A very unexpected catch - Orange Reservoir

[logs22]

A couple weeks ago I spent the afternoon with my wife and son at the Turtle Back Zoo in the South Mountain Reservation. I convinced my wife we should take two cars so that after the zoo I could do some fishing in the area. Since it was almost dark when we got finished I decided to just fish the Orange Reservoir that is right next to the zoo.

I was fishing the far side (across from Mcclunes) and worked my way down towards the dam. I wasn't having much luck with cranks or plastics and it was getting dark so I started to pack things in. I took a final cast with a lipless crank and the strangest thing happened.....my lure never hit the water. My first thought was that I must have snagged a branch but there were no trees where I was fishing. At that point I finally heard a splash and felt some tension on my line so I started to reel in. I had absolutely no idea what was on the end of my line until I had the mystery creature on shore.....it was a bat!

I don't know if my lure foul hooked the bat while casting or if the bat itself attacked the lure while it was in the air...regardless the occurrence attracted a small crowd of people walking the track around the lake. No one could believe that I had a bat dangling at the end of my line. I tried my best to dislodge the treble hook from the poor bat's wing but it was simply not coming loose. Knowing bats are common carriers of rabies I was not about to get that close and risk a bite so I regretfully was forced to cut the line. All in all a very weird day on the lake.

See link below for some pictures and a short video clip.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9...UZyQ2NJbDA1S28

One little side note - that night when I got home I found a deer tick firmly embedded in my side/underarm. I pulled it out and saved it just in case and then proceeded to find two more deer ticks also embedded later that evening (neither was there when I found the first tick). I was shocked as I spend a lot of time in the woods over the summer and in two years had not been bitten by a single tick (deer or dog) and here in one (November) day spent fishing from a well traveled paved path around a reservoir I managed to get bitten 3 times. That was about three weeks ago and I have not exhibited any symptoms nor did I develop bulls eye rashes so I am keeping my fingers crossed that I am in the clear.

Lesson learned - beware of ticks even late in the season and In areas you would not expect to be exposed.

[ScowardNJ]

Haha, I bet the bat took a swing at your lure while it was in the air. They often hit flying objects at dusk. Beats the skunk i guess

[Skunk City]

Pretty crazy! I had a Black Crowned Night Heron make numerous dives at my topwater lure a few years ago on the river, but never a bat.

Ticks are unfortunately still out in full force. MikeyTopaz and I took a walk into the woods to hit a spot a few weeks ago and came out with multiple ticks stuck to our jackets and pants, be careful.

You could have walked right across to the zoo and they might have had medical staff who could have saved your lure. Even at night, while open they always have someone on site. That reservoir is loaded with ticks, before it was developed it was impossible to come out of there without ticks all over you. It's gotten better, but it's still a reservation with loads of deer and loads of ticks. You'd be surprised at the fish in that reservoir. The end you were fishing near McLoones is extremely shallow, just a few feet deep at best with a channel that runs along the zoo side. The picture of the rock you posted I believe is on the zoo side just into where the trees and overhang start on the path. Again it's relatively shallow there as well. In the spring when the water is high and cold, that end of the reservoir fishes well since it warms sooner then the dam end. This time of year, every fish in that reservoir is on the dam end in deeper water. A few weeks ago before we had some rain the area I believe you were fishing was bone dry. You'd be surprised what's in that reservoir both quantity and quality. Bluegills, yellow perch, white bass, large mouths, channels, crappie, HUGE snapping turtles and tons of carp. Because of the varying depths of the reservoir, temperatures changes occur rapidly and very much impact how and where to fish it.

[logs22]

Originally Posted by dakota560

You'd be surprised at the fish in that reservoir. The end you were fishing near McLoones is extremely shallow, just a few feet deep at best with a channel that runs along the zoo side. The picture of the rock you posted I believe is on the zoo side just into where the trees and overhang start on the path. Again it's relatively shallow there as well. In the spring when the water is high and cold, that end of the reservoir fishes well since it warms sooner then the dam end. This time of year, every fish in that reservoir is on the dam end in deeper water. A few weeks ago before we had some rain the area I believe you were fishing was bone dry. You'd be surprised what's in that reservoir both quantity and quality. Bluegills, yellow perch, white bass, large mouths, channels, crappie, HUGE snapping turtles and tons of carp. Because of the varying depths of the reservoir, temperatures changes occur rapidly and very much impact how and where to fish it.

The water was definitely super low and also pretty clear so when the sun was still high enough I was able to tell pretty well the bottom contour 5-10 yds out. I didn't even bother to take a cast until I got to that rock and then it was from on top of it. The bat was snagged about 20 yds from the dam where I did most of my fishing.

[njmultispecies]

Wow. I seem to have luck with poppers and spinnerbaits there. Also, if you walk to the bottom of the dam, back behind some bushes there is a little pond filled with bluegills.

[antgogz]

I heard that reservoir used fo be awesome abour fen years ago. Its a shame its so shallow now. My buddy caught a seven pound largemouth there a while back. When it was not opened to the public. Its a shame how public waters get over fished.

Reservoir is shallow on the north end, deep on the south end (dam end). It was extraordinary years ago before being opened to the public. Still lot of large bass if you know how to fish it. Most people fishing there (bucket brigade) are fishing for pan fish. They'll kill an occasional bass but place is still loaded with them. Reservoir is my go to spot for flat head baits (gills, yellow perch and white bass) and I can't tell you how many 3 - 4 inch bass I'll catch every trip catching bait (which are all released). Point is bass are reproducing well there and there's unlimited pan fish for them to gorge themselves on. Have caught bass close to 8 lbs there years ago and sure there are still fish that size swimming around.

[Eskimo]

Catching a bat is just bizarre, but evidently it's not impossible. Back when Little Brown Bats were common, I used to toss a small stone in the air and watch the bats swoop down to take a close look at it before the stone hit the water. Then a fungal disease called "White Nose Syndrome" came to America and the population of Little Brown Bats crashed. I still see bats, but no where the numbers I used to see.

Originally Posted by antgogz

I heard that reservoir used fo be awesome abour fen years ago. Its a shame its so shallow now. My buddy caught a seven pound largemouth there a while back. When it was not opened to the public. Its a shame how public waters get over fished.

Yeah, that reservoir was legendary before bucket crowd had their way with it. I'm actually surprised to hear the optimistic accounts of its current population in this thread. I've stayed away from that lake because I assumed it was over-fished due to its urban location.

Someday Fish & Game will get on board with the wishes of their constituency and either raise the minimum-length or designate certain bodies of water as catch-and-release only so the bass have a chance to grow.
(steps off soap box)

.

[Skunk City]

Anyone know if ice fishing is permitted there?