Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

What fish to do you keep to eat?

And, what fish have you witnessed other anglers (licensed & unlicensed) keep to eat?

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

Me - Nothing, Catch and Release
Bucket Brigade - Everything

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

Same here, c&r only. I have seen people keeping carp a few times..........

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

x2

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

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Me - Nothing.
When I was growing up, the Passaic River was famous for being one of the most polluted rivers in America with a toxin list that read like the Periodic Table. Now that most of the manufacturing industries have moved to China and there has been a concerted effort to curb pollution, the water is probably cleaner, but I still won't eat from it.

I suspect there is worse crap in that water than the pollutants that are being tested for. I don't know the details, but I know a contractor who was doing work at a power plant near the Passaic River that burned toxic waste in an incinerator. He said the plant had an "ash house" for the incinerator's waste material. Some of that toxic waste material was regularly washing into the Passaic. Hearing that cured me of any curiosity as to whether that river is producing edible fish or not.


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Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

I think i rather eat a dead fish from a clean lake/river than a live one from passaic. HAHHA

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

I dont eat anything

I've seen people keep carp, catfish, either sunnies or crappies and pike

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

I've only done c&r but I thought most of the pollutants were from below the falls in Garfield? Superfund site from south of the falls through Newark I believe.

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

I practice only catch and release, but have seen guys set up at the Nutley boat ramp in the lower Passaic keeping White Perch and unfortunately, short Stripers. Yes, I did say something to them about it needing to be 28" but they "No habla englais" me :mad:.

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

CPR for me but I've seen the mud ducks eat anything and everything they catch.

The Rockaway River which feeds into the Passaic was heavily polluted for years.

I've pulled up some nasty stuff off the bottom.

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

I 100% C&R. I have see carp/catfish anglers at various areas from Fairfield to Chatham and/or the forked sticks they leave behind.

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

Def C&R also. Seen some Asians keepin catfish & carp, also some PuertoRican dude keepin anything he caught even a sucker.:eek::confused:, nooo goood! Brackish part too. Wish people knew better.

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

100 % catch, photo and release ! I did have a great spot about 8 years ago near a bridge with shore access that I used to catch 5 pike a day, every time out. I would never fish the spot from the kayak when there were shore fisherman there (didn't want them to see what I was catching).

One day I was there in the kayak and saw 5 tails of 30" pike sticking out of a 5 gal. bucket. I went over, landed the kayak and told them he was OVER the limit.........He didn't understand what I was saying. I made a call to F&G and I am not sure if they ever followed up, but "they" were there catching and keeping for weeks to come.

Needless to say, that spot is not even worth trying for pike even though this was years ago.

Glad I have a kayak and fish MILES from any shore access spots.

Danny V

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

Not Passaic but..

Talked to an older gentleman (looked like 80 year old) at park pond . He had a dozen small sunnies in a bucket. Told me he puts them in a blender with egg and breadcrumb to make fritters. I told him that park ponds around here are part of the storm sewer system. Told him about dog crap, motor oil, lawn chemicals, light industrial run-off and all. He just laughed and said they taste real good. Whatever.

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

I have only practiced catch and release in any nj freshwater fishery. However, a couple of times I have witnessed people down in paterson keeping carp, white perch, smallmouths, and unfortunately northern pike. They put them in garbage bags and take them home to eat. It was usually just one or two fish at a time but I explained to them that with the sewer run off going into the river and seeing toilet paper coming out of pipes, they may not be too healthy to eat. I think the game warden needs to patrol paterson more because i think a lot of fish are being taken out of there. And of course the cops because I have seen drug dealers, a prostitute, and dudes smoking weed and drinking forties while fishing at eight am. Lol luckily I never had a problem.

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

I keep sunfish sometimes, and an occasional bullhead, but I don't fish Passaic.

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

This is a problem statewide: too few WCO's to cover many waters. You only ever see them around opening day of trout and in major parks. I go out fishing between 75-100 days a year and rarely see or talk to them. They NEED to go to the under the bridge spots and check these fill my bucket "anglers". They may not be not taking too many fish but they are taking undersized ones I'm sure. Most fish-eating fish(bass/pike/pickerel) have one per week or month health warnings. Carp are apparently the worst(no surprise)Perhaps those are the signs they should put up:

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/fisha.../advisory-shee. ts-2012/passaic-river-rt280.pdf

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

I agree, I've only seen signs in Newark about not eating crabs. People need to made aware because I've noticed that if I, just a regular guy, tell bucket anglers they shouldn't be eating out of the river they get defensive or pretend they dont understand me. Forget keeping the fish, it's not safe.

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

I live in Harrison and have always been curious to go down and try the river. Have seen a few people there before but they don't speaky speaky the engrish lol. Anyone ever have any luck that far down below the falls and the North Arlington area ?

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

I think C&R practice needs to be better explained to certain fishing 'groups' so that they realize their habits can have a negative impact on fisheries. The NJDFGW can also look at more restrictive creel laws like no kill or larger max sizes on gamefish like 15" for bass and 30" pike. Most gamefish are sport fish not dinner fish. Take all the sunnies, perch, crappie, carp and bullheads you want but gamefish? Most should be returned to fight again. I also see nothing wrong with a few no-kill fish rules on popular lakes/rivers. Although natural factors such as habitat, water chemistry and forage play a far bigger role in how many fish or how big fish get in a particular waterbody, angler harvest can be a factor as well. I think a few no-kill bass/pike/musky lakes and rivers might help things. Certainly couldn't hurt right?

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

Hey, how bout some fishing reports girlz? I'm currently swamped with work but look forward to seeing some fishing reports from some of you fine anglers soon. Somebody go catch something and dedicate it to the..........FASTEDDIE is WORKING WAYYYYYYY TOOOO MUCH FUND!!!!!! LOL! WHAAAAAAAAAAAA. I catch and release everything unless I run outta bait. You fellaz shoulda seen the size of the Flathead that I caught on a 15 inch Smallie last month. That was EPIC!!!!!

As for one of my home rivers. I release em, I feed em, sometimes I watch em spawn, sometimes I catch em. I take care of my fish so everyone can enjoy em.

TIGHT LINEZ!!!!!!!!!!:D

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

I lived in Lyndhurst for 28 or so years, and know that ramp well.. My brother still lives there , only a few blocks from that ramp.. He recently saw a guy there[I won't mention his ethnicity] catching and keeping eels to eat.. there could be NO fish in that river in that tidal section WORSE to take home than eels.. I can't even imagine what it woul;d be like to eat them.. Its all soft ooze there, full of contaminants no doubt.. Yes the Passaic River tidal section has a lot more fish in it than when I was a kid, but it won't produce clean eating quality fish for many decades, until that bottom is capped and/or washed away in the next few decades... or more.. It was so polluted at one point, most doubted it would ever have any life in it.. Anyone that eats lower/tidal Passaic River fish needs his head examined... bob

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

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Oh they will. It's called an MRI and they'll need it as part of their cancer treatment.

From the EPA website:

http://www.epa.gov/region2/passaicriver/



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Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

:D

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

Oh they will. It's called an MRI and they'll need it as part of their cancer treatment.


Classic

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

If he is already that old, the fish can't be too dangerous.:D

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

My Sicilian grandfather Carmine told me he used to eat blueclaw crabs out of the Hacky most of his adult life. He lived to 86 but the only thing was he grew a third arm when he turned 80. Go figure!!

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

Third arm is a benefit as far as I'm concerned.

Re: Question for Passaic R. Anglers
 

Yea my dad said he used to eat crabs out of the Passaic in Newark in the 60s, he says it was a lot different then