Good Day on Hopatcong

[catfishonthelake]

I fished the KDC walleye tourney today and wound up with a nice mixed bag. I caught 2 largemouth (one dink and a nice chunk), a big perch, 2 hefty bullheads, a slammer pickerel, a 4.5-pound walleye and 4-pound hybrid. The walleye was sitting in 3rd place in the contest when we got off the lake, but it probably won't stay there until 2pm tomorrow when the contest ends. All fish came on live herring on slip bobbers and a down rod while double-anchored. Beautiful day out there, clouds, not too much wind, nice and cool and a significant lack of yahoooos. This is without question the best lake in NJ.......if you know how to fish it.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/312066_2400480537654_1420277128_2750463_557289048_ n.jpg

[johnnyc08]

Nice!

[Skunk City]

Nice variety dude! Sounds like a lot of fun!

What kind of depths were your catches at, more notably the lmb, walleye and hybrid?

[catfishonthelake]

Thanks man. It was a good day.

We were anchored in 25 to 30 feet of water off main lake points. From there, we were casting to the shore and to the sides with slip-bobbers. The LMB came right up against the shore and both mine and my buddy's walleye were on slip bobbers 10 to 15 feet down. They hybrid came right off the bottom on a down rod I was hanging directly under the boat. I also missed a fish on the down rod and the herring had an entire mouthful take out of it neck. I'm sure that was a walleye as well.

Hey Skunk. Do you have any idea if that mudslide was cleared away. I'd like to go back there in a few weeks.

[Salt]

The mudslide was cleared away but the road is still closed off, if your talking about Mt Lake.

[catfishonthelake]

Any idea if they plan on opening the road in the coming weeks?

[catfishonthelake]

................and thanks for the help btw.

[AndyS]

Great day ! I think you said a 9 lb. walleye was leading the tournament?

[Salt]

I will be going to the firehouse for breakfast tomorrow. I will see what I can find out about the boat launch.

[tjc76]

nice job catfish!

[catfishonthelake]

Thanks Salt!!! And yeah Andy, Lou weighed-in a walleye that was just shy of 9 lbs. That will probably win. Second place was 5.1 and mine was in 3rd at 4.8. We'll see if that holds up, I'm not optimistic.

[FASTEDDIE29]

nice fish, it might take 3rd. Fingers crossed..........

[catfishonthelake]

Thanks Eddie!!!

[jrock]

hey guys, new to the forums here but been reading them since spring. I have recieved a lot of good tips here since so i figured should join in and maybe i can return the favor to some of you guys here because fishing is my passion. I have been hitting hopatcong lately its the latest lake I am trying to figure out so thanks for the info catfish I should be out there tomm. so we shall see what happens.

[joeya78]

awesome fish!congrats

[Salt]

Any idea if they plan on opening the road in the coming weeks?
Right now they are using the boat ramp area for the staging area for the clean-up. There are other places to get in the water, but not w/ a trailer.

[catfishonthelake]

No problem JRock, welcome to the board. Hopatcong can be a tough lake, but very rewarding if you keep at it. I've only been fishing it for 3 years and I spent the first one catching NOTHING. I've since learned a few things and have caught some nice fish. You can PM me if you have any more specific questions as to places on the lake to fish. I don't mind sharing some of my spots, just don't like posting them to the world.

Salt Man....thanks a bunch. I was hoping to fish the lake mid-October into November. I'm hoping it will be all done by then. Did you get the sense that they were in the process of doing the clean-up and that it will be done in a few weeks, or is this a long-haul kinda thing?

[johnnyc08]

its after 2pm, any word on if you held 3rd?

[catfishonthelake]

I got knocked out of the money. My fish finished 5th. I'll get $20 to the bait shop. Get myself some herring for the next trip.

[johnnyc08]

well 5th is better than last (unless there were only 5 people in the tourney that is lol)

[catfishonthelake]

Thanks man. There were well more than 5 entries.

[johnnyc08]

good then, now you dont have to change the title of the thread lol...congrats again

[bunker dunker]

good job catfish,pretty soon it will be jigging time up the lake.

[catfishonthelake]

Thanks Bunker Dunker. Jigging soon indeed.