WOW, what a night for pike !!!

[msgdan]

I left on a bus from midtown at 5 PM and said, if I get home before 6, I am going to hit the river. Pulled into my driveway at 5:59 and loaded the car and was on the water by 6:10. The river is still higher and more stained then I like, but there were a couple areas I just had to make a few casts. I made the long paddle and passed up some great looking spots, but there was ONE area that I had to fish and have enough time to get back before dark.

I picked up at least 5 nice pike heading to "the spot" and started doubting myself for even trying to make it there. All the pike were over 30", but I knew there were bigger ones in this spot.

I made it to the spot and on the first cast, I had a huge blow up without hooking up. The third cast......Bam....hooked up and landed a solid fish that pulled me through the whole area I wanted to spend some time in. I thought the spot was ruined for the night.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s183/msgdan/IMGP1032_zpsb4c153ea.jpg (http://s152.photobucket.com/user/msgdan/media/IMGP1032_zpsb4c153ea.jpg.html)

After getting back into the area, I made 2 more casts and hooked up with a REAL good one. After pulling weeds off the line and getting pulled around, I landed this pike at just 40 ".

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s183/msgdan/IMGP1022_zps236e0ab4.jpg (http://s152.photobucket.com/user/msgdan/media/IMGP1022_zps236e0ab4.jpg.html)

Now I really thought the spot was done for the night after fighting the last one for 10 minutes.....wrong again !! A few casts later, I hook into a pike that was at least 8 inches bigger than the last one. This fish made 2 jumps about 25 feet away from the kayak and was heading to boh sides of the river pulling line. After a couple more runs, the weeds were just too much and the fish got off at the kayak.

I only had a few more casts to make before it was going to be dark and I still had a 30 minute paddle back to my car. There can't be another pike here after all the crazy action in the last 40 minutes................WRONG again !! I hook up with another great pike and land it. A quick picture and I had to paddle my a$$ back to land before dark. This one was just at the 40" mark also.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s183/msgdan/IMGP1026_zps87cd30f0.jpg (http://s152.photobucket.com/user/msgdan/media/IMGP1026_zps87cd30f0.jpg.html)

I haven't had the time to make it to this spot in about 2 months with all the salt water striper fishing I have been doing, but I can't wait to have some more time and fish all the spots I passed up with the weed conditions that are in the river now.

Danny V

[Bicey]

WOW is right! Epic pike fishing.

[iceehot6766]

Dan the Pike man!!

[Gatto1227]

Holy Sh*t

[NorthJerzyG]

:eek:

[FASTEDDIE29]

Great report!!! Great looking PIKE!!!! Awesome catch!!!! That last Pike pictured looks GIGANTIC, WOW!!!

[basspilot]

Two fish at the 40" mark in the same day is definitely a banner day in my book! Sounds like you really got into the fish today great report.

[Jigman13]

Pike hustlin'... sick fish man! I want one...or two...

[Jerseydix]

Great catches! Sounds like a lot of fun.... Who takes the pictures?

[msgdan]

Great catches! Sounds like a lot of fun.... Who takes the pictures?

I have a camera mount that I swing out to take the pictures. I hit the 10 second self timer on the camera and swing the arm out. I can't tell you how many times a pike will jump out of my hands at the 9 second mark !! LOL It does make for some good action shots though.

Danny V

[Eskimo]

.


Tremendous!!

I'm interested in hearing more about this camera system you have installed on your kayak. Earlier this year, I dropped a $400 Canon SX40 into the depths of Spruce Run when it rolled off the deck hatch of my kayak when I was trying to take pictures of myself.

Now I use my phone and take those awkward self-portraits with one arm stretched out and the fish next to my head.

[Fish n Jeep]

Freakin' awesome fish!

Now I use my phone and take those awkward self-portraits with one arm stretched out and the fish next to my head.

According to my wife, in the parlance of Facebook those are called "selfies."

[Skunk City]

Dan, very impressive! First time I have seen TWO 40"+ Pike caught in the same day with PHOTOS to back it up!

I'm hoping to get back to that spot we discussed this weekend, let me know if you are free and we can set something up.

[msgdan]

Dan, very impressive! First time I have seen TWO 40"+ Pike caught in the same day with PHOTOS to back it up!

I'm hoping to get back to that spot we discussed this weekend, let me know if you are free and we can set something up.

Skunk.....I would give up all 10 fish landed yesterday to have a picture with the one "that got away". At least mid 40's" with a head that felt like a 15 lb. striper. I had my hand on it's head, trying to pull 5 lbs. of weeds off the spinner bait, before it took off and was gone.

Danny V

[gnuisance]

Skunk.....I would give up all 10 fish landed yesterday to have a picture with the one "that got away". At least mid 40's" with a head that felt like a 15 lb. striper. I had my hand on it's head, trying to pull 5 lbs. of weeds off the spinner bait, before it took off and was gone.

Danny V


I would give up all those other women for one more night with the weedy headed one lol. Awesome report man. I tried a few casts in the mighty passaic yesterday but the water was too high and I figured the fish were real spread out. Apparently you found them.

[Worksforjerks]

.


Tremendous!!

I'm interested in hearing more about this camera system you have installed on your kayak. Earlier this year, I dropped a $400 Canon SX40 into the depths of Spruce Run when it rolled off the deck hatch of my kayak when I was trying to take pictures of myself.

Now I use my phone and take those awkward self-portraits with one arm stretched out and the fish next to my head.


Im not sure if this is what he is using or not but look into yak attack panfish and panfish portrait mounts. This used with a gopro is a awesome setup. Gopro has built in wifi and a free app with a preview on your phone. It's a really cool set up

[Eskimo]

Im not sure if this is what he is using or not but look into yak attack panfish and panfish portrait mounts.

That's really cool.
Here's a link: http://www.yakattack.us/Products/PanFishPortrait.html

[Skunk City]

That's really cool.
Here's a link: http://www.yakattack.us/Products/PanFishPortrait.html

Now that looks pretty sick.

[msgdan]

That looks good, but I never want anything sticking up in front of the kayak. I use all 6'6" rods for fresh and salt water, and when I am fighting a fish from the kayak, the last thing I want to worry about is something sticking up in front of me that WILL get in the way, when you have to change sides with the rod tip. There are a bunch of self portrait camera mounts on the market, but I will stick to my mount.

Here is the mount I made for the kayak I use in the Passaic. I have a different bracket for my Hobie that fits into the front sail mast hole. I just hit the self timer behind me and then swing the arm out. Not so easy with pike, but it works great for most fish.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s183/msgdan/PICT0006.jpg (http://s152.photobucket.com/user/msgdan/media/PICT0006.jpg.html)

Danny V

[Jigman13]

Nice yak...

[bigfishy]

Sweet setup dan!!!

You should patent that baby:)

[msgdan]

Here is the set up I made for my Hobie. This is my old Hobie, I have a newer one now, but the same bracket fits in the sail hole.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s183/msgdan/IMGP2433.jpg (http://s152.photobucket.com/user/msgdan/media/IMGP2433.jpg.html)

Danny V

[ScowardNJ]

I haven't read a freshwater msgdan report in a while and he comes out blazing! Nice work!

[njbassman]

Great report... after a tough spring was starting wonder where those 2K plus pike are going that get stocked in the river each year... now we know they are in there and growing at leaps and bounds... beautiful specimens...

[The Birdman]

sick fish wow

[dfish28]

Nice setup lemme know when you want to tow a dredge on that mount and throw some poppers at the BFTs :cool:

[buzzbaiter]

Nice. River is still too high for us bank beaters(at least for me. Patiently waiting for it to drop to the 12-13' level).Damn thing takes FOREVER to go down. You almost need no rain for a month. It was this week last year things really turned on so hopefully the t-storms they're predicting won't come through the area.

What little time I've spent near it, the skeeters pretty much chased me away. That's another issue. They are spraying all along it but its not helping(or maybe it is. Could it be worst?)

[Cwill]

Great looking fish! Been out on the Passaic in the kayak looking for pike a couple times over the last few weeks (in the Fair Lawn / Elmwood Park area) and have only hooked into a few largemouths.

[AndyS]

WELCOME to the site Cwill !! Keep us posted on your fishing adventures.

[SkillfulAngler908]

Epic post Dan, nice job. Good to see a report from you!