Wanaque back in the day

[Chrisper4694]

Originally Posted by Jigman13

$300...maybe $500 if splitting w/ another angler. I can catch fish elsewhere but that place has got to have monster everything in it considering the lack of pressure most other public places in NJ receives.

yeah that being said, if everyone started putting back ALL their big fish we'd have the same size fish in public lakes too. And that's a fact! The fish size in these reservoirs proves that. it is not our latitude or environment that prevents fish growth it is the people keeping big fish constantly.

I've said it a million times, whether you like to eat fish sometimes, always, or never...the BIG ones are worth more in the water, plain and simple.

[Hookmanski]

Originally Posted by Chrisper4694

yeah that being said, if everyone started putting back ALL their big fish we'd have the same size fish in public lakes too. And that's a fact! The fish size in these reservoirs proves that. it is not our latitude or environment that prevents fish growth it is the people keeping big fish constantly.

I've said it a million times, whether you like to eat fish sometimes, always, or never...the BIG ones are worth more in the water, plain and simple.

^^THIS! I went to franklin lakes nature preserve near William Paterson this past weekend and saw a guy with a full stringer of largemouth bass. at least 4 of them, all probably 1.5 - 3 pounds a piece. Such a shame to see, do largies even taste good? I get that everyone is entitled to their fair share but come on, let em go so they can grow.

[bulletbob]

Everyone likes to eat fresh fish, its as simple as that.. The couple of smaller lakes in my area of NY state that contain Crappies are fished so damn hard for them, its impossible to find more than 1 maybe 2 on any given day that will reach the 9 inch minimum... The instant they get to 9 inches they are taken home to eat by someone ... I have lived here for 28 years and have YET to see a Crappie close to 12 inches, yet I see pics on here of NJ guys holding up 15 inchers for the camera all the time.. Point is, its NOT only a NJ problem.. We have the same thing up here for any good eating fish, Perch Crappies, Walleyes, etc,, even Bullheads are gobbled up around here with reckless abandon..
So a lot of the local lakes have mostly small fish these days.. Rivers do somewhat better because they are simply unfishable for months at a time in upper NY state..

Same thing is happening in the ocean as we know.. Too many people wanting to catch and eat too few fish= Restrictions...
A few terrorist *******s that might want to poison innocents or blow up the Earle Pier, or the Statue of Liberty= more and even bigger restrictions.. welcome to the modern world... bob

[Jigman13]

Originally Posted by Hookmanski

^^THIS! I went to franklin lakes nature preserve near William Paterson this past weekend and saw a guy with a full stringer of largemouth bass. at least 4 of them, all probably 1.5 - 3 pounds a piece. Such a shame to see, do largies even taste good? I get that everyone is entitled to their fair share but come on, let em go so they can grow.

Should've called fish n game. Bass are closed I think until mid June. Purposely done so they can spawn.

[Hookmanski]

Originally Posted by Jigman13

Should've called fish n game. Bass are closed I think until mid June. Purposely done so they can spawn.

Damn, next time I will! I didn't even realize because I don't eat fish and therefor release everything. I'm kicking myself right now!! Gotta do a better job of learning the regs.

[Rickhem]

Call it in!

1-855-OGT-TIPS

Put that in your cell and it's an easy call.

Originally Posted by Hookmanski

Damn, next time I will! I didn't even realize because I don't eat fish and therefor release everything. I'm kicking myself right now!! Gotta do a better job of learning the regs.

I've used 1-877-WARN-DEP with good luck and very easy to remember. Very responsive. Hook, not too late to call and tell them what you witnessed, might give them a heads up to patrol the area. I'd say there's a good chance the guy will be back again before 6/15 when it re-opens especially if he was fishing in this past weekend's weather which was miserable and had that much luck. This $@*& #@! didn't kill 4 fish, if they were females he killed probably between 25,000 to 50,000 eggs and hurt the fishery at a price everyone else will pay for.

[Hookmanski]

Originally Posted by dakota560

I've used 1-877-WARN-DEP with good luck and very easy to remember. Very responsive. Hook, not too late to call and tell them what you witnessed, might give them a heads up to patrol the area. I'd say there's a good chance the guy will be back again before 6/15 when it re-opens especially if he was fishing in this past weekend's weather which was miserable and had that much luck. This $@*& #@! didn't kill 4 fish, if they were females he killed probably between 25,000 to 50,000 eggs and hurt the fishery at a price everyone else will pay for.

Good point, I'm going to call it in after work today! Ugh if i had realized he was a poacher I probably would've flipped out on him too, I hate seeing that.

Originally Posted by Hookmanski

Good point, I'm going to call it in after work today! Ugh if i had realized he was a poacher I probably would've flipped out on him too, I hate seeing that.

If you knew the season was closed as Jigman posted, best thing to do is to cordially bring it to the guys attention. Sometimes people honestly don't know the regulations and he might just release the fish. Usually not the case but I've had it happen. If he gives you a hard time, call the number and what I do is without him knowing take a picture of him fishing or with the stringer of fish. Picture will be date stamped. If you can, take a picture of his car with license plates and some background if possible which can be associated with the place he's fishing. Sign, house, boat launch, posted signs, information board whatever that proves he was fishing where you say he was. In this case the season is closed everywhere so location isn't important, day fished is. That will also be date stamped so no one can say it was last years picture. Call the number and text or email NJDEP the information, they'll take it from there.

Be careful going off on someone, they might return the favor. And as I said if NJDEP has the info, they have the proof they need and will follow up with the guy involved and usually call you back with an update and thank you. There's too much territory out there for these CO's to cover and they can use our help.

[Drossi]

I have a very nondescript park pond by my house that used to hold a pretty good population of LMB. It was a fun place to go with rubber worms and poppers for a change of pace. Also had saucer plate sized sunfish. Another fun fish on light gear. The catch and kill everything crowd moved in and picked it clean. Same guys would be there every weekend until the fishing crashed, now you rarely see them but every time you see them they have fish in the bucket.