2015 goal

[Chrisper4694]

I had this idea just now that i'd make this goal for myself maybe others want to 'play' too. I'm going to try to catch a big fish of every species in NJ freshwater this coming year. I'll use the skillful angler catch and release measurements as the bar for what is considered 'big' so basically i'm going for a c&r skillful angler fish of every freshwater species.

It'll be tough considering i've never even caught any size fish in a few of the species (shad and salmon) and i've never caught a skillful angler sized carp, pike, brook, brown, rainbow or lake trout. All other species i've nailed some big ones over the last couple of years. I also noticed they've removed tiger muskie and bowfin from the list...but i'd like to still catch one of each at least.

I think it's a pretty cool goal, doable, but tough especially since i'll also be saltwater fishing a lot. I'll definitely be using this forum for help and i'll start a post here where i'll list them with pictures as i get them. I'd be pretty happy just by getting close. feel free if anyone wants to join me in the quest!

[Eskimo]

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Wow, that's a lofty goal. Good luck in 2015.
Looking at the chart, I see I could have gotten two C&R species (pickerel and sunfish).

Here is the chart for everyone's reference:



Freshwater Species
Species Adult
Weight (lbs.) Junior
Weight (lbs./ozs.) Catch andRelease (inches)
Largemouth Bass 6 4 21"
Smallmouth Bass 4 3 19"
Striped Bass Hybrid 8 6 24"
Striped Bass 30 25 40"
Bullhead 2 1 lb. 8 oz 14"
Carp 25 20 35"
Channel Catfish 10 8 29"
Crappie 2 1 lb. 8 oz 14"
Muskellunge 20 15 40"
Yellow Perch 1 lb. 8 oz 1 13"
Chain Pickerel 4 3 24"
Northern Pike 10 8 34"
American Shad 7 5 24"
Brook Trout 3 2 19"
Brown Trout 8 5 25"
Lake Trout 12 8 31"
Rainbow Trout 5 3 lbs. 8 oz 23"
Salmon, Atlantic Landlocked 4 3 20"
Sunfish 1 12 oz 9"
Walleye 6 4 lbs. 8 oz 24"

[Chrisper4694]

this year i had a crappie, perch, sunfish, pickerel, sm bass, bullhead

last year i had a lm bass, sm bass (biggest of each bass species reported for c&r to the state in 2013) crappie, perch, sunfish, pickerel, bullhead, muskie, and walleye

i'm most worried about getting my hands on the brook, brown, rainbows and lakers along with the two species i've never even landed before (shad and salmon) the rest i feel is very doable although i haven't caught a big channel cat in years it's all going to be about putting the time in at the right places!

[GetANet]

Wow!!!!!:eek: That's really setting the bar high!!!! I admire your confidence. I have caught several skillfull angler sized fish of diff species over the years but all in one? IMO almost impossible but hey one never knows till they try! Good Luck in your persuit and make sure you sit near the fw crew at the party tomorrow cause I wanna meet ya and talk about it! Just don't sit next to Eddie!!!!;)

[Chrisper4694]

i'm honestly not sure i can do it...i'd be happy just getting close...maybe 4-5 short. some will be easy for me (knowing the right lake) and others will be tough. like the trout, i know i have to hit rvr or merrill most likely but i've only fished there a handful of times. I have a friend that's familiar with those lakes though so i'll get some help.

i'm going to the party with my buddy on here that is a saltwater guy so idk where we'll sit haha

[MudCat08]

That is one challenging goal for next year dude. Best of luck.

My goal next year is to catch a 30 pound carp out of NJ waters.

[flatcreek]

I want to fish the tidal Delaware. Going to launch out of Linden st launch down the street from Brinkmans bait and tackle. There's a hole lot of water down there and you can fish from the ocean up to Trenton. Should only take a little over an hour to get there and you can pick up bait and info at Brinkmans. Anyone want to come along let me know. Be looking for stripers around and St Patties day. Will I have to go over to the salt water board then?:D

[GetANet]

Saltwater?????:eek: YOUR OUTTA HERE BUDDY!!!!!:D:D:D:D:D

[Chrisper4694]

i have yet to ever land a carp in the skillful angler range so i'd be down to hunt a big carp with anyone in north and central jersey. my biggest is about a 24-25" from a pond and i've never had any luck at all in river systems even though i visually see them there all the time!

[MudCat08]

I think the biggest carp are in our rivers. I'll be trying the Raritan, Passaic, Hackensack, and Delaware rivers first and then some of the smaller ones that are famous for carp. May should be the month I'll target them the most so maybe we can setup a carp fishing day or something.

[kcritch]

I think the biggest carp are in our rivers. I'll be trying the Raritan, Passaic, Hackensack, and Delaware rivers first and then some of the smaller ones that are famous for carp. May should be the month I'll target them the most so maybe we can setup a carp fishing day or something.

I tend to agree with you on the river carp as I've seen some big ones at times and I don't really fish rivers that often. But I'll tell you that I've seen Carp in Spruce Run that made me feel like I needed to go back and get a bigger boat! And I've seen them in large numbers. Don't know if you guys are near there or ever tried it....I don't even know if they are accessible or how to target them....but just a thought.

[slider]

Haven't seen this myself, but recv'd info from a real reliable source that Greenwood lake has good population of large carp also..Shallows on the Jersey end is where this guy bow hunts for them by boat..Come to think of it GWL would be a great place to spend time, I mean real lot of time..Fish for Smallies, Musky's, Walleyes,Largemouth bass...Plus the carp..Think ur rite about getting ur trout quotas thou, RV the place for Lakers, browns & Rainbows but good luck in ur challange.....BTW Delaware for Shad, Carp and smallies maybe even a wallyeye or 2..Pick the waters with multiple species on ur list...Titi lines..

[Chrisper4694]

well i can say this about carp...i've tried multiple stretches of rivers that have carp...even places i've seen them like passaic...only ever hooked one and it instantly ran into a snag and never came out. I've tried spruce once with no luck. hopatcong, where i've seen them multiple times, no luck. maybe i'm doing something wrong...wrong time/area of lake idk. I live in hopatcong and work in basking ridge so my range of places to hit is anywhere from north to central jersey and i'd def be down to tag team some carp rivers/big lakes. nice to have someone to talk to when you're bait fishing and not catching squat!

I like the idea of hitting places like greenwood and hopatcong with multiple species but to be honest, since i fish from a car top launched jon boat with an electric motor i do much better picking off 1 or 2 species at a time from medium to small sized lakes and rivers. We'll have to see how it goes but i have a rough plan for most of the species and for others i'll be throwing hail marry casts but if i can knock out 2-3 early pre-ice/ice fishing i'll consider myself off to a good start.

[justin1982]

Finally catch a walleye

[HerringKing]

I sent some high goals for 2015. 5 species - redfin pickerel, flathead catfish, golden trout, tiger trout, and a snakehead. I'll be happy with at least one of them

[saxmatt]

My goal is a 40" pike, muskie, and tiger through the ice. Jersey 40" esox slam.

[Chrisper4694]

Maybe you know... Why did they remove tiger Muskie from the skillful angler list? Did they stop stocking them? I'd like to catch one but I only know of three places they exist in nj and one of them is like fishing a Barren wasteland!