Buzzbait Largies and a Rahway River Stockie

[logs22]

Last Thursday was the beginning of a nice run for me. It started late Thursday night (Friday morning) after a great hockey session which left me filled with energy despite it being after midnight. I was off Friday so I stopped at a local Union County spot where I know I won't get hassled for fishing in the middle of the night. Earlier that day when I was packing a few poles in the car I was looking for a lure I could tie on just to hold the line on a baitcaster and grabbed the first one I saw (a huge buzzbait that had been sitting in my glovebox for past year since I never use them). When I got to the pond I didn't want to waste time tying on a new lure so I just started tossing the buzzbait while perched precariously on a laydown that enabled me to make long casts parallel to the bank. Three casts in and I get slammed just a few feet from where I was standing (thank you trailer hook). I am not sure what I was happier about, the fact that I finally caught a fish on a buzzbait or that the aforementioned fish was close to my PB (at least in weight - est. 2.5-3.5 lbs - super fat but not too long).

Friday I had off so I spent a few hours prowling along the Rahway River in Cranford hoping for some stockies and maybe bass. I caught a few dinks and gills on a tube and then landed a small 'bow on a craw colored squarebill crank. The fish must have already been caught and released because it was pretty battered when I landed it. A quick pic and then the 'bow swam off so a third angler (or a cormorant) can enjoy it.

Monday I worked from home and the conditions in the morning were too perfect for me not to go and take a few casts. I went back to the pond where I had luck on Thursday with the buzzbait and figured, lets give it another try. Standing on a different laydown I once again cast parallel to the bank and burned the lure back to me. After 3-4 casts I landed another respectable LMB and with that catch the buzzbait is now officially part of my arsenal.

Around dusk I decided to head to Echo Lake to see if any of those breeders were still swimming around. I threw tossed a CD-5, gulp minnow, vibrax spinner, Joe's fly spinner, and not even a bite. Finally as I was leaving I hit up a spot where I had caught a nice trout back in Feb. and started throwing the same blue and orange husky jerk that worked back in Feb. On the first cast something big missed a strike right at my feet and I was convinced I had located a breeder. I kept hammering the same spot and within ten minutes I hooked and landed a real nice bass. Not what I was targeting, but beggars can’t be choosers and decent largies are few and far between in lower Echo Lake.

I hope everyone else's season is getting off to a good start!

[Skunk City]

Nice run indeed, lots of hot bites going on, just a matter of finding the time to get out there!

[youngdumbandfulloffish]

Union County smackdown. I love it.

[tycomps]

Originally Posted by logs22

Last Thursday was the beginning of a nice run for me. It started late Thursday night (Friday morning) after a great hockey session which left me filled with energy despite it being after midnight. I was off Friday so I stopped at a local Union County spot where I know I won't get hassled for fishing in the middle of the night. Earlier that day when I was packing a few poles in the car I was looking for a lure I could tie on just to hold the line on a baitcaster and grabbed the first one I saw (a huge buzzbait that had been sitting in my glovebox for past year since I never use them). When I got to the pond I didn't want to waste time tying on a new lure so I just started tossing the buzzbait while perched precariously on a laydown that enabled me to make long casts parallel to the bank. Three casts in and I get slammed just a few feet from where I was standing (thank you trailer hook). I am not sure what I was happier about, the fact that I finally caught a fish on a buzzbait or that the aforementioned fish was close to my PB (at least in weight - est. 2.5-3.5 lbs - super fat but not too long).

Friday I had off so I spent a few hours prowling along the Rahway River in Cranford hoping for some stockies and maybe bass. I caught a few dinks and gills on a tube and then landed a small 'bow on a craw colored squarebill crank. The fish must have already been caught and released because it was pretty battered when I landed it. A quick pic and then the 'bow swam off so a third angler (or a cormorant) can enjoy it.

Monday I worked from home and the conditions in the morning were too perfect for me not to go and take a few casts. I went back to the pond where I had luck on Thursday with the buzzbait and figured, lets give it another try. Standing on a different laydown I once again cast parallel to the bank and burned the lure back to me. After 3-4 casts I landed another respectable LMB and with that catch the buzzbait is now officially part of my arsenal.

Around dusk I decided to head to Echo Lake to see if any of those breeders were still swimming around. I threw tossed a CD-5, gulp minnow, vibrax spinner, Joe's fly spinner, and not even a bite. Finally as I was leaving I hit up a spot where I had caught a nice trout back in Feb. and started throwing the same blue and orange husky jerk that worked back in Feb. On the first cast something big missed a strike right at my feet and I was convinced I had located a breeder. I kept hammering the same spot and within ten minutes I hooked and landed a real nice bass. Not what I was targeting, but beggars can’t be choosers and decent largies are few and far between in lower Echo Lake.

I hope everyone else's season is getting off to a good start!

read your DM.

[phil]

my neighbor caught a 19" rainbow @ echo a few days ago, the stockies coming from my side of the river are stuffed with snail shells, not sure how to match that hatch

[NJSquatch]

topwater action in april....nice!

[logs22]

Originally Posted by phil

my neighbor caught a 19" rainbow @ echo a few days ago, the stockies coming from my side of the river are stuffed with snail shells, not sure how to match that hatch

How has the fishing been over on the south side? I took the kayak out last Friday to Bloodgoods and paddled up the River all the way to the Parkway. I saw a few stockies nothing great. The stretch just downstream of where the river passes under the Parkway has a lot of promise. Rocky bottom and some nice deep holes (I had a depth finder and found lots of 8-10 ft. holes - upstream of parkway dam I have located just one hole over 8 ft deep and it is way up in Kenilworth). Not sure why I never seem to catch anything over there.

I have mostly fished the Nomahegan stretch of the river. I also fish the Dam by North union/Grays funeral home almost every night while walking my dog but no luck as of yet. Once water temps start to rise they love to congregate below that dam.

[youngdumbandfulloffish]

Originally Posted by logs22

I have mostly fished the Nomahegan stretch of the river. I also fish the Dam by North union/Grays funeral home almost every night while walking my dog but no luck as of yet. Once water temps start to rise they love to congregate below that dam.

I've fished there a few times with no luck. I work in downtown cranford on weekends so it seemed like great spot to get a few casts in before or after work. Any luck above that damn? There seems to be a little access between the completely open path and houses.

[AndyS]

Some healthy lookin' LMB's !!

[logs22]

Originally Posted by youngdumbandfulloffish

I've fished there a few times with no luck. I work in downtown cranford on weekends so it seemed like great spot to get a few casts in before or after work. Any luck above that damn? There seems to be a little access between the completely open path and houses.

I have probably fished above that dam 100 times and never caught a thing. I walk right by that stretch of river on my way to and from the train so sometimes I keep a pole stashed in Hanson Park so that I can take a few casts on my walk home. Unless the river has just been stocked all I see in there are carp. The bottom of the falls can produce some good action later in the season especially if we haven't had much rain and the river is low.