Oradell Reservoir

[nlandy]

Been cruising the site for a few weeks now and figured nows a good time to get my feet wet and throw a post out there.

Fished Oradell Reservoir for the first time with my old man this past weekend. Not sure how he got the info about the watershed program there but he signed us up and we hit the reservoir for a few hours Saturday morning after the rain. Caught 4 fish total, 3 bass 1 perch.

I've seen a lot of talk on the message board about the Newark Watershed and how productive some of the lakes there are, but have yet to see someone mention any of the United Watershed. I thought the reservoir seemed to have some potential, especially the area off of the main body of water with a lot of downed tree's and some really awesome looking structure. We dont have a boat so were a little restricted. Would you recommend us giving the Newark Watershed a try? Any color on the Oradell reservoir ?

-Nick

[NorthJerzyG]

Nice, never been there myself.

The newark watershed lakes are tough to shore fish, unless your up for some wading. Only way to get past the treeline in most spots. Just walk out past the trees, shin deep or so, and walk along the waters edge. I had some decent luck this way......

[FASTEDDIE29]

Nice job man. Too bad you cant take a boat out there. Theres Walleye, Stripers, Hybrid Stripers, Smallmouth and big Catfizz in that place.

[Skunk City]

I've heard the legends of Hybrid Stripers in there but have yet to hear of someone actually pulling one out of there. I'll be fishing below the dam there in the near future and see what's up.

[THAT GUY]

I've heard the legends of Hybrid Stripers in there but have yet to hear of someone actually pulling one out of there. I'll be fishing below the dam there in the near future and see what's up.
There are no more hybrids. I live less than 2 mins away from the res and fish there almost everyday. Never seen a hybrid, they were put in years ago and don't reproduce so they are gone. Anyone who says they have seen or caught one lately is lying or confused. I pulled some nice bass out of there tonight.

[Bergen Angler]

I live less than a mile from the Gate #1 and hasn't seen any Hybrids this year. I haven't caught any Bass lately after they put the pesticide on June 15th. Maybe the water temp. is too high lately?

Watch out for the lock at the gate as someone (or the United Water) put so much WD40 on the lock.

[Skunk City]

I live less than a mile from the Gate #1 and hasn't seen any Hybrids this year. I haven't caught any Bass lately after they put the pesticide on June 15th. Maybe the water temp. is too high lately?

Watch out for the lock at the gate as someone (or the United Water) put so much WD40 on the lock.

Ever pulled a hybrid out of there?

[Bergen Angler]

I started fishing at the Reservoir about 12 years ago and stopped fishing after 9/11 (they closed it for a while). And I started fishing again last year. But I never pulled any Hybrids - I am probably not a good angler. :)

[basspilot]

Id be willing to try the oradell res is anyone would like to join one night. I don't have a pass but if there are walleye in there id love to give it a shot. I've been trying to get my first walleye for about 2 years now.

[Bergen Angler]

I don't think there are any Walleyes at the Oradell Reservoir. I have seen Smallie, Bucket, Cat, White & Yellow Perch, Carp & Crappies but no Hybrids and no Walleyes. I would be happy to join you in the morning. It gets a bit too hot lately in the evening and you are to leave the Reservoir when the Sun goes down (I think it's around 8:30 PM right now).

[Bergen Angler]

Went to the Oradell Reservoir this morning from 5AM-8AM. A few bites but it was hot hot hot, muggy & humid - completely unbearable. Said hello to my Moby as we do once in a while. Since the moon and the sun were pulling together, I saw a lot of bait fish activity all over around the time when the moon was rising.

[Wilson]

Went to the Oradell Reservoir this morning from 5AM-8AM. A few bites but it was hot hot hot, muggy & humid - completely unbearable. Said hello to my Moby as we do once in a while. Since the moon and the sun were pulling together, I saw a lot of bait fish activity all over around the time when the moon was rising.
As I remember it the skeeters are thick there...are they still?

[Bergen Angler]

Very thick but skeeters are easier to deal with than the horse flies... they really bite and sting ..

[fishfinder]

There are still hybrids there and there are some real big ones. There is an abundance of herring which is why the fish were put in there in the first place. I went out one day and I was on the wrong side of the island but I saw them busting up bait. I didn't have enough time to walk back around before dark, killed me to watch. I've been meaning to go back but I have been beating on lmb in some other waters the last few weeks and haven't got around to it. A few years back I used to hammer them up there and in the waters below. Try fishing bigger topwaters in the last two hours or so of light...I would use a little longer rod to get some casting distance, the bait comes up on the points and they are on them. They respond best to the topwater in that sundown bite. Never seen a walleye but there are some good bass in there lmb and smb. I grew up fishing this water and I fish the waters around there just about every day. The key is to get off the beaten path a little bit but it is tough with the amount houses around.

[Bergen Angler]

No bass for me lately - just a lot of white perch and small yellow perch. Can't figure out where all the LMB and SMB are.

[THAT GUY]

There are still hybrids there and there are some real big ones. There is an abundance of herring which is why the fish were put in there in the first place. I went out one day and I was on the wrong side of the island but I saw them busting up bait. I didn't have enough time to walk back around before dark, killed me to watch. I've been meaning to go back but I have been beating on lmb in some other waters the last few weeks and haven't got around to it. A few years back I used to hammer them up there and in the waters below. Try fishing bigger topwaters in the last two hours or so of light...I would use a little longer rod to get some casting distance, the bait comes up on the points and they are on them. They respond best to the topwater in that sundown bite. Never seen a walleye but there are some good bass in there lmb and smb. I grew up fishing this water and I fish the waters around there just about every day. The key is to get off the beaten path a little bit but it is tough with the amount houses around.
Hey I would love to hit the reservoir with you sometime as I have never seen a hybrid in there and I've been fishing there for over 10 years. Never a walleye either. Caught a nice Eel last night but other then that and the regular crappie, LMB,SMB, carp and white/yellow perch that's about all I've ever seen or heard of and I've met plenty of guys who talk about all the hybrids they catch but didn't get a pic or nobody else was there but that's about all. I'm fishing there tonight actually just waiting for it to get dark.

[Cwill]

I used to fish Oradell fairly often before the post 9/11 closure, don't ever remember catching anything worth bragging about, mostly smaller LMBs, and perch.

Out of curiosity a couple years ago I did get the permit again but never really enjoyed it, they had closed many of the gates and would chase you out of there at dusk just as the fishing would start to pickup.

Would love to get the kayak out there to fish it just once. I know the Hackensack Riverkeeper has organized several paddles on the reservoir over the last few years but I believe they are all setup as tours where you need stick with the group.

[AndrewT]

There were never any walleye. There definitely are still some hybrids in there.

[hockeyp21]

I see this is an old thread, but has anyone fished the Oradell reservoir in 2019? I fished it back in the late 90s, and caught smb, lmb, yellow perch. I recently went down there this July and was only able to bring in a couple of yellow perch. Plenty of carp there, if that's your thing...but bass seem to be nowhere. I was curious if anyone has had similar experiences??? Seems that the bass population has dramatically reduced. I've read posts here that people have caught catfish as well...I never seen any of those either.