]

You'll get them next time! It's a tough time of year right now.