Passaic Pike 6/10/15

[JDTuna]

I decided to make a few casts on the way home from work last night at one of my spots and see if anyone was home. I knew most of the river would be blown out with all the rain we've had, but I have a spot that produces nicely in high water conditions. Fished for about 10 min and ended up with this chunky little fish. Didn't measure him, but was somewhere in the 22-24" range. Snapped a quick pic and sent him on his way.

[Skunk City]

Nice man.

The river produces best for me at either at summertime low, or at high levels after an extended period of good rain. The in between level is usually slower for me.

[AndyS]

They all look so healthy, too bad the pike never took hold on the Millstone.

[kcritch]

Nice....That's a better commute home that I had!

[Chrisper4694]

i'm finally going to get out there with the jon boat friday. hoping that its ok. i've never done well in high waters. anything normal and below, i'm fine with.

[Gatto1227]

Originally Posted by AndyS

They all look so healthy, too bad the pike never took hold on the Millstone.

I agree. They should just take the measly 1500 they put in the millstone every year and just add them to the insane number the they put in the passaic .. I think last year was like 35,000 to 1,500 or so

[buzzbaiter]

Originally Posted by Gatto1227

I agree. They should just take the measly 1500 they put in the millstone every year and just add them to the insane number the they put in the passaic .. I think last year was like 35,000 to 1,500 or so

I suggested same but biologists think the PR is pretty much at its max level for pike. River can only support so many based upon forage, cover and most importantly oxygen levels especially a river that warms up quite a bit with little air/water mixing. You also don't want to affect the bass U& other fish species pops by introducing more competition. Too many pike is serious fishing probelm

Millstone lack of success is puzzling as it has plenty of snags/trees and slower areas for pike to hold. I've caught some nice 20-25" pickerel in there which proves fish can do well. Same fishing issues as PR: lots of bugs(more ticks/deer flies than mosquitoes), poison ivy, carp muddying up the water and steep/calf deep muck banks all of which make bank beating/ wading difficult at best. Most casts are in between trees and under/through branches. Once you hook a fish, the real fun begins. You slide down the bank, get the fish and release it. You then realize you have to get back up through a wall of poison ivy or up a red clay bank that you'll slide back down many ties muttering the f word. Good workout for those in shape But as I always say: the harder the place is to fish, the better the fishing usually is.

[Andrushkin33]

Nice one.

Good to see that PR producing for you.

Never had much luck there, just looking at your catches makes me want to try harder.

Andre

[Chrisper4694]

i agree passaic pretty much gets its max limit...look at how many pike are stunted between 25-32" That's pretty much 95% of my catch in there past years.