Big D Trenton

[rooferbird]

Tried for stripes in trenton today for the first time, caught 6 shorts up to 22" and 10 or 11 channel cats in the 3-6# range, didnt get the monster striper I was hoping for but still a good active day, I'd like to night fish there after catching all these cats in the daylight

[tautog]

Bring a gun or a pitbull. It gets rough down there at night.

[AndyS]

I guess bait and wait. Would those stripers chow down on say a Bomber ,Yo-zuri or Storm shad ?

[rooferbird]

bait and wait with some live and some dead bait did the trick today, I tried some rapalas, bombers, and big topwater but no takers, had one good drag screamer but it dropped the bait, the one that got away is always the biggest of the day:rolleyes:

[FASTEDDIE29]

Are the herring still running? If not than you could be a lol late for keeper stripes on the lower BIG D!!!!! Sabiki rigs!!!!!!!!

[rooferbird]

i do think its on the tail end, i know some guys who caught nice fish last week and again on sunday, i am going to plan on getting down there earlier next year, I hear there can be some great action, I'll be throwing eels up here the next couple months:D

[AndyS]

Sorry Eddie those days are long gone. From the NJ Fishing Digest:

Herring, Alewife and Blueback Herring : ALL freshwater streams, rivers and marine waters. CLOSED Possesion, take or attempt to take is PROHIBITED.
I think this is a FEDERAL law now, get busted, the G men will tow you away to prison.

[Dave B.]

Live line some white perch, you'll get your desired results. From now until early Sept the linesides will be around everywhere from Trenton Falls up to Hancock.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Sorry Eddie those days are long gone. From the NJ Fishing Digest:

Herring, Alewife and Blueback Herring : ALL freshwater streams, rivers and marine waters. CLOSED Possesion, take or attempt to take is PROHIBITED.
I think this is a FEDERAL law now, get busted, the G men will tow you away to prison.
Yea those days are gone. I was just reminiscing. Thinking back to when the river Stripers would smash those giant Herring. I am definitely not going to jail for a baitfish.................

[Wilson]

Yea those days are gone. I was just reminiscing. Thinking back to when the river Stripers would smash those giant Herring. I am definitely not going to jail for a baitfish.................
The question is what will you go to jail for?:D

[Mark B.]

Bring a gun or a pitbull. It gets rough down there at night.


“The Old Wharf” WMA, is a public access bank fishing area just below the “Trenton Makes The World Takes” Bridge.

Unfortunately, due to a 2005 high water event, & others, it got undermined & a good portion of it collapsed. It is officially closed, with a surrounding chain link fence.

However, some determined anglers (you can’t keep them away from a hot spot!) cut through the fence to gain access.

I go to a club, there, “Rho” (formerly Katmandu). When I arrive around 10:30 PM, this time of year, invariably I see a light coming from The Old Wharf,……….night anglers.

I always venture down there, & BS fishin’ with them.

Once, a guy had a nice channel,…………12 lbs. A week ago, one angler told me he had just released two 28” stripers.

No pit bulls, guns or knives,……just some guys fishin’,……..with music from the club providing a soundtrack.

I asked them, that since it is officially closed, did anyone ever hassle them?

“NJ F&W CO’s are cool,………they just check for our licenses. Mercer Co. Parks patrol, too,…. they sometimes kick us out.”

[kcritch]

The question is what will you go to jail for?:D

I'd go to jail for either yours or Andy's Avatar! Hypothetically of course...you know if I weren't married and all that...:rolleyes: and a lot less fat, and a lot less old, and a lot more rich....:D

[catfishonthelake]

I guess bait and wait. Would those stripers chow down on say a Bomber ,Yo-zuri or Storm shad ?

I hooked a keeper striper on Kopper's Smelt in Trenton last year on a float. Only problem was that I was trying to unhook the anchor to keep us from moving while I was fighting the fish. I had a medium action rod with 8-pound test and even at that had the fish to the boat a bunch of times, but while I was still screwing with the hook it took a dive under the boat and took my Kopper's Smelt with it. It was very overcast that day. From what I've heard and the little I experienced, it can be tough with artificials since there are so many herring in the river. Lowlight conditions are better for lures. I imagine the same is true in the Raritan to some degree. I bet you'd find a lot more stripers hanging in those tailwaters were it legal to harness a live herring. I sure as hell won't tell on you though.;)

[Almaink]

A guy came by yesterday while I was trout fishing in the D&R Canal near Scudders Falls and said he caught a few Cats and a big striper in the Big D all on cut bait.

[tautog]

“The Old Wharf” WMA, is a public access bank fishing area just below the “Trenton Makes The World Takes” Bridge.

Unfortunately, due to a 2005 high water event, & others, it got undermined & a good portion of it collapsed. It is officially closed, with a surrounding chain link fence.

However, some determined anglers (you can’t keep them away from a hot spot!) cut through the fence to gain access.

I go to a club, there, “Rho” (formerly Katmandu). When I arrive around 10:30 PM, this time of year, invariably I see a light coming from The Old Wharf,……….night anglers.

I always venture down there, & BS fishin’ with them.

Once, a guy had a nice channel,…………12 lbs. A week ago, one angler told me he had just released two 28” stripers.

No pit bulls, guns or knives,……just some guys fishin’,……..with music from the club providing a soundtrack.

I asked them, that since it is officially closed, did anyone ever hassle them?

“NJ F&W CO’s are cool,………they just check for our licenses. Mercer Co. Parks patrol, too,…. they sometimes kick us out.”

Good to know that it has gotten better. Ten or so years ago, it was rather sketchy. Would only go there with a group. Maybe the flood and subsequent closure had a positive effect.

[Mark B.]

2 anglers there, last nite. I watched one hook, & land, a 3 lb. channel.

Drinkin’ beer,……….they had a blazin’ fire going,.....“We burn all the garbage!”

I guess that’s good? Fishin’ in the city,……

[Jetdrive]

Are there any other places to launch besides the pay launch?

[jimmythegreek]

I know a guy who has gotten some legal size stripers noth of there up by easton area. Most of them use trout livelined for bait. especially good where creeks/tribs dump into the D

[Fish n Jeep]

Are there any other places to launch besides the pay launch?

Bordentown City has a ramp on Crosswicks Creek... it isn't free but is a nicer spot than the Trenton ramp, and is only a short cruise upstream to the rocks by the Trenton Makes bridge.

[Bicey]

Are there any other places to launch besides the pay launch?


I'm assuming you have a jet motor? If so launch at Yardley in Pa. Plenty of water to fish with a jet motor. I've seen guys go from Yardley through the rough water between trenton and morrisville, even with low water. These guys had boats with the PVC sheeting on the bottom of their boats so they aren't afraid of rocks.;)

[NorthJerzyG]

2 anglers there, last nite. I watched one hook, & land, a 3 lb. channel.

Drinkin’ beer,……….they had a blazin’ fire going,.....“We burn all the garbage!”

I guess that’s good? Fishin’ in the city,……

If all they're burnin is "garbage", I ain't goin, lol.

[Jetdrive]

Bordentown City has a ramp on Crosswicks Creek... it isn't free but is a nicer spot than the Trenton ramp, and is only a short cruise upstream to the rocks by the Trenton Makes bridge.

Thanks, I'll check that out

I'm assuming you have a jet motor? If so launch at Yardley in Pa. Plenty of water to fish with a jet motor. I've seen guys go from Yardley through the rough water between trenton and morrisville, even with low water. These guys had boats with the PVC sheeting on the bottom of their boats so they aren't afraid of rocks.;)

Yes, I have a jet. Yardly to Morrisville sounds doable. Never heard of that PVC sheeting for the hull though. I'll have to look into that. I have a semi modified V. Don't know if that would only work for a flat bottom or what. Thanks for the info!

[Bicey]

^ Do a Google search on Snyder Jet Boats out of Pennsylvania.......pretty nice. They put it on almost all their boats.