Pike at Farrington Question

[Andrushkin33]

Pike at Farrington

I know that's probably been ask millions of times. But I swear all I seems to be able is to hear about people catching pike at Farrington Lake but never ever ever seen actually anyone doing just that. Not to mention catching it myself.

So the question. Has anyone had ever any luck landing one there or should I call the MythBusters and clear that one up once and for all?

After spruce run meet and greet managed to sneak away to Farrington toward night time and again heard about pike getting caught the night before by the summer camp area. Man I swear I will probably see a Bigfoot before I see a pike out of Farrington.

Andre

[saxmatt]

I'm determined to catch a pike from Farrington this winter. Today is my 12th trip there this winter and I still haven't caught one, and I've been trying lots off different baits and tried all over the lake. I live less than 15 minutes from there and probably do at least 10 trips a year there through the ice targeting pike. Last time I caught one was back in 2011...I'm due! Good luck!

[Andrushkin33]

I feel you Matt,

I swear trout and pike are the only two species that I still have to catch at Farrington. As mentioned on Friday two were pulled out by the summer camp area. One was a 37 and second one I don't know.

Good luck man you are def due.

Andre

[RyanMac14]

Andre, with the time put in there last year between me and you, I would like to think either you were lied to or that they caught the only two. With how dried up it got last year I would think i fished every square foot of it lol Hopefully one day we will catch one of the apparent 2 that still roam there

[Andrushkin33]

Ryan,

Man I know. But I was there mostly at night and only twice during the day. I guess I am so gullible that I believe anything but man I just want to believe that pike at Farrington is true.

On a side note I was really surprised that I did not got kicked out from the ice when I got there. There was an East Brunswick cop at the parking lot and he was nice enough to let us get on the ice and fish without so much of a word of protest. Kudos to that officer.

Andre

[Chrisper4694]

I never fished there but you say it got dried out at one point. Well I know a shallow lake (private) that had nice pike in it. The lake is avg 5 ft depth with a few spots to 7 and 10 deepest. Anyway the damn broke one year and that summer with the water down 3-4 ft big pike just started floating belly up. I saw 3-4 my self and many more reported. No one has caught a pike at this lake since then. Something to think about.

[Andrushkin33]

I never fished there but you say it got dried out at one point. Well I know a shallow lake (private) that had nice pike in it. The lake is avg 5 ft depth with a few spots to 7 and 10 deepest. Anyway the damn broke one year and that summer with the water down 3-4 ft big pike just started floating belly up. I saw 3-4 my self and many more reported. No one has caught a pike at this lake since then. Something to think about.

Farrington is pretty big but not that deep. I believe the deepest point is about 12 feet. It did get pretty dry in certain areas but not dry to the point that you cannot fish. It was back to normal by mid fall at least from my point of view.

I don't know if it had any effect on pike population but as mentioned at least for me pike there seems like a mythological creature. You hear stories but never see it.

As mentioned they been caught there and I believe they did catch a few when survey was done so that will be my quest for the year 2015.

Mark my words before year is over I will be holding the monsta in my hands.

Andre

[FASTEDDIE29]

The Pike I used to see in certain areas of Farrington was amazing but this is going back 15-20 years. They have to be there. Maybe there on the main lake points. I just don't get it. Somebody please catch the star record Pike out of this place!!! Hahahahahaha!

[Andrushkin33]

Ha,

Well truth to be told I did see what I thought was a tree branch in Bicentennial park cove in the summer. Before it disappeared and went under water. But I cannot tell for sure if it was a pike or a pickerel and if it was a pickerel it was mighty long on.

I spend the next two hours casting in the area but got nothing to show for it. Then again I was fishing from shore line and that sucker was in the middle.

But I got my bass out of there since my teens in the summer and it was long time coming so ....the great farrington lake pike hunt begins.

Andre

[RyanMac14]

Hey andre as soon as the ice melts we can take shifts ill hit it during the morning on my days off and you at night. I know you dont like the boat idea but if you ever want to try and find this mythical beast together you let me know. I spent 800 bucks on new gear this winter so I am going to be in full force throwing everything trying to find this sucker.

[Jigman13]

I saw one breach this past fall as I was bouncing small jigs in a well known area. I was catching small crappies and as I was looking down at the water I saw a BEAST come up and thrash. It came out a bit more than halfway and was 100% northern pike. I ran back to my car, grabbed the biggest plug I could find (which was a daiwa sp minnow in chicken scratch) and tied it onto my heavy set up. I think I casted nonstop for over an hr to no avail. They're in there. I'm not sure where lol, but they're in there. I heard about them and never saw one until that day...

[GetANet]

i HAVEN'T SEEN ANY SINCE THE 90's But I would imagine there is a few in there the state still stocks it if I am correct. I think that the majority of them are now in the lower portion of Farrington due to the draw down. It funnels fish to the deeper water and concentrates them a little more and as the water rises they may start to eventually make their way back up to the shallower areas. It is quite surprising that not many are being caught since the pickerel are huge in there so I guess the environment is doing okay.

BUT IF MATT CAN'T CATCH THEM THRU THE ICE THERE PROB ARE NONE LEFT!!!

Just my opinion, what the hell do I know I can't catch any fish anyway!!!!!!

[saxmatt]

I will catch the unicorn before this ice season in over.

[Andrushkin33]

Ryan,

I will take you up on that. The pike will be caught mark my words. That is if we manage to do it before Matt will get it. He looks like he is on the mission as well.

Andre

[RyanMac14]

Hey I have no problem with Matt getting it. As long as its one of us and I get to see the bastard on here haha..

[frugalfisherman]

I stop by the Church St bridge once in a while. Saw about a 13 incher caught a couple years ago.

[baetis]

I'm pretty sure that the two Pike in Farrington spend Friday nights playing poker with the two walleye and one musky that inhabit Monksville.

[phil]

i fished farrington in the mid 90s when i was at RU and you could buy shiners from the deli off church lane. i blame farrington for making me quit freshwater. started fishing again about 6 years ago when i moved to clark. went to that godforsaken pikeless spot 3 times last year with my yak and caught some bass, some picks, but no pike. i hate it and don't know why i keep going back. one day ill catch a pike and never set foot there again lol

[Andrushkin33]

Phil,

LoL, you never caught pike because you used wrong bait. Now if you would use Fat Bastard from Grease trucks I am telling you all pike would of been yours.

But yeah I have no idea why I keep coming back either. I guess it all has to do with the fact that the lake was the one on which I grew up.

Andre

[zhitoman]

I caught pike up to 18 lbs in Farington and I only started fishing it two years ago. The key is to use big cut bait, preferably fresh herring or bunker fillet.

[bowzonly]

Live in E.B. and fish there a lot caught some nice bass and pickerel. Def. had a LARGE pike on the line but lost it at the boat (3 years ago) May have had another slash at a lure but cant be sure if it wasnt a pick. The one I hooked was on a trolled lure. I have a theory. I think that the lake gets so hounded by bass fisherman that the pike don't go for lures that are just cast and retrieved. That pike I hooked was probably following my lure for some time and when I stopped the boat to real in the lure thats when it hit. Or like the one guy said use some large cut bait.

[Andrushkin33]

That's the thing,

All I hear is stories. Not that I don't believe you guys its just that's all that I seem to get.

I used to live in E.B from 93 till 98 and that was my go to spot. I agreed with the bass and pickerel population as well as with the pan fish.

But man I just want to get one or at least to see someone get one.

Andre

[phil]

I have NOOO problem dragging cut bait for pike but how does that work exactly? I feel like i'm being set up, come here on a Monday and everyone is talking about the guy fishing farrington from a kayak with bunker heads on a fishfinder rig and 6oz LOL :p

[Jigman13]

Hit YouTube and watch how the Europeans use cut bait for Eurasian pike... Hook, leader, swivel, bobber... They either sit and wait or slow retrieve. On the ice is a diff story. Finding stuff fresh can be a challenge. Frozen works. But def peep the tube for tactics using cut bait.

[crustyangler17]

Every spring the russians live line golden shiners off Church st. bridge and iv'e seen several caught in excess of 10 lbs. I once hooked a 24" on live bluegill but lost him at the bank. They are in there, live bait during spring and fish deeper holes near drop offs. You might luck out but its not really worth it, the numbers are dwindling since no one knows how to catch and release these days..

[bigfish1011]

Been fishing here for almost 3 decades... We've all heard the stories of big pike, etc.. I've caught only a handful of bigguns and my theory is that the numbers just aren't there. Biggest I've seen is pushing 20lbs.
Right after Ice out this month is a prime time to target them with big shiners if you can get them.

If you can find the drop off's, that's where most of em get caught-

Oh and a... Try the Inlet next to the camp ;)

[phil]

looks like ill be hitting up the asian supermarket for fluke bait earlier than usual this year!

[Jigman13]

looks like ill be hitting up the asian supermarket for fluke bait earlier than usual this year!

Def a good idea. They tend to carry quite the assortment from frozen herring and sardines, to fresh smelts, shad, and trout!

[phil]

Def a good idea. They tend to carry quite the assortment from frozen herring and sardines, to fresh smelts, shad, and trout!

the bag of smelt or "Asian XL spearing" or whatever they call it these days is one of my go-to fluke baits when im fishing bait. gonna def try and work them into the mix when im at farrington this spring.

[zhitoman]

the bag of smelt or "Asian XL spearing" or whatever they call it these days is one of my go-to fluke baits when im fishing bait. gonna def try and work them into the mix when im at farrington this spring.
They will work, but you need something even larger, at least 10 inches long and shiny, with oily smell. Please use single circle hook.:)

[FASTEDDIE29]

I'd recommend 12 inch Trout butterflied with there stomachs hanging out. It works well.....................:D

[Jigman13]

Nice! Them brownies are oily!

[cruiser1234]

80644

This ones out of Farrington. Only Pike I've ever caught. Completely unexpected.