Mercer lake

[Ash]

Originally Posted by Almaink

It sucks they throw you out of there at dusk, I'd really like to fish there at night.

they used to issue night fishing permits for there. don't know if they still do.

[Eddiechud]

Haven't been there yet this year, been concentrating on Assunpink but I fished there many nights last year after 9 pm and no one ever bothered me. Took 4 or 5 bass last year between 19" & 22". Best for me are deep, gold lipless cranks. Mercer can be hard but if you hit the right pattern, wow.

[Mjh609]

Originally Posted by Eddiechud

Haven't been there yet this year, been concentrating on Assunpink but I fished there many nights last year after 9 pm and no one ever bothered me. Took 4 or 5 bass last year between 19" & 22". Best for me are deep, gold lipless cranks. Mercer can be hard but if you hit the right pattern, wow.

Every fish I've caught at mercer has been solid. Some of the swirls I was getting behind my buzz bait were epic. Had a 5 lb'er last year on a chatterbait.

Ps. I can't stand assunpink. There are really nice fish there but that place is a damn mob scene. I'd rather fish stone tavern or rising sun.

[Eddiechud]

I live 2 minutes from Assunpink and this year my time's been limited. Gotta be on the Pink by 4:30 or 5 am or forget it. If you think Mercer is good now you shoulda been around in the mid 80's before they put the marina in....you woulda been impressed. Mercer was relatively unknown and loaded with bass. Back in the 80's we used to sneak into swimming river reservoir. Best place I ever bass fished in Jersey in my life. Got tired of ducking the Holmdel police.....back when I was much younger and faster.

[lunkertaker]

I fish Assunpink frequently and have had a great deal of success there both day and night. There are quality fish there, ya just have to week through a bunch of dinks and FW bluefish. Great Catfish lake as well. Agreed that it can get crowded. Have gone there twice to be met with a long line at the boat ramp due to some kinda tournament. Off to greener pastures on those occasions.

Fished Mercer twice. Once not a scratch...the DEAD SEA and the second time lost all power to the TM and had to paddle from the back...DEAD SEA again. Timing may have been off, but not likely that I will make it to strike three there!

[bowzonly]

Relatively new to the serious bass fishing scene (about 3 years). Have been avoiding Assunpink because I had been hearing how crowded it is. Last week I said screw it. I went 3 times, 3 hours each and caught at least a 1/2doz each time and lost a few more. All between 1.5 and 3 lbs. Started towards a little cove and saw a guy fishing from shore, giving him some room I pointed my boat to the side of a blow down that he wasn't able to cast to. As I drew closer he started throwing like crazy in that direction (to claim his territory) but still couldn't reach the spot I was heading for. First cast I hooked a 3 or 4 pounder but on the first jump it threw the lure. Poor guy ran through the water and practically drowned trying to get to that spot. My point is, any of the lakes marked by the state as #1 for bass will produce, if you are there at the right time and fishing the right spots. For instance at Assunpink, I saw a lot of 2 man boats where one guy would be casting toward shore and his lures were landing ten feet short of the bank and the other guy would be throwing off the other side toward the middle of the lake. All my fish were caught within 3 feet of the shore. Another example, last year I concentrated on Farrington and was ready to give up on the place until I hit it in the fall. Had two great days, one of those I caught 3 fish between 3 and 5 pounds.

[Rob423]

Any specific area at Mercer to target?