Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

Low water might not be a concern if the current forecast holds true....I know big IF

http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/...st?query=07849

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

We need that rain badly. I hope it comes in full force. I've never been a fan of low water conditions, it puts fish off there normal marks. But that's my opinion. Full pool is a great pool.

As for the BIG POND! This draw down, lack of rain seems to be a problem every year but we still manage to get out. I wouldn't be too concerned right now. State park is open for business as always. Does the ramp suck? Yes! Is there only one? Yes! It is a last minute option if we need it. For you Knee Deep members, you can just launch at the Yacht club? Yes?

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Damn right I will be in my waders if need be... Glad to see some one remembers that!!!!!!! I am sure there will be other NJF'ers willing to lend a hand with the launching as well RIGHT???

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I'll wader up!

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

I'll wader up no problem.

Will be easy as pie

Andre

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

you guys are such diamonds...i'll strip down and swim out there, forget waders!

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

I only recently joined NJF but would like to meet some of you guys in person so I don't feel like such a cyber geek. I also have never fished Hopatcong or caught a Hybrid so that is an added enticement. I am Going to do everything in my power to swing it, but in case no one realized the date is set for Halloween.

All the other guys with small children probably feel my dilemma, these kids (I) go trick or treating practically mid-afternoon, and (II) apparently parents now accompany their children trick or treating. I feel sorry for this overprotected generation, I can't ever remember going out on Halloween before dark and pretty sure by age 6 I was on my own with a pack of friends (and a roll of toilet paper/carton of eggs). Anyway, I digress, bottom line is that I really hope to meet some of you 'Old Salt' members who have always been extremely friendly and supportive when responding to my frequently rambling and always clueless posts. If I can make it I hope someone has some extra room on a boat and can teach me how to go about catching a hybrid.

If there is anyone who plans to leave a bit on the early side that day let me know, as that is probably the only way I will convince the warden to let me fish on Halloween.

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

Just sound a warning horn first, some things are better not seen! :D

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I will be finishing up early if you'd like to hop on, let me know.

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

theres plenty of water to launch right now, we launched the year before with teh 5 foot drawdown almost to the end, so no worries with that. As uglystick said the low water point is only a few inches from where it is now, they wont begin the draw til after mid october, and we can launch no probs at 6.9 feet. The state park is a shallow launch and anyone w decent size boats probably wont be able to get in there, but the small boat guys are welcome to launch at state park and run over to meet us at lees.

hopatcong is a large lake and a draw down does nothing to the fish there, they are in the same spots no matter water levels come fall. this will be deep water jigging and live bait rigging, you wont fish in less than 25ft all day and will be in up to 40ft depending on where they are at. get your blade baits and jigging raps ready, and live bait setups whether they are fishfinder rigs or 3 way rigs, fish are tight to the bottom

I know its halloween and many of us have kids we have to take out, alot of us will be off the water after lunchtime, myself included. Plenty of time to get home and even get a nap in then take the kids halloweeing

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

Turns out I'm out for this one... Joaquin blew out my annual striper trip to Montauk this Sunday and 10/31 is the only day my crew and the boat could re-schedule for...

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

If anyone has room on their boat and doesnt mind someone who has never fished for hybrids before I'd be interested in coming. Otherwise it will have to be a really calm day for me to consider taking my jon boat out on the big lake.

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

Two weeks away !!!! Hoping Mother Nature is nice that day and we can still get some bait!!! I have been toying with the idea of moving it to Spruce and earlier in the season for next year. This is a great time of the year to be out but there are too many variables that always seem to throw a wrench into the spokes !!!!

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Got the binskys polished and the other blades ready. Not like we use them on the GetANet lol... At least I'll have them though!

Spruce ain't a bad location switch either.

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Yeah but then you can't nail by catch of giant eyes!

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True. Good pt Chris.

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Anyone use jigging raps when open water jigging? I know they're good thru the ice. If so, what size? Color? Also, I see there are original shaped and the shad rap varieties...any preference?

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All the time for eyes. W9's in any of the patterns w/silver in them. I like silver/blue and clown colors. Haven't caught a hybrid on a jigging rap yet though. fishusa.com selling them buy 3 get 1 free right now.

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That's why I asked! Got the e-newsletter today!

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Gots to have the jigging raps! Just placed an order! Good deal with the buy 3 get 1. Can't beat it! HYBRID M-N-G!!! YEA BUDDY!!!

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Trader Mike was @ SKUNKSVILLE SUNDAY with a giant box of slightly used JIGGING RAPS for sale. They little SH marks on them & looked to used only once....

I got a box of blade baits a few years back for X-MAS & have never used them so this may be a perfect opportunity to donate a few to the lake bottom @ LH.

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

guaranteed to lose blade baits if you're fishing them properly for cold water! jigging raps you usually don't lose as many cause you can jig them under your sonar and keep them from pounding into a rock.

johnson thinfisher blade baits are pretty low price compared to others and i have to say i have no complaints about them. come in many colors, seem to work real nice, and they catch fish.

that being said i'm still wondering how cold the water is going to be...i read 62 degrees on my ff last night! we'll see what the cold fronts do.

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

Plug knocker... A lil birdie also gave me a tip about blade baits. Clip the front hooks off each treble...

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The weather report looks good-cold on the overnight FRIDAY but SATURDAY looks to be cool but sunny (55-57f). Nothing yet on wind conditions until mid week though. Hopefully not blowing too badly.

What time will this floatilla get underway @ LH STATE PARK?

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

The meet and greet is on the 31st, not this weekend....and the meet location is Lee's County Marina, not state park.

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

Thanks-I had my calendar date wrong there but I was aware that it will be on the 31rst.

What time will we meeting up?

Thxs

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we usually head out around 7 so get there early to launch ur boats.

and an update:

getanet and myself scouted sunday morn w little going on. laurie has had trouble getting herring in the traps they are all 2" tiny baits and worthless IMO, all our fish came on binskys. Not sure how great the striper fishing will be, but theres plenty of crappie and fish all over in schools to go around. Im gonna scout again next weekend to see whats up, Im almost thinking if the bait situation is like this maybe make it a walleye M-N-G and head up to GWL instead and just make a jigfest out of it. Time will tell.......

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

Where's Greenwood Jimmy?

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I may be able to make it, but won't get my work schedule until the Tues, and then possibly switch the weekend day I work with someone. I noticed some guys have room on their boat. Since I have no boat, maybe I can hop on with someone? About the 2-inch herring. Laurie does have small stuff, but they're about 2 1/2 and a few about 3. We caught walleye on them Sunday under the cold front, and I wouldn't be surprised if hybrids take them. At any rate, while jigging Binskys, to put a weighted herring line over the side with the bait suspended off bottom might yield some fish. In the choice between chicken liver and 2 1/2 inch herring, I'll go with the herring. I think they're guys who have really got the chicken cooking just right down there for them, but I'm just not into that. But if I end up fishing with someone who is, I'll be plenty curious anyhow.

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

Beleive it or not the chix livers r the bait of choice right noe on LH the herring r too small for hybrids but they do work. All the regulars r fishing livers and most have stopped using thenherring due to size. Im with u i hate chix livers and would rather jig all day and run downlines off the sides. Hope it gets better i dont like how LH is becoming, the fishing has gone downhill the past few years i used to fish it 3 times a week all season long and do rly well

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

i think we want to fish the lake like we normally do at the end of october but remember that water is probably still in the 60's!! swarts was 60.3-60.8 degrees sunday morning and that place is usually cooler than hopatcong. I'll be on cong today and report back. i'm thinking, treat the lake like you normally do in september!

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

Yeah, the size of the walleye we caught Sunday--20 inches tops--wasn't much. The state put fewer in there for a year or two, but the stocking is supposed to pick back up. Wish the walleye & hybrids naturally reproduced, but they don't and have to live w/that. My son & I did do real well last October on our annual third week outing.

Had 58, 59-degree water temps on Sunday.

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Water temps were all over the place this afternoon. Read as high as 63 degrees in Henderson area and as low as 58 in a few other spots. Nothing really happening for us fishing wise.

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Be sure to gas up your boats before getting on the lake..The marinas are sold out of gas for the season.....

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Ain't no party like an NJF M-N-G party! Almost there fellaz!

Went by Lee's today and it looks like there closing up super early this season! WTF? What's up with that nonsense? Fishing season never ends in NJ. The chains were on the all the ramps and the cones were out. The first ramp was open for some reason but the chain was laying on the ground connected to one of the pilings. This tells me somebody may have pulled there boat from there slip or a paying customer went to run some gas out of his tank. I didn't see a single boat out there. Looks like we'll all have to head out early and launch from State Park. Nasty little ramp that is. The show must go on. See all you wackos next Saturday. TIGHT LINEZ!!!

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I just called Lees. They are opened until the end of November depending on water level. M&G is still on!!!!!!

Lees number

(973) 398-5199

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Great to hear...

Re: 2015 3rd Annual Hybrid Meet&Greet.......
 

Yeah fished with the greek this mrng asked the guy said they had ramps closed cause they paved the ramps all three ramps woukd be opened back up before m and g he told me

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Ya I went to lees also after I went to the state park and couldn't get my boat in cause it was too shallow there and had to back up till my bumper was almost under and it still wouldn't pop off the trailer. Then went to lees and they said the same thing it should be open again by Monday. Went out for a few hours to test the motor out after working so much on it for the past few weeks. Marked a lot of bait and only a few but very big arches of fish on my fish finder. Have maybe 2 hits on the rapala jig but was being pushed by the wind like crazy. Next week I'm bringing 2 anchors for sure. Saw a guy using chicken livers and caught a few hybrids. Can't wait for next Saturday but I will most likely be out there Friday also.

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The ramps at lees are all open again so no worries there. What bothers me is the fishing is a mess right now. The herring are way out deep in a winter pattern already most bait is suspended in 35 to 40fow and marks are few and far between. Ive never seen the lake like this before its like a mix of summer and winter pattern no fall pattern at all anywhere. I fished sunday w mikeytopaz and it was ruff to say the least. As many crappie as u wanted but nothing else biting. Water was a solid 56 degrees everywhere on main lake. My plan is to do some searching in the am for some bait balls w fish on them in the deep and im gonna spot lock and just sit there all morning chumming and fishing chix livers while jigging. Thats whats working right now for the regulars and im gonna go out on a limb and give it a try. Run and gunning looking for schools is not working they are roaming open water but dows has herring again in decent sizes so that's an option too. Im tempted to troll and find a school that way but we will see what the wind looks like for saturday