Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Went out to Indian Lake Yesterday down in Little Ferry near RT 46. Was using a Texas rig senko Watermelon Red Flake on a 12 lb baitcaster I picked up from Dicks Sporting Goods, stayed for about 3 hours. Absolutely skunked, a father was fishing with his kids and informed me they stocked it with Trout earlier in the spring but last October there was a really bad fish kill that pretty much wiped out the pond, he said there was dead panfish and Bass/Carp on the entire shoreline. That Really sucks and it makes sense considering I didn't see no sunnies and bass near the shore like I did years ago, I really hope the NJDFW restock this lake as I fished here during my college days and always caught some LMBs, is there anyway to contact them about restocking places that had fish kills?

Also I am new to this online forum :) I hope to share my outings with you all soon! :)

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

welcome to the madness this is a great cite with a bunch of cool peps. if the FGAW were aware of the fish kill they might have to check the water to see what might have caused the fish kill before they re-stock the place.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Fish and Wildlife know about the fish kill apparently as it was noted in one of the field reports of 2018. Low Oxygen apparently was the culprit and over 200 dead fish were accounted for, biologists were on the scene taking samples.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

That fish kill last fall completely wiped out that pond/lake. I work nearby and would fish there during my lunch break. Last spring during spawn you could see tons of good size bass on the beds and I caught a number of fish in the 2.5-3.5 lb range. Then one day all the fish were gone. I was actually shocked to learn that they stocked the pond this year. I was just there a few days ago and the pond is still devoid of vegetation and baitfish. The only signs of life I saw were a few snapping turtles. Pretty sad, I believe just last summer I posted on this board about the robust fishery at Indian lake. Will now take years for it to be worth fishing. Hopefully once they determine the water can sustain bass they will stock it with some warm water fish.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

It's a damn shame, but the Trout bite wasn't bad this year, once they turned on the fountains and the water cleared up stuff like power bait and spinners worked well, caught a nice rainbow there earlier this month on a white roostertail near the dock, also those darn cormorants got a lot of em. In the annual freshwater report they (Fish and Wildlife) concluded the pond fish kill was the result of lake turnover and low oxygen. But what amazes me is that trout were stocked and caught. Indian Lake wasn't actually a bad pond for bass, you would be able to get a few with some texas rigs and senkos. If I had the Big Bucks I'd hire a company to stock that place with all the old fish species again.

No river dwellers though like Carp and Eels just straight up bass and panfish. The Fishing would be amazing again ya know?

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Didn't realize there was a kill off. I remember that week in the fall, it just stunk like dead fish. Never realized it was the entire lake.
Is there anything that can be done to try and repopulate the lake with carp, catfish, eels? I've been at the lake several times this year with my son and there is nothing swimming. The seaweed is the worse its been in years. The bottom around the dock has what looks almost like pine tree's growing from the ground under the water.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Try to hit up the county Federated Sportmans meeting and e mail F&G. This is the chain of command we need to use to get things done, even if it is slow to happen.

https://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/contactform.htm

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Email sent. It's getting so much worse, the planlife in the water that is. I've never seen so much whatever it is growing from the lake bottom all around the dock. You used to be able to see all the sunny/blue gill fish nests along the waters edge. Now it's just green sludge and plant growth. Hell even the lilly pads that used to be along the shoreline are all gone.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

The lilly pads were gone way before the fish kill. Used to get bass under them. There's also a shopping cart underwater by the dock. Was there a few weeks ago. There's a few bluegill on beds and swimming around but all of the carp/bass and cats are definitely dead and gone. The state needs to come in and drudge it to fix the plants and restock it with the native fish species, more bass this time since it was becoming an offshoot of the hackensack river before the fish kill. If I want to catch crabs and eel I can go behind the shoprite or pepboys in hackensack.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

I know the lilly pads have been gone for a while. I raised the issue with the lake quality years ago. I've sent complaints about the shopping cart along the dock along with all the traffic cones in the lake near the dock and along lakeview ave. It took over a month for them to remove that tree that collapsed into the lake from the pathway.

Who else can be contacted to try and get things moving in the right direction?

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

NJ F&W got back to me about the lack of fish. They forwarded my info to the hatcheries to see what can be done. That was about 2 weeks ago.

Today while headed home i saw 2 men with hip waders get into the lake near the corner by the laundry mat. They had some long net looking thing on sticks. Didnt get to see what they were doing but they were from NJ F&W as the truck was parked nearby.

And on a side not a week ago my son and i were watching a mom and son gishm mom was dropping small hooks directly below the dock and pulling up baby catfish. So theres hope!

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

GOOD! About time this state stocks the waterways again! I pay too much taxes for this hahahahaha

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

I got a reply from njdep/f&w today.

"Biologist Scott Collenburg informed me that recent seining showed an abundance of sunfish. Scott is recommending the stocking of Largemouth Bass, and either Channel or Brown Bullhead Catfish, to supplement the fishery. Timing is dependent on the availability of fish from the Hackettstown hatchery.



If you have questions you can contact Scott at 908-236-2118. PT"

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

I hope they can do this. The amount of plant growth coming up from the lake bottom is horrendous. It has never been like this in the nearly 25 years i've lived here. We've had algae/seaweed before along the shores on some summers but not what looks like pine tree's growing from the lake floor all over.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Overpeck creek has the same problem. HORRIBLE Weed bloom. The fishing there this summer has been awful I go for bass but I heard talk from other anglers there that every year the weeds get worse and worse.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

I noticed this while crossing it on route 46. I've never seen weeds/algae along the shorelines in all the years i've lived here.

I want to do something with the lake by me. Used a rake or something to pull this crap out. There is one large portion where it is covered shore to shore.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

I work in Fort Lee and have been fishing overpeck almost daily for the past three years. The algae this summer is def. the worst it’s been in the three years I have fished there but every summer there is some algae growth that starts along the shoreline and then gradually creeps out further into the lake until water temps cool in the fall.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

I've tried so hard to fish overpeck creek for bass and it's been a nightmare. The weeds keep getting stuff snagged and the rowing people act like they own the park and don't allow fishing on the docks near the kayak area, the fishing pier is completely submerged with vegetation.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Did the State ever get back to you about the Indian Lake restocking situation? I was there yesterday and I saw the Weed bloom first hand. This is awful. The lake has always had an algae problem but I feel like the lack of fish is responsible for the weed bloom. Saw a schools of minnows and sunfish though so there's definitely baitfish for stocked bass and catfish to thrive on.

Also the Carp population was wiped out by the fish kill, which could also add points to the weed bloom since they're bottom feeders. They probably controlled the weeds.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

I have had opposite experience. Overpeck has been one of my most consistent producers past two years. Granted I definitely fish it more than anywhere else. I have never fished from the ‘fishing pier’ only from the kayak rental pier, the public kayak launch pier, or the pier across the lake where the crews row from. Never had an issue fishing those spots usually very early in AM or evening though. have landed a fare share of 3.5-4.5 lb LMBs and even a few stripers. This time of year the docks are your only hope of getting past the muck. Plenty along the edges though.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Caught a decent 3 lb largie this morning under the Degraw Ave Bridge
And lost another. There is a deep channel under that bridge which usually produces in the summer months.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

What do you throw under there? I've always tried chatterbaits and texas rigs and got nothing.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Found a good vegetation free portion of overpeck with good access and good fishing. There is a park just north of route 46 bridge with a football stadium and sports fields on the east side of lake (across from the Samsung building). You can park right next to lake and plenty of good access spots without 25 yards of slime lining the bank. Caught this guy today on my lunch break on second cast.

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/...psgqkeapbg.jpg

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/...psziugggpx.jpg

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Hey man. I just got done today with overpeck. Nothing of course but I still haven't been to the spot you mentioned, what do you throw in overpeck? Today I was throwing a texas rig pitboss by Berkely in Green Pumpkin.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

I have probably caught more fish on Wacky rig senkos and jigs with craw trailers than anything else. With that said, I have also had luck with squarebill cranks, spinner baits, chatterbaits and various soft plastics. I have never found a ‘secret weapon’ that works consistently there. I attribute my success at Overpeck more to persistence and frequency than anything else. I work 5 minutes away so I am there almost every day. You fish anywhere that often you are bound to catch something eventually!

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

No, but i will reach out to them again and see if anything new has come of it.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Water is just so gross. Some of hte nastiest water i've seen in years. A lot of the algae bloom has died off or sunk to the bottom but the tree looking things are still around. Lots of minnows and small sunnies. But nothing but turtles swimming around.

Sent a follow up email to them inquiring to the latest status.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Is the lake getting better at all? I haven't been there at all during the season this year but I heard people are catching tiny bass and panfish.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

I work nearby and used to Fish there all the time before the big fish kill. Will swing by and see if there are any signs of life...

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

I had reached out to fish and wildlife about if they had restocked the lake with anything and never heard from them. There are a lot of bluegills, sunnies, crappies for sure. I caught a baby catfish in June. But the seaweed is getting out of control again. Just nasty stuff growing up from the bottom even with all 4 fountains going and even the dpw brought in a huge water pump to help with aeration.

I don't see many people catching anything big. Seems to also be less turtles too.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Apparently the lake is starting to have good improvements again, I went for a quick qalk to the dock section and there was plenty of bluegill schools feeding bread people were throwing. The vegitation by the dock seems to have dissapeared but there's still algae near the shoreline, this summertime algae has been there forever though. I seen pictures of people starting to catch Largemouth and catfish again above a lb. Maybe another year or two and this place will be a great fishery again!

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Lake is getting bad in terms of plant growth. The whole eastern bank along bergen turnpike is completely blocked with those reeds/pussy willow you see in the meadowlands. Completely choked out. The south bank is getting choked out and will probably be blocked by next spring. The western bank is mostly open except for the southwestern corner. The small northern bank is nearly choked out minus a small little area.

Fishing off the dock is difficult unless you just want bluegills right below the water. It looks like an underwater amazon forest of growth all around the dock about a foot below the surface. Algae near the docks is always a thing and has been since i was a kid fishing here.


I've emailed the town DPW and borough hall explaining what is happening. Nobody has responded. I don't even know who to contact at this point. The way the reeds are growing along the banks and in the shallows the lake will be fully engulfed and unfishable within a year and half if not less.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

All ponds and lakes ultimately become uplands. It is called Succession.

Succession in small Urban lakes, like Indian Lake, is accelerated due to the large amounts silt and nutrients in runoff from fertilized lawns, resident waterfowl. It may take only a couple of decades to become uplands. If the municipality has the funds, dredging and application of aquatic herbicides can delay succession, but it is very costly. Why back when, the State had The Clean Lakes Program which provided funds to municipalities.

Large, deep lakes like Round Valley Res., will take centuries, or more, to become uplands. But ultimately, it will happen.

This short video explains it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYC5v5d0-jA

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Gr8 video mark!! Never knew the terminology

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Really sucks. Lake used to be so beautiful and clear.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

A while ago, there was a small urban pond that NJDF&W regularly stocked with trout in the spring. I think it was Clark's Pond, Bloomfield. It became so silted in, and affected by goose droppings, that the Division ceased trout stocking. The municipality dredged / rehabbed it and trout stocking resumed. In a matter of a few years, it completely silted in again. Currently, trout are no longer stocked, nor I believe, any other fish (bass, sunfish, catfish) by the Division.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Guess nobody in the town cares as all my emails have gone unanswered.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

this same thing happens and is accelerated greatly by killing weeds with herbicides... many private lake communities ignorantly ignore this and literally shorten the life cycle of their lake and it's pretty sad and pathetic.

I have also hear that public lakes, like pompton have residents or local municipalities (not sure which or in what combination) killing weeds in this method and the negative effects are already being seen in just a few years.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

Hey steve, I know it's a few months late to the reply but during the summer the township came in and chopped down some of the reeds along the turnpike bank section for better fishing access, we also had two surface aerators break which were immediately fixed a day or 2 later, if the town can fix that they probably can control the aquatic vegetation, I'm in the same boat as you as I have no clue who to contact. Over this pass season though I have learned the fish absolutely love the grass, specifically the largemouths. It's called hydrilla and it's bass candy, I've fished some other lakes around the upper new jersey/new york area that has it and I use punching gear to get down past the mats. In Indian Lake so far I've caught nice size bass and catfish. The grass isn't everywhere though. It's only really along the immediate bank and the shallower side. I've caught fish in deeper water free of that stuff, along the side with the black fence and turnpike side.

I've also learned the lake used to be a brick pit, it also has an average depth of 10ft with a 20ft hole in the middle near the main fountain. It is free of grass down there.

Re: Indian Lake Little Ferry Report 5/19/19
 

The town's dpw has cut down area's along the banks but this stuff just spawns new offshoots and grows back again. The area around the dock is now becoming infested with this stuff a good 20 feet out from shore.

The whole area were brick pits. The old valley fair which is now H mart was one and filled in with trash. Alll the apartments along the area were small pits too.