Raritan River, Big Hybrid Striper 8/13

[FASTEDDIE29]

After attending a F&G council meeting with Andy I decided to go to the Raritan River. Knowing the water was up from the rain I thought that there might be something worth catching. Got to the river around 245 and started casting medium sized Bombers. Wound up with 2 dink Smallies about 10 inches a piece. Out of the corner of my eye I keep seeing what appears to be fins coming out of the white water of the falls. I ignore the first few times it happens thinking to myself, I'm hallucinating!!! No way, no hallucination because it keeps happening and the fins are that of the STRIPED TYPE!!! So from there I start burning lures in the white water hoping to hook what I think I see. The same old stuff isn't getting me any hook-ups so I tie on a giant gold Rat-l-trap. Start casting it out retrieving the lure in the stop and go method, no takes. Slowed down the lure and started jigging it in the white water and then finally, BAM, FISH-ON!!! This fish is going up and down side to side taking me for a ride, drags rippin, I'm sweating. Finally after an intense battle I land a 7lb 11oz HYBRID STIPER from the Raritan River in moderately high, fast water. WOW, Ive heard stories about them in the river, and now I know they're true. Quite an eventful day I must say. First the big meeting with Andy and then to top it off, another beautiful specimen caught out of the one and only RARITAN RIVER!!! TIGHT LINES!!!:D

[iceehot6766]

You are a SLAMMER!!!!!

[Bottomfeeder]

Nice job! This might be a stupid question, are those fish swimming upstream from the ocean or downstream from a location where they have been stocked?

[Bicey]

That's damned near certified lunker .......nice fish bro.

[flatcreek]

Nice fish buddie. Ya got to love those Hybrid, bet that was a good fight in the white water.

Thanks for sharing;

[maddhatterr]

Nice catch!......Your a machine FastEddie!:cool:

Did it swim or did it end up in a pan?

[GetANet]

You Da Man!!!! Monster hybrid in the RARITAN!!!! OMG What's next salmon?

[lunkertaker]

Awesome catch
know the spot...who knew what is lurking in the white wash? Guess you proved it.:cool:

[FASTEDDIE29]

Thanx fellas!!! It was insane getting that fish landed in that current. Alot of fun! Fish was released to fight another day after a short revival session. Saw more than 1 set of fins in the white water so I'm guessing theres some more fish to be caught!!!! :D

[Eskimo]

.


That's awesome.

Where do you think it came from? Did it escape one of the reservoirs it is stocked in?

[Mikeps326]

You should have a show with all the fish you catch. Every week I look on this site you catch another big fish. Great job and keep em coming!

[basspilot]

That's a slob dude! I gotta hit the raritan more often.

[rooferbird]

Nice catch, that's a good hybrid

[cmoran719]

Wow

[Jigman13]

That's incredible dude. Wide toad! lol... I guess you can pretty much catch anything in there, huh? Fish is gigantic!

[NorthJerzyG]

Awesome fish!! Bet he pulled like a beast, nice!!

[gnuisance]

Nice fish!

[kcritch]

As you would say....YEAH BUDDY! Nicely done sir.

[Mikey topaz]

Nice fish eddie!!!

[Fish n Jeep]

http://ecoopportunity.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Mr-Burns.gif

Excellent, Smithers

[SkillfulAngler908]

Crazy what u can catch outta that river, you never know what may be on the end of your line! I know of a couple big hybrids being caught out of one of the D&R lochs, wonder where they come from? Nice job though Eddie!!

[ScowardNJ]

That thing looks well fed! Great fish!

[saxmatt]

Nice! Had a tiger about the size of the one you caught chase a topwater right up to the wall a few weeks ago.

[bunker dunker]

Great Fish Eddie,congrats!!!!

[paulyfish]

Nice job! This might be a stupid question, are those fish swimming upstream from the ocean or downstream from a location where they have been stocked?

Great catch Eddie.... :)

Not a stupid question. Very rare for them to occur in nature...
We believe that when we have heavy rain events they flow out of Spruce run and other stocked spots. They move around like crazy. I have caught them all the way down to the bay. Not common, but they are most certainly there and really make you take notice in tenacity between them and a true strain Bass. And yes, they love rattle traps... and eat flies and topwaters as well.
paulyfish@reeltherapy.com

[Fish n Jeep]

Hi Paul! Remember me? Navesink River, launched kayaks out of Rumson, I tipped over by that creek on the north side?

[Jigman13]

Hi Paul! Remember me? Navesink River, launched kayaks out of Rumson, I tipped over by that creek on the north side?

lol! MAN DOWN!

[Blackfish Bobby]

Nice job Eddie..... I drive past there everyday and only fished it around seven times in 10 years.... Gotta stop more often when conditions are right.

Congrats again on a great catch.

[jimmythegreek]

thats a slob eddie, well done buddy. Musta been an intense fight in current, an 8lber in the open water is a blast, couldnt imagine that tank rippin drag. Its amazing what goes over dams and down streams in high water, not to mention the size of that wiper, hes def eating good in the river! yeah buddy!!!!!

[bigfishy]

That sounds like the best possibilty of how they got there, other than an unannounced stocking or a fisherman stocking....The only reason that i doubt that they came from spruce is that I or anyone I know has NEVER heard of them beeing caught or seen above that dam....If they are comming from spruce than there are many many miles of river before they make it down to THAT dam....I have heard of them being caught from that dam on down to the bay and in the canal....

I think maybe a super secret stocking in the canal or the lower raritan....
But what the hell do i know ?? you could be rite about them coming from spruce...

[liveitup1.75liter]

DAMNN!! Nice one!!! I had no idea they were in there I think GET A NET said exactly what I was thinking.. I still have no idea how to get to that spot n its killin me!!