The Eyes Of April

[bunker dunker]

Fished Last Night On Lake Hopatcong, Near Brady Bridge And Played Catch And Release With The Eyes.it Was A Pretty Good Pick With Most Fish From 3-5 Lbs.slow Moving Sticks After Dark.all Released To Grow
Big.it Was Just A Great Night To Be Out.we Also Caught 10 Rainbows,
All Between 10-12 Inches Along With Some Crappies.

[FASTEDDIE29]

AWESOME!!! Planned on going tonight but plans changed. Going tomorrow afternoon and staying til the storm rolls in.

[Art Berkman]

Good Stuff Ed !!!

Here's your picture ;)

[FASTEDDIE29]

Awesome!!!

[Capt. Lou]

Nice catch BD , something about those eyeballs . Love to fish em' in fall with my neighbor! Funny he's on the lake today !
I'm committed to trout in streams in spring, good luck out there!

[bunker dunker]

The Lake Is Just Alive With Fish Now.we Are Looking For The Hybred
Stripers To Start.just A Great Time Of Year On Lake Hopatcong

[jimmythegreek]

Im looking forward to the stripers too BD, the nite fishing is only weeks away. The main lake is dead, all the activity is in the shallows, just gotta find the right spots ;) The fish are all lookin to do the love dance this time of year, until they get a hook in the mouth lol

[dopderbeck]

Stick baits you said?

[bunker dunker]

Floating Rapalas,bombers,smithwicks,thundersticks,huskyjerk s And
Stick Bait Will Work.

[AndyS]

Gee, look at my log book !!

April 26th 2008: Walleye on suspended stick baits.

Why more people don't keep log books is beyond me.

[bunker dunker]

We Had Them Good Again Last Night,all Released.we Had Allot Of White Perch,crappie,trout And One Good Slim Dart At 23inches.we Fish
The Jig And Bobber Till 7pm And Then Over To The Sticks.gotta Love The Way Those Eyes Smash A Lure 3 Ft From Ya.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Sounds like a great time, cant wait to get out there. Got tied up with work yesterday. Want to go tonight but now it looks like we're getting some wind and nasty weather. AHHHHHHHHH!!!:D

[bunker dunker]

It Was A Little Sporty Up There Last Night And They Were There.i Would Go Tonight If Ya Can Because Its Gonna Drop To Near Freezing On Saturday Night.that Will Probly Slow This A Bit.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Well Im gona hold off on going up tonight. Im sure you guys will get em again if your out there. Jut checked the radar, rains supposed to start around 8 tonight, possibly severe. Ill start getting my Walleye next week sometime. GOOD LUCK!!!

[bunker dunker]

No Eddie Your Right On This One.i'll Go Up Tomorrow Night Or Sunday Night.no Sense In Getting Caught In This Storm.maybe We Will Fish
One Night Next Week If Ya Want.

[Skunk City]

Nice to hear you guys are doing well up there. Fished a few areas but didn't hit up Brady on wednesday after work.. Can't wait to start laying the smackdown on the 'eyes and hybrids.

[Mark B.]

Do any of you ever keep any walleyes?

You should,.............THE best eating freshwater fish.

And,...........NJF&W can, & will, always stock more.

[AndyS]

I ALWAYS love to hear there is plenty of fish like walleye to go around. Maybe some day F&G will discover a place called the Raritan River and maybe some day it will get some fish below Rt. 206. Just my rant Mark B. A river so healthy striped bass spawn there in the spring and has a decent shad run also, but for some reason always over looked by F&G when it comes to stocking of fish.

[Mark B.]

I ALWAYS love to hear there is plenty of fish like walleye to go around. Maybe some day F&G will discover a place called the Raritan River and maybe some day it will get some fish below Rt. 206. Just my rant mark B. A river so healthy striped bass spawn there in the spring and has a decent shad run also, but for some reason always over looked by F&G when it comes to stocking of fish.

I beg to differ.

Below Rt. 206, F&G looked over a lot of fish,.........63,829 that swam up the fish ladder in 11 years.

Now, does anyone keep walleyes?

[baetis]

I beg to differ.

Below Rt. 206, F&G looked over a lot of fish,.........63,829 that swam up the fish ladder in 11 years.

Now, does anyone keep walleyes?

By way of background, years ago I fished Quebec and caught a bunch of 14 -16" (or so) walleye. They were delicious. One of the best eating fish I ever had.

Last year I kept a 7lb walleye and to be honest it didn't taste very good. I don't know if it was the age of the fish, the fact it was from Jersey and not Canada but it wasn't very good. Every other walleye I've caught since then has been released.

Maybe if I get one that is just legal I'll try it again, but anything over 20" will be released.

[Mark B.]

I've caught, & eaten, 18 - 24" (never caught any larger) ones from the Delaware River. They were very good!

[FASTEDDIE29]

Can't wait to go out and get my Walleye fix. Got a couple on the D last month but let em go. Very tasty, I eat em all the time!

[Fishon1982]

My opinion is that walleye on Delaware are very good to eat and there are a lot of 18 to 22 inch which is the best size to eat I never kept one bigger cause they are good for reproduction and a fish that is 28 inches it is a old fish prob 7 to 10 years old and for walleyes in lakes around here I found to be tasty but the population isn't as strong as the Delaware so also good to release back to monksville and greenwood hopatcong in my opinion has a strong number if them but all and all dam tasty fish!!

[bunker dunker]

The Eyes In Lake Hopatcong Have To Be Eaten When The Water Is Cold.
Once The Water Gets To Warm They Start To Taste Like Weeds.

[jimmythegreek]

Id love to see a slot program put in for the whole state excluding the big D of 18-20 for keeper walleye for the next 5 years. In 5 years you would be able to fish hopatcong or greenwood and nail eyes just as commonly as a bass or crappie or perch, I would love to see that quality of a fishery. Look at the hybrid success we have now, they dont reproduce naturally and LH is the best in the state, you can nail wipers all day long on a good day. The eyes are also reproducing on their own in addition to the stocking by F&G, the only problem I have with the state stockings are the size. I beleive 90% or more of stocked fish dont make it thru the first year due to predation, but I dont know the cost of stocking 90% less eyes but having them 10"-12" at time of release to guarantee their survival

[jmurr711]

The Eyes In Lake Hopatcong Have To Be Eaten When The Water Is Cold.
Once The Water Gets To Warm They Start To Taste Like Weeds.

maybe they would be good smoked????? to bland for me give me them perchs!!!!!!!!! BD is the kid going to be working deck this summer or no?

[bunker dunker]

I'm Not Sure Joe.he Is Working For Us Now But You Know How That Gose

[jmurr711]

We will have to get together for seabass when it opens...if it opens

[bunker dunker]

yes sir we will.were gonna hit the lake again tonight for some swipers and eyes.