Question for Passaic R. Anglers

[Mark B.]

What fish to do you keep to eat?

And, what fish have you witnessed other anglers (licensed & unlicensed) keep to eat?

[thyer]

Me - Nothing, Catch and Release
Bucket Brigade - Everything

[NorthJerzyG]

Same here, c&r only. I have seen people keeping carp a few times..........

[Jigman13]

Originally Posted by thyer

Me - Nothing, Catch and Release
Bucket Brigade - Everything

x2

[Eskimo]

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Me - Nothing.
When I was growing up, the Passaic River was famous for being one of the most polluted rivers in America with a toxin list that read like the Periodic Table. Now that most of the manufacturing industries have moved to China and there has been a concerted effort to curb pollution, the water is probably cleaner, but I still won't eat from it.

I suspect there is worse crap in that water than the pollutants that are being tested for. I don't know the details, but I know a contractor who was doing work at a power plant near the Passaic River that burned toxic waste in an incinerator. He said the plant had an "ash house" for the incinerator's waste material. Some of that toxic waste material was regularly washing into the Passaic. Hearing that cured me of any curiosity as to whether that river is producing edible fish or not.


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[njflyfisher]

I think i rather eat a dead fish from a clean lake/river than a live one from passaic. HAHHA

[justin1982]

I dont eat anything

I've seen people keep carp, catfish, either sunnies or crappies and pike

[mondofish]

I've only done c&r but I thought most of the pollutants were from below the falls in Garfield? Superfund site from south of the falls through Newark I believe.

[Skunk City]

I practice only catch and release, but have seen guys set up at the Nutley boat ramp in the lower Passaic keeping White Perch and unfortunately, short Stripers. Yes, I did say something to them about it needing to be 28" but they "No habla englais" me .

[beezer]

CPR for me but I've seen the mud ducks eat anything and everything they catch.

The Rockaway River which feeds into the Passaic was heavily polluted for years.

I've pulled up some nasty stuff off the bottom.