Finding Pike or Bass in the Passaic River

[al7601]

I'm not looking for any exact locations but it would be helpful since I haven't caught a thing yet, but maybe some general info. I'm casting from land, no boat :( , and wanted to know if I should be casting towards shadowed areas, open areas like mid river, under a bridge, near rocks, near water falls or anything else to help me in my journey. PM me if you'd like.

Would be great if someone would like to meet up in the Bergen County area to maybe show me some tips for the river.

thanks!

[flyboy1]

depends what your fishing for.. Largemouth, smallmouth or Pike?

Largemouth... look for vegetation and structure with deep pools...

Smallmouth.... look for Rocky bottoms, structure with deep pools...

Pike.... look for inlets with structure, deep pools with structure.. Pike are ambush predators and dont like current so most of the time they will be sitting behind structure that breaks current, or will be sitting in inlets just out of the current waiting for passing by fish...

[Skunk City]

My advice to you would be to go back and read all the Passaic River threads/reports from January on. You will find a PLETHORA of information as to lures, techniques, structure, time of day, and AREAS. I for one have posted some very detailed reports on my catches on the river, including pike, largemouth, smallmouth, perch, carp, crappie and catfish. There are probably 10 guys who consistently do well and regularly post about it here. Their reports may be even more helpful then mine. Good luck.

[fishin4fun]

one thing i realized reading back as far as last year, all the good catches and locations are by way of kayak...

[FASTEDDIE29]

Hmmmmm, you would have an advantage if you had a kayak of course. A kayak is not mandatory to find these fish. They stock off the bridges in most cases, if you find a bridge youll find PIKE eventually. Passaic river banks are nice and dry right now, you can walk quite a long way along the banks. Start here, passaicriverbasin.com, youll find some access points and parks on this site. TIGHT LINES, GOOD LUCK!!!

[Webstersigam]

One thing I've learned by reading all these posts is that Skunk City could be a kayak guide on the Pasaic River. Because of his posts I've recently purchased a kayak for my own fishing needs.

[flyboy1]

one thing i realized reading back as far as last year, all the good catches and locations are by way of kayak...

You do not need a kayak or boat to do well in the Passaic.... I can catch Pike and Bass with my eyes closed..... Its almost too easy for me to catch PIKE and Bass in the Passaic river that I have been looking for other challenges in other bodies of water.... Any area that you can access in the Passaic river that appears to be remote you will 99% be guaranteed to do well.....

[Skunk City]

One thing I've learned by reading all these posts is that Skunk City could be a kayak guide on the Pasaic River. Because of his posts I've recently purchased a kayak for my own fishing needs.

LOL I wouldn't say I am on THAT level yet, but I do have a good 4 or 5 spots from Bloomfield Ave. to below Dundee Dam to Belleville that are usually free-of-da-skunk. The kayak has helped, but I have a few spots from land that almost ALWAYS produce at least some nice Smallies. Bing maps and Google maps ARE YOUR FRIEND! Lots of paddling without catching fish, internet research, exploring, trespassing, making fishing buddies and definetly a lot of luck lol. These Pike frustrated the crap out of me for a while til I figured them out. They are a challenge, yet a badass fish to catch and land.

Glad I inspired you to pick up a yak though! Got in it for less than $250 and so far still under $400 with my modifications, you can't beat that for all the fish that have ended up flopping around in the bottom of it!

[The Dominator]

Not true about Kayak, Although you can cover more ground easier etc. I have been hammering Pike from the banks all year if you look at my biggest 45" monster was caught from the bank this year (I was just contacted by the NJ Dept of Fish & Game) they want to use it on their website. Biggest pike caught in many years. I have probably caught over 50 pike this year from the banks and besides the monster 45" ...10 to 15 from 34" to 38". You have to put in the work walking the banks ,then you will find your own special spot it takes time keep trying.:D

[The Dominator]

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&appID=90&mode=viewImage&imageID=9017&categoryID=20&orderBy=datePosted&userID=

[fishin4fun]

i guess im just not in the right area to walk the banks, there is no way to walk the banks around here...high tide eliminates any bank, and low tide is just a muddy mess, most likely will get stuck in the mudd trying to walk through it...i refuse to go to jail and or get fined for tresspassing as well..

Not true about Kayak, Although you can cover more ground easier etc. I have been hammering Pike from the banks all year if you look at my biggest 45" monster was caught from the bank this year (I was just contacted by the NJ Dept of Fish & Game) they want to use it on their website. Biggest pike caught in many years. I have probably caught over 50 pike this year from the banks and besides the monster 45" ...10 to 15 from 34" to 38". You have to put in the work walking the banks ,then you will find your own special spot it takes time keep trying.:D

[msgdan]

Not true about Kayak, Although you can cover more ground easier etc. I have been hammering Pike from the banks all year if you look at my biggest 45" monster was caught from the bank this year (I was just contacted by the NJ Dept of Fish & Game) they want to use it on their website. Biggest pike caught in many years. I have probably caught over 50 pike this year from the banks and besides the monster 45" ...10 to 15 from 34" to 38". You have to put in the work walking the banks ,then you will find your own special spot it takes time keep trying.:D


I don't think anyone said that you can't get them from shore, and it looks like you are having a great season, but the advantages from a kayak and getting to areas that you can't get to from shore are endless.

With well over 200 so far in the past 4 months, with at least 6 over 40" and many in the high 30's" in 10 different aras of the river, you can't argue that with a kayak there is a great advantage.

Congrats on the NJ Dept. of F&G !!!! I also got an E-mail from them for some pictures.

Danny V

[FASTEDDIE29]

NJ F+G IS AWESOME. Don't forget that there are PIKE from the beginning of the Passaic River all the way to the end. STACKED, best PIKE fishery in NJ by far!

[Skunk City]

i guess im just not in the right area to walk the banks, there is no way to walk the banks around here...high tide eliminates any bank, and low tide is just a muddy mess, most likely will get stuck in the mudd trying to walk through it...i refuse to go to jail and or get fined for tresspassing as well..

I am from Nutley, so I know what area of the river you are talking about. Downstream of the Dundee Dam is tidal and in my opinion, is best fished during the spring and fall Striper run. Look into the river in Fairfield, Wayne, Lincoln Park and Pine Brook.

[fishin4fun]

thanks skunk city..


I am from Nutley, so I know what area of the river you are talking about. Downstream of the Dundee Dam is tidal and in my opinion, is best fished during the spring and fall Striper run. Look into the river in Fairfield, Wayne, Lincoln Park and Pine Brook.

[antgogz]

I will be honest, I have caught many pike from the river in the past 6 years, but after reading the reports from msgdan and skunk city i am motivated to get a kayak. My buddy and I are also going to launch my 10 foot bass raider with a trolling motor in a few spots. With how big the river is I know are tons of holes that have not been touched with tons of pike just sitting there. I usually do not name spots on this site, but has anyone had any experience in fishing the river in passaic? That's right the city of passaic. One of my friends went there by boat along route 21 a few years ago and said that he caught a few pike. One of them ranging in the high 30s. It makes sense because I know there is a canal that runs off from the river and thats where he said they were. The only problem is you are paddling into territory where bums live on the side of the river under route 21. My other buddy said he watched a fishing show where the guys were fishing in passaic with white spinner baits hammering pike. They were also saying that "rats" are one of the main food sources since there are so many of them in passaic under route 21. Has anyone seen this? I am dying to see the show. Two people have seen it that i know.

[basspilot]

Ive fished the passaic section several times never seen a lot of pike down there but there in there for sure...got chewed off a few times but in the spring its loaded with striped I usually do well there for larger carp some smallies and the kitty's...if I'm not mistaken the saddle river dumps in somewhere in that area

[njbassman]

I have found the guys at Meltzers in Garfield friendly and knowledgable when looking for what to use for the diff species in the river... as far a where to go I think the one guy already said it best... look on the map for what looks under fished and start there.... lots of swampy areas that are usually unaccessible are dry enough to hike into this summer... might take some drivin around and investigating but you will find a good spot

[buzzbaiter]

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&appID=90&mode=viewImage&imageID=9017&categoryID=20&orderBy=datePosted&userID=



I know that tire! :)

[Skunk City]

I will be honest, I have caught many pike from the river in the past 6 years, but after reading the reports from msgdan and skunk city i am motivated to get a kayak. My buddy and I are also going to launch my 10 foot bass raider with a trolling motor in a few spots. With how big the river is I know are tons of holes that have not been touched with tons of pike just sitting there. I usually do not name spots on this site, but has anyone had any experience in fishing the river in passaic? That's right the city of passaic. One of my friends went there by boat along route 21 a few years ago and said that he caught a few pike. One of them ranging in the high 30s. It makes sense because I know there is a canal that runs off from the river and thats where he said they were. The only problem is you are paddling into territory where bums live on the side of the river under route 21. My other buddy said he watched a fishing show where the guys were fishing in passaic with white spinner baits hammering pike. They were also saying that "rats" are one of the main food sources since there are so many of them in passaic under route 21. Has anyone seen this? I am dying to see the show. Two people have seen it that i know.


Was down there last night Anthony. Launched and made my way over before the storms came (barely lol). Got one decent Smallie in about an hour of fishing. Nothing going on at the spot you mentioned, just lots of carp sucking in air at the surface...and no bums surprisingly! I've fished a lot of spots, but that one just puts me on edge due to the fact that I don't really want a 40oz. of malt liquor flying at my face courtesy of a cracked out homeless guy. Water was low down there. I will send you the link to that video, it is on YouTube. I'd rather not post it in here, because it will totally blow up that spot even more, and may even lead to a missing person or two. Don't want to see any NJFishing guys getting their faces eaten off by zombie bums :eek: .

[fishin4fun]

Was down there last night Anthony. Launched in Wallington and made my way over before the storms came (barely lol). Got one decent Smallie in about an hour of fishing. Nothing going on at the spot you mentioned, just lots of carp sucking in air at the surface...and no bums surprisingly! I've fished a lot of spots, but that one just puts me on edge due to the fact that I don't really want a 40oz. of malt liquor flying at my face courtesy of a cracked out homeless guy. I kind of stuck to the far side of the canal for safety. Water was low down there. I will send you the link to that video, it is on YouTube. I'd rather not post it in here, because it will totally blow up that spot even more, and may even lead to a missing person or two. Don't want to see any NJFishing guys getting their faces eaten off by zombie bums :eek: .


ive fished that area from shore plenty of times, the homeless are ok, they wont bother you, i walk right past them getting to that spot...

thers is also another inlet i found yesterday in east rutherford/wallington, a fella was already fishing there, one baited line and throwing every lure in his tackle box out there, not a bite he said.. i threw a white spinner bait, nothing, threw a 3 inch senko, something hit it hard, but didnt get a good hook set and it was gone with my senko within 5 seconds...

theres another inlet i know of i want to try, its actually some river or stream that dumps into the passaic, its narrow and dry, but widens up and is deeper before it gets to the passaic...

skunk where did u launch in wallington if u dont mind me asking?

[tycomps]

bridges work for me.