NJ Fishing Advertise Here at New Jersey's Number 1 Fishing Website!


Message Board


Got My Biggest Freshwater Fish 5/6/2011 - NJFishing.com Your Best Online Source for Fishing Information in New Jersey


Message Board Registration       FAQ

Go Back   NJFishing.com Your Best Online Source for Fishing Information in New Jersey > NJFishing.com Fresh Water Fishing
FAQ Members List Calendar

NJFishing.com Fresh Water Fishing Post all your fresh water topics on this board

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-06-2011, 01:16 PM
AndyS's Avatar
AndyS AndyS is offline
NJFishing.com Old Salt
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 10,600
Thumbs up Got My Biggest Freshwater Fish 5/6/2011

I told my wife this morning I was going to fish for striped bass in the Raritan River. I told her that the stripers come up the river to spawn in the spring. She said, if you catch a striper that is spawning are you going to kill it ?, I said, nah, I’ll just let it go.
Headed over to the river in South Bound Brook this morning with very high hopes of getting my first freshwater striper. I felt like the moon and stars were properly aligned so I thought my chances were going to be good. The river level was dropping from recent rains and the water had a tea color to it.
I got to the falls around 8am and there are these two older gents who love to fish for shad, the one guy said he had 4 this morning, they throw darts, and only in the morning, I guess they are retired.
I did a few throws below the falls and started working my way down river. Fished some of the steady moving water for a while then made my way down to the pipe. I fished the fast water below the pipe and got smacked real hard on my plug. This striper smacked it twice before I hooked him, then it was..GAME ON !! With my 7’ Kunan one piece rod and my Diawa 2600 SS filled with 12 lb. Berkley Trilene it took me every bit of fifteen minutes to land the 36” fat striper. My phone was ringing in my wader pocket when I was fighting the fish and I couldn’t answer it, but somehow I just knew it was Maddhatterr.
I got the beauty to the bank and I was shaking , got the hooks out of the stripers mouth and sent him on his way. I’ve caught some nice bass on the beach in the fall, but I use heavier tackle when I fish the beach, this was the way to go, what a great fight.
Checked my phone and sure enough, it was Maddhatterr that had called. I told him the story and he was very happy for me. I fished a while longer and moved back up to the falls. The two older gents were still fishing for shad and I watched each of them hook up. The shad are HUGE, real drag smokers !!
Did a few more throws around the falls and that was it. I was walking back to my car and another angler and his girl were coming down the foot bridge going to the canal. I asked them if the were going to fish the river, the guy said HECK NO, I’m fishing the canal, I want to get that 3 foot long catfish that snapped my line last week !
I have to thank Bill ( I think that’s his name ) for making the video and putting it out there. I see him from time to time and he is just a wealth of information when it comes to fishing the Raritan.
If you like a real challenge I invite you over to the Raritan River. Try to park in designated areas, don’t throw trash all over the place, respect others fishing around you, and practice CPR ( catch, photograph, and release) No camera today as usual, I think bringing the camera is the kiss of death. ( you know what a 36” striper looks like ) This fishery should hold up through the month of May, after that I think the stripers turn tail and beat it back to the ocean.
As always if you need more info, just send a PM. Lure today was just a plain black and silver bomber, about 7” long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol2tPGW_hwE
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	20110125_calcodam.jpg
Views:	554
Size:	26.9 KB
ID:	34508  
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-06-2011, 01:23 PM
dboyd101 dboyd101 is offline
NJFishing.com Ambassador
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 697
Default Re: Got My Biggest Freshwater Fish 5/6/2011

Nice report and even nicer catch! I hear you're guest starring on River Monsters next week?
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-06-2011, 01:45 PM
Leif's Avatar
Leif Leif is offline
NJFishing.com Old Salt
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Ocean Township
Posts: 3,759
Default Re: Got My Biggest Freshwater Fish 5/6/2011

Nice Andy! Real nice.

Leif
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-06-2011, 01:48 PM
Duffman's Avatar
Duffman Duffman is offline
NJFishing.com Old Salt
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,572
Default Re: Got My Biggest Freshwater Fish 5/6/2011

No camera?

How convenient.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-06-2011, 01:52 PM
AndyS's Avatar
AndyS AndyS is offline
NJFishing.com Old Salt
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 10,600
Arrow Re: Got My Biggest Freshwater Fish 5/6/2011

My biggest saltwater striper was a 30 lbr. on live eel on my boat in front of the Tiki bar Thanksgiving eve many years ago.

My biggest freshwater fish up until today was an 11 lb. brown trout from Merrill Creek Res.

( Did get some big salmon trolling with Duffman on the Great Lakes ).. I think he has a photo of that.

Last edited by AndyS; 05-06-2011 at 02:21 PM..
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-06-2011, 02:11 PM
Lard Almighty's Avatar
Lard Almighty Lard Almighty is offline
NJFishing.com Old Salt
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Monmouth County
Posts: 1,772
Default Re: Got My Biggest Freshwater Fish 5/6/2011

Excellent job! I landed my PB freshwater striper from that very same spot, although only a paltry 26 inches. I'm sure you had quite a rush, just like I did. Congrats, now go get a bigger one.
__________________
Now the sun is just starting to climb up over the treetops,
And it's gonna be a beautiful day, that's plain to see.
But I won't be around at all, so don't even bother to call,
Cause on a day like today there's one place I gotta be:
GONE FISHIN'

Fishing with LardAlmighty on YouTube
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 05-06-2011, 04:54 PM
ChaosStarter's Avatar
ChaosStarter ChaosStarter is offline
NJFishing.com Ambassador
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Edison, NJ
Posts: 691
Default Re: Got My Biggest Freshwater Fish 5/6/2011

nice job!

Looks like I need to start checking out my spots after work.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-06-2011, 07:16 PM
Wilson's Avatar
Wilson Wilson is offline
Old Soft Salt
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,619
Default Re: Got My Biggest Freshwater Fish 5/6/2011

Quote:
Originally Posted by Duffman
No camera?

How convenient.

Yeah his P.P. (personal photographer) was at work and too bad too.
I could of charged some $$$ for that picture



Nice job....
__________________
We live in a time where intelligent people are silenced so that stupid people won’t be offended.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 05-06-2011, 07:43 PM
Duffman's Avatar
Duffman Duffman is offline
NJFishing.com Old Salt
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,572
Default Re: Got My Biggest Freshwater Fish 5/6/2011

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wilson
Yeah his P.P. (personal photographer) was at work and too bad too.
I could of charged some $$$ for that picture



Nice job....
Dont believe it. No camera? What about the cell phone???? Shoulder surgery 5 days ago and fighting a striper on light tackle today? C'mon, I was born at night, but.......yada yada...

Could have charged $$$ for the pic? You serious??? This guy bitches about paying 19.95 for an oil change!!!
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 05-06-2011, 07:48 PM
Wilson's Avatar
Wilson Wilson is offline
Old Soft Salt
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,619
Default Re: Got My Biggest Freshwater Fish 5/6/2011

Quote:
Originally Posted by Duffman
Dont believe it. No camera? What about the cell phone???? Shoulder surgery 5 days ago and fighting a striper on light tackle today? C'mon, I was born at night, but.......yada yada...

Could have charged $$$ for the pic? You serious??? This guy bitches about paying 19.95 for an oil change!!!
I pay 29.95 for mine.... but I'm cheap and frail
I'll admit I wanna believe him minus a 2 inches, still a good catch...theoretically
1 pix is worth a thousand words....no pix a million!
Good Job....
__________________
We live in a time where intelligent people are silenced so that stupid people won’t be offended.

Last edited by Wilson; 05-06-2011 at 07:58 PM..
Reply With Quote
Reply



Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:02 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.