New Jersey Bass Fishing Featured on Backwoods Angler TV

Posted on March 19, 2011 by Robert Ivan

When it comes to bass fishing, the Garden State may very well have the nation’s greatest diversity of bass waters and bass fishing opportunities. Mike Iaconelli, a Jersey boy who made it big on the B.A.S.S. pro circuit, credits much of his success to the many different types of New Jersey bass waters he fished as a kid.

Backwoods Angler TV came to New Jersey last summer for bass fishing on two very different bass waters, the Salem Canal in south Jersey and north Jersey’s Lake Hopatcong. The show’s host, Blaine Mengel, fished with NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife fisheries biologist and B.A.S.S. tournament angler, Chris Smith. Chris knows where the bass are in New Jersey and knows how to catch them. The New Jersey Bassin show is a must see for serious bass anglers to hear and learn what our state bass fishing expert knows.

Backwoods Angler TV’s “New Jersey Bassin” show can be viewed on Saturday, March 19, on their Web site at http://www.backwoodsanglertv.com/index.htm by clicking the link at the top right portion of the page. The show will also air on Service Electric TV2 on Sunday, March 20, at 9:30 p.m. Or you can watch the entire 28 minute episode below:

Round Valley Reservoir holds the current state record Smallmouth Bass 7lbs. 2oz.

There’s no better way to spend time in the outdoors than enjoying the fabulous fishing New Jersey has to offer. Don’t miss out this year! Visit http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/fishing_fresh.htm for freshwater fishing information and to buy and print your fishing license online.

NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife Announces 2010 Skillful Angler Award Recipients

Posted on March 5, 2011 by Robert Ivan

The Skillful Angler Awards Program honors the many anglers who catch both freshwater and marine fish which aren’t of record size but are impressive and worthy of recognition. Special recognition is given to the anglers who caught the largest fish in each of the freshwater and marine species categories.

In 2010, 127 applications representing 25 different species were officially processed. Since the program’s modest beginning (31 applicants in 1983), the Division has granted Skillful Angler status to 3,068 anglers.

INTERESTING FACTS:

The most frequently entered species by skillful anglers in 2010 (adult, junior, and catch and release categories combined) were rainbow trout with 16 entries, followed by largemouth bass (13), chain pickerel (13) and striped bass saltwater (12).

The following is a breakdown of applications received per species (all categories combined): largemouth bass (13), smallmouth bass (5), striped bass hybrid (4), bullhead (3), carp (1), channel catfish (7), crappie (8), muskellunge (4), yellow perch (5), chain pickerel (13), America shad (1), brook trout (4), brown trout (6), lake trout (1), rainbow trout (16), sunfish (4), walleye (5), black sea bass (4), striped bass caught in saltwater (12), black drum (2), bluefish (1), fluke (6), kingfish (1), tautog (1) and big eye tuna (1).

In 2010, no entries were received for the striped bass freshwater, pike, cod, dolphin, winter flounder, blue marlin, white marlin, pollock, mako shark, albacore tuna, bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, tuna (other) categories and weakfish.

Overall, more freshwater catches (99) were entered than saltwater (28).

Further Reading:

Head over to the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife website to read the full list of 2010 Skillful Angler Award Recipients. You’ll recognize RoundValleyFishing’s guest writer John Korn as winning the Catch and Release Award for the 40 inch Lake Trout he caught jigging last December. Congratulations John!

28th Annual Garden State Outdoor Sportsmen’s & Adventure Show

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Robert Ivan

More seminars, more attractions, more exhibits than ever before

The 28th Annual Garden State Outdoor Sportsmen’s & Adventure Show (GSOSS) will be held January 13‐16, 2011, at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Raritan, New Jersey. The 2011 show promises to be the largest and most exciting event yet and attendance is anticipated to be 17,000+. This year, the event is proud to boast it will offer twice as many hunting and fishing seminars as ever before, tons of new family‐friendly attractions and more than 180,000 square feet of exhibit space filled with vendors and exhibitors suitable to the outdoor enthusiast.

The Garden State Outdoor Sportsmen’s & Adventure Show’s goal is to deliver seminars, attractions and exhibits designed to speak to sportsmen and women of all ages with a focus on activities that the entire family can enjoy. Continue reading →

Best All Purpose Round Valley Fishing Rig

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Robert Ivan

You’ve probably heard me mention it a few times already but here are some pics to give you a visual representation of what rig I use a lot when fishing for bass or trout on Round Valley Reservoir.

Start with the following tackle:

You can use circle hooks or regular hooks, whatever you desire. Although not pictured above, I try and use the Gamakatsu Octopus Circle Hooks to lessen the chance of gut hooking a fish. I like these particular hooks because they are light-weight or thin compared to other hooks I’ve seen. This allows my bait to be presented more naturally. Use a size 6 or 8 hook when targeting trout. A 4 or 6 when targeting Bass.

The barrel swivel serves as a connection for my main line to my fluorocarbon leader AND as a stop for my barrel or egg sinker (pictured below).

I use about 3 feet of 6lb test fluorocarbon leader which is attached to my hook. Fluorocarbon is much less visible than mono-filament and it does not stretch like mono.

Here is how the sinker / barrel swivel setup looks:

I use an improved clinch knot for all connections. I have used this fishing rig to drift the bottom for Lake Trout, troll for Rainbow Trout, drift for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, fish anchored for Rainbows and fish from the sandy shores for Spring stocked trout. On the hook you can use live Herring or Shiners hooked under the chin and out a nostril OR night crawlers OR mealworms with small marshmallows.

If you want to live-line a herring or shiner, simply remove the barrel sinker and barrel swivel and tie the leader right to your main line using a Seaguar knot or Double Uni-Knot.

Flat-Line Trolling for Bass and Trout

Posted on August 14, 2010 by Robert Ivan

Flat-Line trolling refers to trolling without a dowrigger. One can flat-line troll directly off the boat OR using planer boards to spread the coverage area.

Why would anyone flat-line troll you may ask? Well, I do it primarily because I’m not in a position to buy downrigger$ and all the special gear that entails (lead balls, line releases, trolling rods, trolling reels, etc…). Buy another great reason to flat-line troll is that it actually works to catch almost any fish in Round Valley.

In the Spring when the Lake Trout emerge from their wintery depths, they are feeding up high and downriggers are not needed. Lake Trout can be found in the top 10 feet of water (look for 48 to 52 degree water temps), skirting the shoreline, devouring anything that moves.

Tackle and Lures: Use the rod, reel, and lures you would normally use to TROLL for trout. Feed out at least 50yards of line to get the lures down and away from your boat. I’ve had success trolling big Daredevil spoons (shiny spoons when sunny, colored spoons when cloudy), Crippled Herring, and Kastmasters as well as live herring behind a 1oz barrel sinker. Be sure to use a fluorocarbon leader, the number of strikes you will get with vs without is high. Hook the herring under the chin and out a nostril. I use #6 Gamakatsu Octopus circle hooks for this setup.

In the Summer Lake Trout go deeper and the Browns and Rainbows hover above the thermocline. These areas require a downrigger to troll through effectively. Having said that, I’ve found that very early in the morning, right around the break of dawn, one can flat line troll live herring and catch Rainbow Trout (I’ve never caught a brown this way). At midday, this same technique can be used to catch Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass. Troll in 30 to 60 feet of water ANYWHERE on Round Valley and you will catch a Bass!

Tackle and Lures: Use the rod, reel, and lures you would normally use to DRIFT for trout. Feed out at least 50yards of line to get the lures down and away from your boat. I’ve had greatest success trolling live herring behind a 1oz barrel sinker. Be sure to use a fluorocarbon leader, the number of strikes you will get with vs without is high. Hook the herring under the chin and out a nostril. I use #6 Gamakatsu Octopus circle hooks for this setup.

Trolling Speed: If you are using your outboard, just throw it into gear and let it idle. If you are using your eletctric trolling motor, you’ll have to vary your speed depending on wind conditions. Do esses with the boat as you go. When you get into fish, circle around and do figure 8′s in the area.

-That’s it. Hope this helps!