Spruce Run 9/21: The Good-The Bad-The Ugly: - NJFishing.com Your Best Online Source for Fishing Information in New Jersey

AndyS · #1 09-23-2012, 11:15 AM

The Good: Hit Spruce Run as the sun was going down with Wilson Friday night. 9.9 Evinrude ran fine, depth finder worked fine, finally blew the dust off of both of these. Weather was great, nice and calm, lotsa stars. Anchored up in the main like and put the light down. It didn't take long before we had alot of herring flipping and zipping around the light. Chucked big lures into the darkness and drowned worms on the bottom but found no love.

The Bad: What is with the water levels in this place. You couldn't use the paved launch but had to go along side of the ramp and use a large dirt area.
No weed beds. Only 2 other boats on the lake that night.

The Ugly: Turned off the depth finder and headed for the ramp around 11pm or so. I had one of the worst headaches in my life, thought I was going to toss my dinner it was so bad. The place is DARK and this was my first time boating there. We start heading in toward what was the area of the boat ramp and next thing ya know I am banging my prop along the bottom kicking up rocks and mud, we came to a stop in a cloud of 2 stroke smoke.
We were lost. Ran right into the lake shoreline of who-knows-where.
I managed to push us back out into some deeper water and started the motor, ran the motor in the deeper water for a bit and it wasn't vibrating or shaking. We got our wits about us and FINALLY found the boat ramp.

A big thanks to a guy who was fishing next to boat ramp with a small light, we yelled to him in the dark and he helped us find the ramp. Also a big thanks to Flatcreek for helping me to get motivated and all the intel.

Checked the motor, seems like only a few dings and nicks in the prop. Will I go back, probably, will I go back at night, probably but with my lucky hat and a 1 million candle power spot light.

tycomps · #2 09-23-2012, 02:16 PM

You sure the bad didn't start at the "with Wilson" part? just kidding

One night camping in the narrows at Lake George we went into Bolton Landing for dinner and Gaslight Village. Heading back to the islands about five minutes out of the marina where Ann's bait and tackle was at full throttle in a 16 footer with a 75hp Johnson under a pitch black star choked sky we nailed a rock!

Fortunately the motor wasn't locked or it would have torn right off the transom!
Prop was taco'd, shaft was fine.

ChaosStarter · #3 09-23-2012, 02:41 PM

That place is LOW. I was just there a few days ago. It's not bad at all at full pool, but you have to know your shorelines on the side of the boat ramp because it does get shallow in areas. I'm hoping to maybe get on it on friday during the day and see what my buddy and I can find with the low water. Try and find some hybrids and whatnot.

lunkertaker · #4 09-23-2012, 07:38 PM

Thanks Andy for the intel. LOW and a launch from the side means time to GO in the am soon.

I have had some of the best bass fishing there in the fall when the lake is way down and you work those submerged weed beds along the shore in the light. Never fished there in the dark...heard lots of stories, but have not ventured there then.

Have caught some good ones there, including some decent smallies and pike. I love it when the fish and lake are concentrated there.

jimmythegreek · #5 09-24-2012, 11:58 AM

i fished it back in early august and it was very low, ramp was barely usable. Started at 5pm and left at 11pm. 2 small SM dinks, didnt mark any fish really, thermocline 10 feet down! I wont fish it again honestly, there isnt much there IMO for the 9.9 restriction. U can hammer stripers all day long at LH and bass fishing is way better up north in the reservoirs.......

acabtp · #6 09-24-2012, 12:21 PM

andy, you need a smartphone! next time that happens, you would just use the GPS on it to guide you back in... plus you can post on NJF while you are fishing!

gypsy · #7 09-25-2012, 09:20 AM

Gaslight Village ? ! ? ! boy that was a l o n g time ago. I was out duck hunting on Spruce Run in the early 1970's, I know what you mean about dark, ran into the dam looking for my blind on Pine Tree Point, never saw the dam till I was on it, lol

Skunk City · #8 09-25-2012, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acabtp

andy, you need a smartphone! next time that happens, you would just use the GPS on it to guide you back in... plus you can post on NJF while you are fishing!

This! Google Maps is a life-saver (pre-loaded on android phones) and the Navionics App ($10) is just as good as having a Navionics chip in your FF. I use both RELIGIOUSLY at night time.