2011, freshwater year in review:

[AndyS]

WOW, looking back, what a year !! I went over the 38 pages of reports and info posted on NJF, I tried to pick out all the highlights, there were so many I don’t know where to begin. Salmon, trout, bass, carp, you name it. Let me just say I was glad to be able to get out as much as I did and fish with all the great NJF people, I met more great people this year and added more phone numbers to my NJF phone book. My shoulder surgery didn’t take it’s toll as bad as I thought it would in late April, I was pleased.
A few quick highlights:
There were 2 new state record fish this year, grass carp and bowfin.
Catfishonthelake continues to this day at his attempt to fish 365 days !
I got to go inside the fish ladder on the Raritan river and see the viewing room.
My personal bests : largest freshwater fish, 20lb. striped bass out of the Raritan river.
My largest catfish, maybe a tie for my largest freshwater fish, and my biggest smallmouth, Merrill Creek Res. Also, I think I caught a Landlocked salmon in the West Branch of the Delaware river.
We got to endure 109* heat in the summer and a hurricane in the fall !

January the ice fishing reports were coming in hot and heavy (no pun intended) Catfishonthelake scores his first musky!
February rolls in and the ice fishing reports continue, AJFish loaded us up with his “shore reports”
March started seeing some bass and pickerel moving about.
April rolls in and it’s the 1st annual NJF meet and greet opening day trout season at Duke Island Park, we showed up, but the trout didn’t. As a matter of fact, the buzz was the State didn’t even stock, they did, the water was cold and fish were slow to respond. Shad show up in the Raritan and Delaware river.
Late April through early May it seemed like Lake Hopatcong was on fire !
Mid May, we start to connect with big stripers on the Raritan, it had many of us running up and down the banks, Maddhatterr scores with an inland striper on May 16 ! Others were caught, others hooked, and some never seen !
May was all over the place, bass, trout, you name it !!
June I was able to float the Raritan and hit the “Club” with Wilson. Also in June Lake Hoptacong was again on fire with hybrids, I started night rainbows at Round Valley and did very well.
July 12, the Annual NJF catfish night out, hot weather, great fun and laughs, and catfizz !
August 8 ESOX Hat trick, can it be done in New Jersey, you betcha ! Duffman gets the salmon good on the Great Lakes.
August moved along with great smallmouth, carp and catfish reports. The 26th, Round Valley and Spruce Run close before hurricane Irene hits, 365 days of fishing continue, despite a hurricane.
Flooding comes, houses are ruined, major damage to all our freshwater rivers and streams, it’s happened in the past, it’s natures way and nothing we can do about it, we press on.
September I was lucky to be on vacation for a week so I took off for the Beaverkill and West Branch, hit Merrill Creek a lot during that week also and did really well. Lard goes trout fishing on the West Branch of the Delaware in New York and sets a new record with my guide for the most trout on an 8 hr. float trip !
October, suicide run for salmon by FASTEDDIE !! Fall stocking and cooler temps, (and a bit of snow! )
October 8, 9. I did a West Branch float trip with Wilson and Lard, BIG brown trout were caught !
November, I got to fish Penns Creek in Pa, walked a lot ! Rented a beautiful 4 bedroom house, caught lots of crazy brown trout on a very scenic river. November keeps me thinking of walleye, I’m gonna keep trying to catch those sly fish !

I know most of this is about my fishing this year, like I said, there was so much great info and reports I couldn’t quite break down everyone’s personal fishing experiences this year so I want you to post up, your highs and your lows. Didn’t get out as much as you wanted to, the big one that got away, now is the time to reflect, and god willing tell us about next year, what you want and what you don’t want, we all learn form our mistakes. Looks like cool air is right around the corner, Christmas lights are going up all around, a new rod and reel under the tree this year ?

On a sad and final note, 2011 saw the passing of Jigman90’s son, a police officer killed in the line of duty. Lest we forget those who serve and protect so we can be safe.

[shrimpman steve]

my highlight was the big rainbow I pulled out of the ramapo. 8 pounds! will never forget the fight of that fish on 2 pound test.

Also had a great opening day with eric the mortgage man. invited him to the ramapo and we slayed em! A day he will never forget!

[catfishonthelake]

Thanks for all your good work Andy. You do a great job of keeping this board moving and keeping everyone involved. It seems that I never think each year could beat the previous, but each year it does. Last year was the most phenomenal year I've had, and this one was even better. My year started off well, last December, with a 30inch pike on Budd Lake on December 23rd. The ice fishing season was fantastic, scoring trout, tons of pannies and my first two musky, although the largest was only 30 inches. I then went on a carp craze that eventually produced a dozen fish to 20 pounds over the course of the year. The largest of those was probably my biggest freshwater fish. I scored a PB trout, a holdover brookie from the South Branch that was probably close to 4 pounds. I scored a PB hybrid as well, close to 10 pounds and ended close to a 10 year drought with the flathead catfish on the Mon near West Virginia. Pike on the Passaic, scores of walleye from Hopatcong, a good night with the RV Rainbows with Andy, another musky from open water and probably tons more that I'm forgetting.

The one low point was a musky I hooked at the Furnace that I got halfway to the boat before my topwater popped out of it's mouth, leaving me with a set of 6-inch wide teeth marks. No sweat though, this was my first year of fishing for musky, and I'll get my 40 next year. That might be the only thing that could make next year better.

Here are a few of my best pics....

[AJFISH13]

Had a great time fishing this year, it was the end of the SS Dinghy however . Fishing was good this year, defintely could have used a little more quality but quantity made up for it. Probaly won't see much freshwater for awhile, my dad is getting shoulder surgery, he won't be back at it until Febuary, hopefully it will be a mild winter filled with pickeral and perch to keep cabin fever away until March. Can't wait to get a new fish catching machine I mean boat . Defintely learned a lot, some of it right here from this board. Has been a great year of freshwater fishing that is probaly over for me, hopefully next year is even better.

[crustyangler17]

fishing this year for me was decent id give it a 3.5/5. had lots of good days and bad days but in the end managed at least a thousand fish from all different species.

started off with bluegill/perch and crappie fishing in march and april. did lots of trout fishing on the south branch through april and may, caught about 25 brooks, browns and rainbows including a PB fat brookie at 17" 3 lbs. had good channel cat action in the spring too. caught lots of rockbass in april-may on ultralight, they are real fun. been using lures 100% of the time for LM bass this year and really started getting into it. nothing big but lots of 1-3 lbers once caught 9 in a day on senkos in a local pond not bad.

in summer i mainly did catfish and carp. caught my PB catfish, 27" from the D&R canal, also my PB carp 35" probably 20 lbs. did mainly night fishing and got hundreds of bullheads on chiken liver. bullheads were the #1 freshwater fish in terms of quantity. had tons of fish frys throughout july and august. caught my first big channel catfish on cutbait also. also got hundreds of bluegills on trout magnets, they all seem to congregate in the shallows of the canal. did some smallmouth fishing at neshanic station and managed only a few short ones around 8-11" and a ton of sunnies. caught a few more smallies off the lock at griggstown. still did lots of bass fishing in august and tried new spots like lake weamaconk? (the one in englishtown) prospertown lake and turkey swamp. caught some slab bluegills and perch at the squan reservoir. caught a few channels in the big d too. not to mention a new trout stream i discovered in summer and caught some spring stockies about to die from warm water so i caught all six of em in this one deep hole in the stream and took em home for dinner.

september was pretty much the same deal lots of bullheads, channels and bass but i was busy with college so i didnt get much time to fish. october i caught my first few bass on topwaters. found a new channel catfish spot that will be really productive in the spring im sure. i caught 4 channels within 10 minutes in water temps barley 60 degrees. no joke. a new record for me and i will NEVER tell any of u guys about it. it was cast, wait 30-60 seconds and hookup like nothing. trout fishing sucked in the fall thought only caught one 10" at the gorge, better luck next year. for the past month just been doing striper fishing from the surf. today i fished the same channel cat spot and not much action just 2 small ones and a bullhead in 2 hours so that marks the end of freshwater for the year. might try for trout a few more times at the KLG but thats it.

good luck next year, tight lines
-Nick

[SplitShot]

Work definitely got in the way this year and wished I could have done more freshwater fishing.... all the prior pics look great!! Shrimpman, congrats on that BEAUTY!! and on 2lb test is UNBELIEVABLE!!

[surfrod]

Thanks, Andy and all who have contributed, for allowing my vicarious enjoyment of the great outdoors. I really didn't get out on fresh until late this fall due to family (family member's health) and work (new job <> many less free hours). Just one of those years (I hope its only *one* of those years )

Anyhow, really enjoyed this forum!

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!

[FASTEDDIE29]

Definately didnt get out enough, great year of work. Worked 6 days a week from the end of May until Labor day weekend. When I did get out and fish it was great, it always is. Just being on or near the water is good enough for me. My passion for fishing runs deep. Ill be out there somewhere until everything freezes. If theres open water there is always something to be caught and when everything freezes, well, its the same. Theres always something to be caught in the biggest little state. NEW JERSEY!!! TIGHT LINES!!! GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!

[FASTEDDIE29]

Fasteddie29........

[Duffman]

Nice post dude.

Salmon were HUNGRY this year!

Chasing that ever elusive wall mount musky that never happened........mice bite.....HARD..... .......

Chasing pond trout with a 9 year old who is a TICK MAGNET.....

Good year, need more sweetwater time...but learning..