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- - Mercer lake (https://www.njfishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59298)

Went up yesterday searching for musky after seeing 3 huge ones there last week. We came across one sitting on top of the water and threw some lures at him. He would turn and chase for about 2 feet then say screw it. We were able to get within about a foot of him and realized something was wrong. Had a big gash across his head. Either a prop or a bigger fish(doubtful tho, this one went easily 45") I even threw it a live perch and nothing. Don't really have any musky lures so I just threw some big spinners and an Alabama rig today. Nothing, but did see 2 more huge fish, one that jumped clear out of the water. Exploring the lake little I had no idea it was so full of life. Gigantic bait balls everywhere. This lake is loaded with gizzard shad. Got frustrated and decided I would try for bass for the last hour of daylight and it was game on. Got five bass all at least 3#. 3 on a 4" senko and 2 on a giant 2 blade buzz bait. Can't wait to get back out and target bass for a full day there.

Liveline one of those gizzard shad!!!!!

Senko works real well there. Got 4 nice bass on Sunday myself using a senko along with a ton of gizzard shad when throwing worms or trout mags

They are pretty big ones too I remember when I used to fish there you would see big schools of them circling around and making quite abit of ruckous! Always seemed to see them mostly in the evening or on drizzly kinda days. Prob def good muskie bait!!!

I know where I'm going this weekend if I get a few minutes to myself.

It sucks they throw you out of there at dusk, I'd really like to fish there at night.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almaink

It sucks they throw you out of there at dusk, I'd really like to fish there at night.

they used to issue night fishing permits for there. don't know if they still do.

Haven't been there yet this year, been concentrating on Assunpink but I fished there many nights last year after 9 pm and no one ever bothered me. Took 4 or 5 bass last year between 19" & 22". Best for me are deep, gold lipless cranks. Mercer can be hard but if you hit the right pattern, wow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddiechud

Every fish I've caught at mercer has been solid. Some of the swirls I was getting behind my buzz bait were epic. Had a 5 lb'er last year on a chatterbait.

Ps. I can't stand assunpink. There are really nice fish there but that place is a damn mob scene. I'd rather fish stone tavern or rising sun.

I live 2 minutes from Assunpink and this year my time's been limited. Gotta be on the Pink by 4:30 or 5 am or forget it. If you think Mercer is good now you shoulda been around in the mid 80's before they put the marina in....you woulda been impressed. Mercer was relatively unknown and loaded with bass. Back in the 80's we used to sneak into swimming river reservoir. Best place I ever bass fished in Jersey in my life. Got tired of ducking the Holmdel police.....back when I was much younger and faster.

I fish Assunpink frequently and have had a great deal of success there both day and night. There are quality fish there, ya just have to week through a bunch of dinks and FW bluefish. Great Catfish lake as well. Agreed that it can get crowded. Have gone there twice to be met with a long line at the boat ramp due to some kinda tournament. Off to greener pastures on those occasions.

Fished Mercer twice. Once not a scratch...the DEAD SEA and the second time lost all power to the TM and had to paddle from the back...DEAD SEA again. Timing may have been off, but not likely that I will make it to strike three there!

Relatively new to the serious bass fishing scene (about 3 years). Have been avoiding Assunpink because I had been hearing how crowded it is. Last week I said screw it. I went 3 times, 3 hours each and caught at least a 1/2doz each time and lost a few more. All between 1.5 and 3 lbs. Started towards a little cove and saw a guy fishing from shore, giving him some room I pointed my boat to the side of a blow down that he wasn't able to cast to. As I drew closer he started throwing like crazy in that direction (to claim his territory) but still couldn't reach the spot I was heading for. First cast I hooked a 3 or 4 pounder but on the first jump it threw the lure. Poor guy ran through the water and practically drowned trying to get to that spot. My point is, any of the lakes marked by the state as #1 for bass will produce, if you are there at the right time and fishing the right spots. For instance at Assunpink, I saw a lot of 2 man boats where one guy would be casting toward shore and his lures were landing ten feet short of the bank and the other guy would be throwing off the other side toward the middle of the lake. All my fish were caught within 3 feet of the shore. Another example, last year I concentrated on Farrington and was ready to give up on the place until I hit it in the fall. Had two great days, one of those I caught 3 fish between 3 and 5 pounds.

Any specific area at Mercer to target?