Da Muskie was da place to be today!!!!!

[Capt. JJ]

My friend Chris (who showed me quite a few great places) will disown me if I burn any more spots (but its not like there ARE any secret holes or spots these days!) but suffice it to say I felt Da muskie was da place to be and I was right!

Got to the stream at 5:45am and was da only person on a VERY famous location....water was still high, flow was more gray than brown which shows its settling down...

Started off with pink shrimpie eggs.....had 2 small bow's right away....bite slowed and about 15 minutes later one more guy showed up (where da hell was everyone???!!!)...decided to try a yellow panther martin....had a monster brookie hook-jaw follow on first cast....kept swatting at it but no hook up (and da fish was sitting 6 feet in front of me) so I changed to a small bronze phoebe....first cast and it was instant slamo-o!

Fought it for about 10 minutes and had some net assistance from the gentleman across the stream.....after some tough, quick, deliberation...I decided to do da release thing on a 28" brookie that was my personal best here in Jersey, hoping that karma (and a lack of fishermen) would get me more fish.

It did in spades!

Another 19" female bow on da next cast!!!! I had my limit before long, and the guy across the stream also managed a nice 19" bow.

Stopped at few more spots on da Musk and managed trout at each stop....

As da morning moved on da hot lure was a yozuri purple-top diver....first time I used one and it was amazing!!!!!!

Kept my limit of smaller bows and let all da monsters go......

2 weeks till I start salt water fishing for real.....a couple trips wit' da Mongers, and then its all Capt. Bill Kulka on his maine coaster out of Barnegat.

Between Jerry and Bill, you simply cant ask for better fish-catchers.

I am blessed to know them, and today was simply another in a long line of amazing trips on our state waters!

Chris: I did NOT burn your damned spots, but I was SOOOO damned close to '78 I coulda' hitched a ride with one hand and cast the line with my other!!!!!



Capt. JJ

[Tommy]

I bet I know that spot, private club just above where you are puts in some real nice fish, most likely some washed down with all the rain. Not to burn that spot,

[tautog]

If the brookie was 28" you threw back a state record. That fish would have been 8-10lbs depending on how thick it was. Never seen a stocked brookie over 6 1/2lbs before.

[AndyS]

Regardless State record or not.........GREAT REPORT !!!!

[jigman90]

another week and I'll be on the muskie cant wait!

[Capt. JJ]

Nah...no state record.....it was long but lean....not a huge belly at all, nowhere close to THAT! IF I thought it went 8 pounds I'd have had serious issues letting it go...

The length was easy to figure because the guy who helped me had 8x11 fliers folded in his vest....it went almost 2.5 fliers....

Suffice to say I'm buying stock in the company that manufactures Phoebe's this week.............

[Capt. JJ]

Heres a technical question regarding rivers here in da state (since I'm far from an expert):

so yeah....lots of clubs on this stretch...in fact, almost every bridge on this stretch had signs on it that said, "private property....no fishing from da bridge", or something to that effect....

I can understand clubs owning water rights....at least I think I can....but how do they own a public bridge built by da state?

[tautog]

Long and lean, sounds like he is starving out, which happens with some of the very large trout stocked. Not enough food in most of our streams to keep very large trout healthy, especially with competition from so many other stockies.

[Tommy]

I do not think they own the water rights, there is no way they can tell you not to fish from a public bridge.
But then the local cops might be friends of the land owner or club, unless you have lots of money for court, you can't win, so if they tell you to leave may as well.
Now if I had lots of money, I would go to court with them, you have a constitutional right to go on any navitable water up to normal high water line, this includes walking along the bank, up to the area where water has deposited branches and other junk that floats down stream, the club or land owner really does not have the right to tell you not to go there. But then, its a money thing to fight for your rights.
Best wishes,

Here is an interesting link, http://www.adventuresports.com/river...tes/nj-law.htm