Fishing Log

Hey, I think someone is trolling CS. That didn't measure up to his usual orneriness. I threw darts for half an hour at the Fireman's Eddy yesterday morning. Not a bump. I suspect that the fish just hate chilly mornings. A buddy I met there said that he'd done very well from a boat on Sunday afternoon catching shad, striper, and smallies. He thinks that the river is just full of fish right now.

Beautiful night on the river. Two rainbows to the North. Narrowly avoided the rain. Started 5pm, landed 3 on 5 casts right off the bat then got slow. All on small green chartreuse 1/32 ounce. Then my buddy got hot with a Dave's Blade spoon. Weather was windy, cold and cloudy with rain all around. Then it got real nice. Blue skies and bright sun until the sun went under the trees. We both landed 7each , mostly roe to 5 lbs but nothing bigger. So compared to yesterday in boat in same general area when we did 11 in 3 hours, 6 rods in boat - we did 14 in 2.5 hours with one rod each. Still not good shad fishing by my standards but this is what the run has become for us - 2017 being the peak when it was nothing to get 30 each or more on a night like tonight in same, perfect conditions.

Fished Zane Grey tonight from shore water temp. 51 deg. landed 5 lost 3 still lots of snot in water had to clean darts almost every cast.

"Remember when the NJ fish abd wikdlife round START to put acoustical instruments on the new hope bridge Around the first of May??? " The biologists weren't that dumb. The hydroacoustic equipment was installed mid-March and removed the at the end of May.

boat trip 2-5 PM Sunday 4/18. Started with a triple header all landed, then a double. Then it clouded over and a cold wind, and became a very slow pick adding 6 more. Dropped about 8 other hits. Was getting very bad reports up by Smithfield. Water temp was 50.6. Was marking more fish than those that were willing to bite. Spoons - useless. Small bright green chartreuse darts and a few on small hot pink heads were all they wanted. (1/32 ounce size - lead not tin).

Hit the river yesterday Sunday 4/18 between 1 - 5pm @ Namanock site, dead river, only 1 fisherman in a boat and he was circling around (assuming he was locating with a finder) but no action, maybe the weather this past week slowed things down a bit, hopefully theres an uptick. First time ever shad fishing, didnt get a hit, but it was still nice to spend the day outside, casting and being in the water.

WG, I also miss the Woofish site and then man. We are all here for a visit and should make the best of it. I fish below Conowingo. I also remember the good years. Last week I caught my first hickory in the lower river. I hope to do better this week. A few trips to Easton after. Just glad I saw the good days below Conowingo! I still smile thinking of the past trips. And, they started in March!

Shad have been in Delaware since late February, abd are being caught far north in New York State. These early shad will co to use to migrate as the temps are still cool. Dripping temps and cold fronts make the bite very tough but they are still there! The late running fish hit well in 55 degrees plus and I’m sure they are in the lower River and will push up in the next 2-4 weeks depending on water temps...

Dennis Scholl, I just hit it real good, I also had a new method of fishing which worked better than I had expected, going out today give it another try, also I’ve been on the river since 1960 so I rely on my knowledge, and believe me if I do bad I don’t make up stories.

Going to Milford this weekend for the first time out. Dingman's has always been my go too. Hopefully the Feds will open it up soon.

Fished digmans Thursday night. Water temp 54, clarity good, some algae. Caught five between 530 and 7pm.

DENNIS; Call me. I cannot make long distance calls. I will explain the heavy harvest situation. 908-689-7529.

Dennis - I have seen over 20 shad an hour fishing many, many times going back many years. (both from boat, and from waders). If someone did 35 in 3 hours, it's totally very physically possible. I actually think it's easier from waders. Just lead them to leg, pin them, unhook and cast again and hook right up again. That's the way shad fishing is supposed to be. I have not seen shad that thick since 2017 however.

Is the road along the river on the jersey side of the gap open?

Spade and Howie, I fished our favorite spot on Tuesday, 35 in 3 hours, get ready

slow fishing today just 2 shad in 2 hrs however the frist shad we caught came in the first 10 mins of fishing was 23.5 INCHES AND I ESTImATE over 5lbs just a beautiful roe shad. the only other one was a small buck.

Fished Narrowsburg last night PA boat launch. Fished about an hour around 7:00. Hooked up with two, landed one nice roe.

8 for 9 tonight couple big roe in mix. Not consistent, but not bad for 2.5 hours. better than last week.

Rob, had occasion to drive by Dingmans today and the parking lot/boat launch area is still closed. I got the same information from the toll collectors as Riverwolf: April 15th, which is a day that rain is called for. Sometimes it's hard to hit the right combo.

Is dingmans open yet? I seen on Facebook that someone did well there yesterday.

Caught 4 today. Had a few more bumps. They are here just not real active just yet.

How's shore fishing at Easton lately?

Report from Easton on Saturday..fished with Steve from 6-4..caught 17 mixed bucks & roe..slowed way down in the afternoon

Gap report - boat today, waders yesterday morning. Yesterday my buddy and I waded NJ side in the park for 2.5 hours, and I landed 6 with over 10 hits, and my shad buddy got 9 and as many bumps. One other angler, and he got a few as we left. Fly rod guy coming down the bank as I left. We headed up there this morning with boat same area and anchored in all the usual best spots to anchor and it was dead. One hit. Wasted 2 valuable hours. Went back south to the launch found 6' of water in wider slower shallow water surrounded mostly by 4' or less. Not really what I would call a channel but still 2' deeper than the rest of the wide slower stretch. Just enough current to have a spoon wobble but spoons were waste of time we only got one on a Dave's blade orange/yellow small spoon. Low clear water - dart time. I had two rods out with 1/8 ounce inline sinkers and 1/32 ounce hot pink head white body darts and they were getting lit up. Tried fishig 1/4 ounce closer to boat but could not get bit - not enough current to get it to lay right. Eventually switched over to all light weights and 1/32 ounce darts of hot pink or bright green chartreuse. All rods then getting hit wide left wide right 45 degree rods and right down the middle. We found the slot. The bite slowed around noon and I rigged up a rod with a 3 way swivel, 1/32 ounce bright greenie on the longer leader and a 1/16 ounce hot pink head white body on the shorter leader. Very light setup - took one long cast and set - instant hookup... Hot rod now - all else being ignored. Changed over one of the spoon rods to same exact setup and that rod then took over. If you picked one of those up and twitched it - all the better and often rewarded with a hit. Those rods were the hot rods rest of the way in 55 degree crystal clear water in rain all day. Quit before 3pm started at 7:30 but first two hours were wasted. 32 netted - lots of other hits never hooked. Far from what I would call "wild" or quality shad fishig but the two us had one triple header landed and one double rest all singles so just a slow, steady pick except for some 30 minute lulls and the last hour basically nothing hence we left. Only once, did two shad hit the double dart rig and of course it snapped the 8lb floro leader and only ended up with an average buck. Not one other person fishing from shore and no other boats.