fishing??????

[pickerelfisher]

Chris,

Thanks for the info...I haven't had much luck at Turnmill. Today was the first time I caught a fish there and it was a decent sized pickerel, not a bass. I catch more fish at Colliers Mills (1st pond), but you're right about the bass being small. The lillies are starting to take over Turnmill too so I may have to call it quits for those 2 spots soon or get a canoe. I saw a lot of people fishing Prospertown Lake today....has anyone fished this lake recently? It looks like it gets very crowded, am I right?

Mike

 

[Hewey]

Prospertown gets stocked for trout in the spring that is why you have the crowds, I have not fished it in a few years but I used to have good luck with bass fishing out of my john boat, Turnmill is also better fished out of a boat. I have never had much luck in the 1st lake at the mill. You can also go back further in the mill and fish lake sucsess, only picks and bullhead in there but lots of them.

chris

 

[46er]

If your in the area of Prospertown, youmight take a look at the 3 lakes in Assunpink WMA, its very closeby. 2, Assunmpink and Rising Sun, can be fished from shore, the third, Stone Tavern needs a boat. LMB, Pickerel, Crappie, but try a weekday, they sometimes run bass tournaments on the weekends and it can get pretty crowded.

 

[Hewey]

I have never fished assumpinks impounds. I have been told they hold some lunker bass. I almost never fish in monmouth co., I almost never fish out side of the pines. I am heading out in a few to hit up some of my pickerel honey holes. The picks should be in barracuda mode with the water warming up this last week.

 

[Hewey]

Just got home from a short, wet fishing trip. I caught a few small pickerel from 8"-20" my friend bob caught a brute, I would say it was 3.5-4lbs.

 

[Hewey]

Bob with large pickerel he caught in cedar creek.

 

[woodjin]

Nice pickerel! I got out today for a short while but had little luck. Too much water. Just caught this little 12"

Jeff

 

[pickerelfisher]

Nice pictures......I might get out tomorrow if the rain holds off. Maybe I'll try Bamber Lake for some picks. Thanks for the feedback on Prospertown.

 

[pickerelfisher]

Didn't make it out on Sunday. Hit Pine Lake for an hour Tuesday and caught a 23" pickerel. I've been having good luck using a 3" yellow perch rapala.

 

[tom m]

Assupink impounds do hold some lunkers but I also hear that the fishing pressure is high also ,gotta be a smart bass pro to fool em

 

[46er]

Didn't make it out on Sunday. Hit Pine Lake for an hour Tuesday and caught a 23" pickerel. I've been having good luck using a 3" yellow perch rapala.

My folks used to live on Pine Lake, I spent a lot of time in the canoe fishing there, some big pickerel in there with no pressure on them. Try to get up toward the inlet, a canoe helps.

 

[HawkinNative]

All posts have been deleted

 

[46er]

Speaking for myself; I crimp all barbs, style of hook depends on the lure, mostly c&r except for trout, weaks, fluke and an occasional SB, which are very tasty From my experience, pickerel are more sensitive to handling than trout. Some folks eat pickerel, heard they need to be baked to make thebones very brittle so they can be consumed with the fish, but I've also heard there are ways to debone them.

 

[piker56]

I use single hooks for worms or minnows. I have some top water lures with trebles. I crimp all the barbs if I remember. For unhooking I try to not touch Pickerel to not disturb the slime on them. I keep long nosed plyers and unhook in the water if I can. I also keep wire cutters in the tackle box, it's easier to cut the hooks at the bend sometimes rather than unhook. Then I'll replace the hooks at home.
Hawkin, I understand about the fishing. My hunting partner was my oldest brother. After he died, it wasn't the same. I now hunt Bass and Pickerel. I'm thinking of getting my hunting license this fall though. We'll see, as I do miss it.
Greg

 

[PINEY MIKE]

Just curious..... How much of this is catch and release? Trebles removed in favor of singles? Barbs crimped?
Do pickerel suffer from the same survival issues that trout do after being handled?
Pickerel species have so many small bones - does anyone eat them?
I haven't freshwater fished in NJ since the mid-70s, but was quite an avid fisherman before then.
My saltwater days ended 5 years ago with the death of my Father who was the best fishing buddy anyone could ask for. The boat - now tarped for those 5 years - is just too empty without him.

I fly fish about 99% of the time in fresh water, debarbed hooks on most of my fly patterns, striclty catch and relaese except for one or two trout cookups a year with stocked trout only. To each his own, and I've never had a problem with people keeping catches as long as its in regulation.

 

[Teegate]

My saltwater days ended 5 years ago with the death of my Father who was the best fishing buddy anyone could ask for. The boat - now tarped for those 5 years - is just too empty without him.

Sorry to hear that. I have not experienced that kind of hurt so I can't imagine what it is like. But I can think of a few people here that I explore with who's loss would start me in that direction.

Guy

 

[tom m]

I tried my new Bait casting outfit out at Oswego lake today and Finally caught a fish out of that lake !!!!! All the years I've fished the pines and that lake always stumped me, But I have succeeded in breaking that stalemate LOL!

 

[Hewey]

All of my freshwater fish are released. I try to hold pickerel most of the time around the gill plates like in the picture I posted as not to wipe slime off of their body. I pinch all my barbs closed. I catch and keep some saltwater fish and stocked trout.

Piker and Native sorry about the losses, It sucked when my grandfather died, I spent most of my time in the woods and fishing with him.

 

[pickerelfisher]

All my fish are catch and release. Like everyone else, I try to minimize touching pickerel, but they are a feisty fish that fights nonstop, so sometimes I place a hand near their gills (not in) to calm them down enough to get the hook out. When fishing killies, I use a single #4 hook. The Rapala's have a double treble. Unlike most, I don't crimp barbs. I've had many picks throw the lure (with uncrimped trebles). Usually it's when they breach and shake their heads (like lm bass). The only time I'm concerned with barbs is with young (10") picks, the larger picks (18"+) have never shown any mouth damage from barbs. The 10" picks with mouth damage end up in the bellies of 20" picks anyways

 

[pickerelfisher]

My folks used to live on Pine Lake, I spent a lot of time in the canoe fishing there, some big pickerel in there with no pressure on them. Try to get up toward the inlet, a canoe helps.

46er,

Thanks for the info. I'll probably get a canoe this year. I've been holding off on buying one since March. I just wanted to make sure I made it through the latest round of layoffs at work (which I did).

As for deboning pickerel, I heard the same. It's the same method used for pike & muskie, except the bones are smaller in pickerel.