Northern NJ Catfishing from the Banks

[Eskimo]

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From the garbage I see on the shoreline, I would guess chicken livers are the most popular bait.

Anecdotally, I think catfishing has been slow this past spring. I usually catch Channel catfish as by-catch when I'm bass fishing in lakes where catfish are stocked, but I've hardly caught any so far this year.

Perhaps the water is still cool and the fishing will pick up as the summer progresses.


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[AirborneNick94]

Originally Posted by Eskimo

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From the garbage I see on the shoreline, I would guess chicken livers are the most popular bait.

Anecdotally, I think catfishing has been slow this past spring. I usually catch Channel catfish as by-catch when I'm bass fishing in lakes where catfish are stocked, but I've hardly caught any so far this year.

Perhaps the water is still cool and the fishing will pick up as the summer progresses.


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I always pack my garbage out with me. And yeah, maybe it's the weather up here, we were killing them in multiple lakes in NC a few weeks ago and the weather was warmer there.

[MudCat08]

Try out Spruce Run Reservoir in the summer months. should be starting up soon with the herring spawn, and will be best after all the catfish finished spawning.

Good baits there are simple chicken livers and nitecrawlers. Go at night anytime from 8pm until 3am or even later.

Spruce is a good spot to catch a catfish for the table, much cleaner than Ramapo, Passaic, or Hackensack rivers (which all also hold catfish).

I'd use the same setup you've been using, good luck out there, and post some photos once you start hooking them!