A few of you recently helped me with suggestions for places to get out and fish for pickerel, both in my fishing thread and over PM. We had a chance to get out a few times before the park restrictions and we were successful! My older son always outfishes me but I wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you again!
Thanks Folks!
- Thread starter NJChileHead
- Start date
That is awesome. Your son caught a monster and his smile says it all ! Great job.
Some of my best and most durable memories are fishing with my father. Salt water, not fresh, but the joy is the same.
Okay I just have to put this up here because it's a funny coincidence. My younger son has taken a real interest in fly fishing. He sleeps with his fly rod (seriously). All winter long we've been tying flies together and casting in the backyard. I recently decided to take him somewhere to a stream (not in the Pine Barrens) when he could cast from the bank and potentially catch some panfish with his fly rod. He throws in a chartreuse wooly bugger and his first ever fish on a fly rod...is a little pickerel!
BTW, we did net it immediately after this photo to remove the hook and release it carefully!
BTW, we did net it immediately after this photo to remove the hook and release it carefully!
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T
Toothy Critter
Guest
That's so awesome. I love reading stories like this. He looks so proud and excited.
Thanks everyone!
46er, about those rainbows, it wasn't for lack of trying! We did go out twice for rainbows and came up short. Once was a colder day in November, we tested out the new waders at Pequest/Lockwood and -nothing-, then we tried again more recently and we threw San Juan worms, zebra midges, and a few others at them and, again, got the skunk.
He's getting some confidence with the rod now. Once the seal broke and he got the pickerel, he did end up getting some sunnies and some nice crappie with the wooly buggers and San Juans. We'll be working our way back up to trout soon, but part of me is really looking forward to a little warmer weather and getting him on some smallies or at least some rock bass/small LMB that inhabit local streams. I'll keep you posted if we get on any trout. Wish us luck!
46er, about those rainbows, it wasn't for lack of trying! We did go out twice for rainbows and came up short. Once was a colder day in November, we tested out the new waders at Pequest/Lockwood and -nothing-, then we tried again more recently and we threw San Juan worms, zebra midges, and a few others at them and, again, got the skunk.
He's getting some confidence with the rod now. Once the seal broke and he got the pickerel, he did end up getting some sunnies and some nice crappie with the wooly buggers and San Juans. We'll be working our way back up to trout soon, but part of me is really looking forward to a little warmer weather and getting him on some smallies or at least some rock bass/small LMB that inhabit local streams. I'll keep you posted if we get on any trout. Wish us luck!
Absolutely!!
If you do not mind traveling a bit for a day trip, take a look at Point Mountain Reservation. It is down stream of Hackettstown. The Musconetcong flows along Rt 57, Pt Mtn is on the south side of 57. The state has a parking area on Penwell Road and there are informal parking area's at the bridge on Pt Mountain Rd(CR645). The blue trail of the Reservation follows the river down and upstream from the bridge. A very nice area, seldom a crowd, plenty of river to fish with a safe flow. Upstream of Hackettstown is Stephens SP, another nice spot, with historic Saxton Falls upstream of the park.
