# Crappie Fishing?



## KT_UMCP

Hey all, well I am pretty new to these Jersey waters I was curious if there was any crappie holes around the central Jersey area. I am in Somerset about a 50 minute drive from Belmar and Point Pleasant. Does anyone know of any rivers and such that I can fish for crappies?


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## RuddeDogg

*I haven't*

Fresh water fished in years here. I'll check and see what I can find for ya.


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## BLUESMAN

*State & County Parks*

The Division of Fish and Wildlife publishes details on all state owned lands: acerage, depth, and species caught. There are plenty of Crappie Lakes  literally and figuratively  in south jersey and if I remember correctly some in Monmouth and Atlantic counties. Check their websites; the slabsides are out there! :fishing:


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## Jigga G

You live near some great lakes such as Round Valley Res., Spruce Run, Farrington lake just to name some obvious ones! Go get em:fishing:


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## KT_UMCP

There is a long stretch of water (river) right off of 295 with scenic stops, has anyone tried fishing in these waters?


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## hustlur

I use to live in Jersey and we would kill them during the first days of March at Hopatcong.


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## KT_UMCP

Hey Hustlur, where in Jersey did you fish saltwater? I am in Central and from the fishes you been posting up I am sure you know some holes on the surf or inlets. Can you share some info?


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## KT_UMCP

Thx for the heads up Jigga and welcome to the board.


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## hustlur

sandy hook - The best time for Fluke is May. 

Set Up - 3oz egg sinker with a 3 foot leader. use any bass soft plastic that resembles a craw. the bigger the better. slow retrieve and watch it get hammered near the break at the surf.

Long Branch

same set up, yet use a 1/0 circle hook to drag killies. it's a bitch to get out the hook, yet I just cut off the hook and tie up a new one.


as for Blues, try to get some Taddy 45 or any Salas from the west they really love that stuff.


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## Jigga G

Thanks for the welcome, what kind of info are you looking for, about the salt? opcorn:


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## RuddeDogg

*Hey G*

Welcome to the family........


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## RuddeDogg

*There used to be*

Some really great fishin holes around me when I was younger. We have seveal rock quarry pits around and the owners we nice enough to stock them with bass, pickrel, blue gills, sun fish, trout and perch. The two best ones, Lepor's pit and Crystal Cleat were sold. Lepor's to the township where Ilive and Crystal clear to a developer. Nevre caught crappie there but the bass and pickerel where awesome a bass up to 10lbs was not unusual or a pickerel as almost as long as your arm. The only other place that mught have crappie around me is the Cape May County Park. Not a bad trip if ya get down this way.


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## hustlur

Bergen County has some great Crappie holes. Reall large slabs.

Check out Oradell Resevoir. Check if they have opened it back to the public. I know it has been unfished for at least 2 years.

Hustlur


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## KT_UMCP

Hey Jigga, I was just curious as to specific areas you guys have fished and how well it produced and such. Here, I often fish at Belmar but I know that Point Pleasant, IBSP, LBI, Montauk, Sea Girt and Sandy Hook all produce well. Are there specific places within these parts that you would reccomend? It is alot of beach to cover.


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## Jigga G

Well actually, learning to read the the water works anywhere along the coast! I'm a south Jersey guy, where it's flatter and shallower, than other areas! I look for soft structure like points, cuts and bars! But, I'd rather have hard structure like a jetty every block to explore! I've been exploring OC & MO counties lately, where the beach is steeper, a good thing IMO! For my money you can't beat the LBI beaches. Lots of hard & soft structure to work,with steep sloping beach, cleaner water, and less weed than Brig., with easy access! Having said that, I am impressed with the beaches in IBSP, Allenhurst, and Long Branch with all that hard structure! Time on the water is most important, in learning where the fish are, in relation to structure, wind and tide! Making mental notes, and process of elimination is what it comes down to when learning on your own! Learning basic skills work everywhere in my experience! A good book to read is "Reading The Water", by somebody Post is his last name! I want to make it to the Hook's North beach this year, and Montauk.... With the yak....


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## KT_UMCP

Thanks Jigga for the info. I am a novice beach reader and I too fish alongside the jetties. I can read the beach farely well during the low tide and you can sense when a location will produce. One of the good things about Belmar is the numerous jetties it has alongside the beach as well as the steep and shallow drop offs sandbars and can easily see the cuts and pattern changes.


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## Jigga G

My one tip for ya would be, fish the white water, like run outs & rips on top of bars. Try some Gulp on a jig head, like swimming mullets, jerk shads & sand eels, slowly dragged, or short little hops, allowing the current to help with the fluttering action! It has been a deadly tactic for me this winter....


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## hustlur

Jigga G said:


> My one tip for ya would be, fish the white water, like run outs & rips on top of bars. Try some Gulp on a jig head, like swimming mullets, jerk shads & sand eels, slowly dragged, or short little hops, allowing the current to help with the fluttering action! It has been a deadly tactic for me this winter....


Amen!!!


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## jonk

RuddeDogg said:


> Some really great fishin holes around me when I was younger. We have seveal rock quarry pits around and the owners we nice enough to stock them with bass, pickrel, blue gills, sun fish, trout and perch. The two best ones, Lepor's pit and Crystal Cleat were sold. Lepor's to the township where Ilive and Crystal clear to a developer. Nevre caught crappie there but the bass and pickerel where awesome a bass up to 10lbs was not unusual or a pickerel as almost as long as your arm. The only other place that mught have crappie around me is the Cape May County Park. Not a bad trip if ya get down this way.



So you are saying that multiple Large Mouth Bass only a few ounces shy of the state record frequent these waters? (Record = 10 pounds 14 ounces)

I find that hard to believe. But, I would like to believe it. 

I have found it to be a rare occurrence that one would catch a large mouth in NJ over 5 pounds. Have I caught a few over 5lbs?...Yes...not Many...not a single one over 6.5... I couldn’t imagine a 7.5 pounder in N.J. better yet an 8.5, 9.5 or Multiple 10 pounders (Although I am sure there are some out there).

Do you have more information on the location of these quarry pits which hold these massive fish? Or would you like to just admit you are exaggerating?

I wouldnt mind going to one of these spots, even if it was illegal trespassing, just to catch one at half the size you claim.


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## RuddeDogg

I'm not exaggerating at all. There are several places near to fish for mouth bass in that range. If you read my post, I NEVER said that ALL of these fish are in the same place and I never said that it was and every day occurance. Please don't put words in mouth or read something that isn't there. These places are NOT fished heavily on a regular basis. I am very well aware of the Sate record. If you want directions I'd be gald to give them to you.


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## trackerz

KT, the north side of LBI by the lighthouse and the south side of of IBSP have jetties for the inlet if you like fishing jetties.


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