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!

Catching Rainbows and Browns Off The Rocks

Posted on January 16, 2011 by Robert Ivan

File this report under Better Late Than Never! Got this report via email back on December 30th! It’s an email account I rarely check so I apologize for the tardiness. Though Hunter had fished Round Valley before, he had never caught a trout. December 30th would be the evening that young Hunter Whitehead burst on the scene. On this night he caught the 22inch 4pound Brown Trout you see below. He returned the next day to catch another Brown and a Rainbow!

Hunter W Brown Trout 2010Dec30

Even the State Parks people stopped to check out his catch!

State Parks Pics

Name: Hunter Whitehead (16 year old from Kingwood)
Bait: Berkley Gulp 3′ white minnows (which of course he is out of & we can’t find anymore!!)
Method: jigging…..dude, we don’t do no stinkin bobbers hahaha
off the rock wall by the cement boat launch
Time: 3pm to 5pm

Clean up at the Valley by “Sweeping” the Shorelines

Posted on December 4, 2010 by John F. Korn

It might not be for everyone. Many will call it hard core. Spouses will think you’ve lost your marbles when the alarm is ringing at 5:00am and the mercury is still in the 20s. But, for those hardy anglers who wish to extend their season and target trout in Round Valley, winter is the time to really “clean up”. And there’s no better way than to “sweep” of course.

Swept Round Valley Trout
Mike Perone – Golden Trout | Bob Olsen- Lake Trout | Mark LaPrete – Brown Trout

When I first arrived on the Round Valley scene in the early 80s I noticed many boats trolling along the shorelines starting in autumn. I recall seeing one vessel even had a machine connected to a rod holder. The rod was moving forward and back automatically. Later I learned the owner cleverly converted a car’s windshield wiper mechanism to automate the jerking. Sweeping and Jerking are interchangeable terms to describe the technique of slow trolling baits along the shallow banks of a lake. Minnow type lures and or flies are long-lined back 100 feet or more with little or no weight in 8 to 18 feet of water. The angler will then impart erratic action to the bait with forward movements or “jerks” of the rod and then let back – continuously repeating the process. The rod is swept forward to make the lure dart and dip. Each outing we must experiment with the sweeping speed and distance until we find what the trout want that day. Some days they want it violently jerked, and some days subtly twitched. If you get tired of sweeping, or need a coffee break, place your gear in a level set rod holder pointing out one side. This dead sticking will also produce a fair share of hits. However, it is the hand held jerked rod that seems to always generate more strikes. Continue reading →

What’s in the Water in Michigan? 41 Pound 8 Ounce Brown Trout Caught

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Robert Ivan

On September 9th, 2009, retired contractor Tom Healy caught a new all-tackle record Brown Trout in Manistee River, Michigan. The fish weighed 41 pounds 7 ounces and measured 43.75-inches long.

On July 16th, 2010, less than 1 year later a 41 pound 8 ounce Brown Trout was caught by Roger Hellen, Also in Michigan! Hellen was fishing in a big 9 day tournament when he caught the fish, so not only does he have bragging rights to this monster, he also won $10,700.

March 11, 2010 – Round Valley Fishing Report

Posted on March 11, 2010 by Pete Adamski

Stopped over at Lebannon Bait & Sport to see some pictures of recent catches. Holy Cow! You need to get out right now. Boaters are catching big rainbows to 4lbs and brown & tiger trout to 8.5 lbs. Shore fisherman have a shot too as the fish are in close trying to warm up in the shallow water.

If you have a report (and pictures) and you would like to share them here: email us at RoundValleyFishing@gmail.com :