Passaic River Smallie help

[Mike S.]

Hi guys, I've been fishing freshwater a lot more than usual this year and I have been focusing my efforts on fishing the Passaic. My last few outings I have really been struggling to catch smallmouth. I have thrown an assortment of small spinnerbaits, jigs, zoom flukes, 4'' senkos, and even mealworms with no luck. I'm starting to wonder if I'm not using the right lures or if I'm not locating proper spots (i.e around fallen trees or fast moving water). I'm quite certain that there are smallmouth where I am fishing, but I think am just not targeting them correctly.

Whats changes should I make in my lure selection? Also, what types of "fishy" spots should I be looking for in the river? My current approach has really been cast out pretty much anywhere around structure.

Thanks for any help

Mike

[bronzeback]

i can try and help you but i dont kno what the water looks like where you re fishing.

this time of year i would be in the water one hour after sunrise. and yes you can fish anytime..

if you like throwing senkos... I would rig it wacky style, which is right in the middle of the worm, hooked once, straight through.... and i would do your research on how to work the worm

river smallies in nj roam around in the early morning so since you dont kno where they are... i would fish deep water pockets that are very close to shallow water

good luck

great advice from bronzeback....I've done pretty well on Wacky rigged senkos with the smallies in the river on that as well....Also the obvious choice is shallow-medium diving crayfish crankbaits(Rapala DT-4 and Dt-6) and also tubes work well...I've gotten some Pike on these small jigs/tubes which is always fun on light tackle...As far as spots, I look for long flats between 4-5 feet deep and flowing at a good pace(not too fast of a current and at the tail end of a rapid section).....fish hang there waiting for forage to wash down......Good luck and hope you catch some nice bronze!!

[flyboy1]

Originally Posted by Mike S.

Hi guys, I've been fishing freshwater a lot more than usual this year and I have been focusing my efforts on fishing the Passaic. My last few outings I have really been struggling to catch smallmouth. I have thrown an assortment of small spinnerbaits, jigs, zoom flukes, 4'' senkos, and even mealworms with no luck. I'm starting to wonder if I'm not using the right lures or if I'm not locating proper spots (i.e around fallen trees or fast moving water). I'm quite certain that there are smallmouth where I am fishing, but I think am just not targeting them correctly.

Whats changes should I make in my lure selection? Also, what types of "fishy" spots should I be looking for in the river? My current approach has really been cast out pretty much anywhere around structure.

Thanks for any help

Mike

Today I hit Dundee lake (Passaic river) in Garfield with 2 of my buddies between 1pm and 8pm and we hit a total of 28 smallmouth, 1 largemouth and 1 trophy sized black Crappie mostly caught on yamamoto grub twister tails with 3d eye jig heads... we also caught a few on the jointed fire tiger rapala..... and I caught 1 smallie on a fire tiger colored senko T-rigged weightless..... good luck

[Skunk City]

Fish areas that you know have rocky bottoms. Slack current pools next to moving water are good areas as well. Above and below any of the dams or falls along the river produce. Wacky rigged senkos, Rapala husky jerks and live shiners below a slip bobber catch a majority of mine, with a floating jointed rapala accounting for almost all of my after-dark Smallies.

[vinntastic]

Shiners I Would Go With,havent Hit The Passaic In 3 Years,but These Pike Reports Are Amping Me Up To Hit It Hard Once Again...

[BIGRED2]

Originally Posted by flyboy1

Today I hit Dundee lake (Passaic river) in Garfield with 2 of my buddies between 1pm and 8pm and we hit a total of 28 smallmouth, 1 largemouth and 1 trophy sized black Crappie mostly caught on yamamoto grub twister tails with 3d eye jig heads... we also caught a few on the jointed fire tiger rapala..... and I caught 1 smallie on a fire tiger colored senko T-rigged weightless..... good luck

Would that be above or below the falls?

[acabtp]

Originally Posted by BIGRED2

Would that be above or below the falls?

not sure if you are talking about the great falls in paterson or are just calling dundee dam "the falls", but dundee lake is above dundee dam with route 21 on one side and river road on the other.

[JerryC]

Spinnerbaits in any bright colors works for me on the Passaic, i also use trailers which i feel help me out also. Cast in any spot you can, soon enough you will get some fish.

[muskynut]

Deadly: try a storm chug bug....cast upstream....let it float down with the current and pop it along......smallmouth guaranteed! Keep me posted!!! Capt. Dave