Tidal Passaic Stripes and Pike

[TheDreamCatchers]

Headed down to the most popular spot on the river for stripers (I dont even have to say the exact name) in Kearny and tried for some stripers. I threw little storm wildeye swimbaits which is the best bait and worked the banks. I didnt even get a bite. I talked to people and they told me it was just a rough day and no one was catching anything but people have been catching them up to 40 pounds in that disgusting river which is nuts. Why do they even go in the Passaic??? After nothing for a couple hours I headed to a spot in Belleville on the Passaic and threw on a Keitech and I couldnt believe my eyes but a huge pike had ate my keitech and broke me off 2 seconds later probably around 7 pounds. I saw him eat it the water was quite clear. I went back to a different spot in East Newark later and couldnt catch em on the incoming tide either but I was seeing what I though were herring jumping around but they could have been stripes or blues. The Passaic is a crazy place people are catching walleye in the tidal part too. Ya never know what you are gonna catch in Jersey

I have 2 questions.
1. Why do stripers go in the passaic every spring and fall?
2. What was I doing wrong are there any things yall can suggest?
Thanks

[ScowardNJ]

Originally Posted by TheDreamCatchers

1. Why do stripers go in the passaic every spring and fall?

Spring to feed and spawn
Fall to feed

Originally Posted by TheDreamCatchers

2. What was I doing wrong are there any things yall can suggest?
Thanks

Either the fish weren't there or they were there and not feeding.

The P isn't as disgusting as it may appear. Mega life in that river.

[23cardinal]

+100 for spawning and feeding. Just cause it's silty doesn't mean it's dirty.. manasquan (tidal to jetty) doesn't look any prettier, just has boats in stead of industry. Stripers are fickle about tides, moons air pressure.

Match the hatch. Live like a herring or peanut bunker. Maybe even stinky clams. Or if all else fails. Eels. I ve pulled some good ones up on eels when everyone else gets the skunk.
Good luck

[Chrisper4694]

well...calling the passaic silty and not dirty is a bit of a stretch...put it this way when that water splashes in my mouth, i spit for the next 5 minutes haha. The fish def don't care though!

[23cardinal]

Originally Posted by Chrisper4694

well...calling the passaic silty and not dirty is a bit of a stretch...put it this way when that water splashes in my mouth, i spit for the next 5 minutes haha. The fish def don't care though!

Hahahahahaha touché. In the last twenty years the water has gotten significantly better thou. Lol
How about we settle for non-toxic

[Chrisper4694]

Ok, but I still don't want it in my mouth

[Skunk City]

The river down there used to be better but the dredging scared them away and it hasn't been good since. The DEP cleanup plan will push them away for years, but hopefully they will return in full force once that long cleanup is finished and the river is clean again.

A lot of hours fishing for less than desired results. There are better spots to target stripes than the Passaic. I hear there are decent spots on the bay in Bayonne..

[23cardinal]

Originally Posted by Skunk City

The river down there used to be better but the dredging scared them away and it hasn't been good since. The DEP cleanup plan will push them away for years, but hopefully they will return in full force once that long cleanup is finished and the river is clean again.

A lot of hours fishing for less than desired results. There are better spots to target stripes than the Passaic. I hear there are decent spots on the bay in Bayonne..

Skunk! Your back!
And yea Passaic isn't the best, but some people don't travel well. I like ripping the local lips and trouties myself. Nice to not go far, or have a beer and continue fishing

[briansnat]

Originally Posted by Chrisper4694

well...calling the passaic silty and not dirty is a bit of a stretch...put it this way when that water splashes in my mouth, i spit for the next 5 minutes haha. The fish def don't care though!

I grew up a short distance from the Passaic (in Passaic). I recall in the 60's it was listed for a time as the most polluted river in the US. I recall some of us having a strange sense of pride at that status. Hey, it's nice to be first at something.

I would fish for carp near the bridge into Wallington. Carp was about all the life there was in the river at that time. When I would catch one, I wouldn't even touch it. I would cut the line and let it go. My friend had his pole pulled into the water by a carp and he actually jumped in after it. He went right home and took a shower. This was about 1970.

It is much, much better now, but still far from clean.