Fishing for Beginners: A Short Introduction

Getting into the Game

By Bruce Litton

 

Thought I would share what was my first column article for Recorder Newspapers over two years ago. It's a short piece for people who would like to fish, particularly in New Jersey, but haven't really begun or haven't had much success yet. A lot of you are still out there, drawn to the lure of a practice that has gone on unabated for many millennia. It's a form of recreation that really works, relieves the stress and strife of everyday affairs and restores you to balance, freedom, and peace.

 

          The State of New Jersey’s fisheries have expanded over the past 20 years, with targeted marketing and advertising spreading the word. Now many North Jersey waters close to our area have thriving populations of walleye, hybrid stripers, muskellunge, and northern pike, in addition to largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappies and panfish, channel catfish, and rainbow, brown and brook trout. I think the primary reason to fish is to get connected with nature and your deep self to heal the stress and strife of the work world, which is what re-creation is all about, but sometimes the best reason is the thrill of the catch, particularly big ones. Together these motives entail a pursuit that won’t let you down, so long as you commit to learning what it takes to catch fish and don’t let difficulty frustrate.

          All gamefish are selective feeders not just for what they eat but where and when. Catching them requires knowledge, practice, persistence, and the learning process for an angler is never complete. We invent more ways to catch them than would really be required. Fishing is a creative endeavor that may involve learning new methods just to satisfy the desire to do things differently, but clearly skill and wherewithal is involved in catching fish consistently. However, a beginner can follow a few guidelines, make a first significant catch, and be on the way to learning how to be in the game every time out sooner than the massive flux of information in magazines and on TV might suggest. In my youth, I thought fishing was not about relaxing, not if I was serious about it and no one would have doubted that I was serious. Though I was vigilant and successful, when losing out—as happens to all of us—I got tense and perhaps somewhat blocked my ability to learn from difficulty, though I certainly knuckled under with persistence. It may be best not to take fishing so seriously that you subordinate your own enjoyment to the numbers you’re missing. The truth is: none of catches all that many every time out unless he has a secret private pond loaded with bass that get boring pretty quick.

          We do tally up. But although numbers are for the enjoyment of the game, and possibly to add satisfaction at the end of an outing, the most important use of catch numbers is simply to distinguish what is happening over the course of a fishing trip in order to keep doing what’s right or consider possible adjustments. For example, the other day while fishing brown trout, I had missed about a dozen hits on hardhead minnows and landed one trout. Never before had I found browns so picky, some taking and dropping three times and then not picking up again. The numbers told me, “Wow, this is difficult.” But within half an hour I got the knack and filled my limit of six, the last three trout caught in little more than five minute’s time. I had focused subtly on how the trout hit, and had no problem setting the hook to catch the last three trout. But my mind solved the problem on its own: I had only to pay close and relaxed attention, observing how trout took the hardheads and how the current affected my line. I tallied up subtle distinctions by letting my mind respond naturally by what was mostly an effortless process to quickly land those last three.

          The others fishing the North Branch that Wednesday had done some fishing before, although I do meet true beginners from time to time. If you want to try, a NJ Resident Fishing License (Freshwater) available online, or at tackle shops, is required for all aged 16-64; cost is $22.50. For seniors the cost is $12.50. For trout fishing, a trout stamp is $10.50. The most versatile rod and reel is a light to medium power spinning outfit— rod length five and a half feet, six pound test monofilament (Zebco Omniflex at 700 yards for $2.50 or so will do fine).  An easy to carry tackle tote is all that’s needed to carry equipment in most situations, such as a shoulder bag.

           From Bedminster south, the Raritan River North Branch is excellent for beginners. The last stocking of brown trout until the fall is May, but afterwards the opportunity for wild smallmouth bass is excellent. Wear an old pair of sneakers and shorts, and simply walk and wade the river, fishing every deep run, hole, and stretch you come upon. So long as the water is of normal clarity, I could catch smallmouth all day by wading the river at length on four and five inch Senco plastic worms hooked “Wacky” style—in the middle with a plain shank #2 hook. Use no weight, cast and let the worm sink to rest on bottom before you begin a slow, enticing retrieve. Usually bass hit on the initial drop. Let the bass take for as many as four or five seconds, tighten the line until you barely feel resistance, then pull back hard with the rod to set the hook.

          Many opportunities exist in our region and you can find hundreds in my blog archive. Another excellent source is The Fisherman magazine, a weekly available at newsstands and for subscription.

 

 

         

Split Rock Reservoir Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass Attempt

Fished Split Rock Reservoir with my son up along this eastern shoreline photographed, a cove in between, and back on the bluffs and near the dam. We began with eighth-ounce jig heads with five-inch synthetic leeches, switched to Chompers worms, then I tied on the popper to approach a very calm, peaceful sunset. Besides the longear sunfish, I caught a tiny smallmouth bass not much bigger than the lure. The little bass got the entire rear treble in its mouth, but unhooking it without damage was surprisingly easy.

We were a little baffled at our slack catch. I brought my graph recorder and got 27 foot depths about as far out from shore as in the photo above. The depth remained consistent; we found no interesting structure. I've found no topographic map of Split Rock, which would really be helpful. Apparently, bass were deeper than along the shoreline today, and had we spent some time probing depths with jigs near the rock bluffs and along the dam, the catch may have been different.

Also, the western shore must be structurally more interesting, since ridges rise from it, and you can see the rock bluffs that just call out smallmouth bass. We sort of took the lazy approach. When we had just got set up, carrying our inflatable a hundred yards to the "launch," we got smacked with wind and rain, which disoriented our entry

 a bit. It didn't occur to me until we were done that heading directly across the reservoir may have been wise.

Matt was impressed with it. When he first came down to water's edge I sensed his awe when he said, "It's huge." I didn't say it's only 650 acres (as compared to 2685 of Lake Hopatcong). I think the longer he remains young and impressionable, the better.



Rainbow is in upper third of photo.

Memories from Cedar Rapids at Barryville, New York: Camping and Float Fishing the Delaware River

We're headed up to Barryville August 4th for our annual float trip, catching mostly smallmouth bass, but we often catch a walleye, as well as big red ear sunfish, rock bass, and my son has caught a couple of large suckers on his nightcrawlers. We used to camp at Cedar Rapids, which was the first camping my son, Matt, then five, and his friend Tommy Slota, then three, have done. Steve Slota has been coming up to float the Delaware at Barryville since he was 15, almost 40 years ago. He was my connection to this stretch of the river in 2004, and my gratitude will never fade out. We camped about half a dozen times over five or six years, highlighting the outings with the float trip and fishing, yet enjoying the cooking, swimming, and shaded ambiance of the campground nestled in the woodland at the base of the ridge above. It was a wild place with a lot of campers, yet what I remember best is the peace in the outdoors. One morning, my son and I got up just before sunset to witness steam devils on the river, 80 or 90 feet high, spinning vortexes, excitement stirring the peaceful, misty mood of daybreak. It's a part of the Delaware that has called us back every year since 2004, a freedom to be away a fair distance from Bedminster, forget everything else, and enjoy each other's company while focusing on fishing and whatever comes to mind between us. After we're done a full day from 9:00 a.m. to about 6:00, we stop at Port Jervis Diner for dinner, which my wife Patricia especially appreciates. We've also fished Steenykill, Sussex, and Cranberry lakes on the way home

Some of these years we've gone up to fish more than once. In 2004, I drove up with my son in late November and fished the river from shore, catching smallmouth bass, a largemouth, and a pickerel. We caught no walleye, although boaters get the big ones in the late fall and winter season so long as the river isn't ice jammed. Why we haven't caught a big walleye during summer, I don't know. Why they are mostly caught during the cold season, I don't really know, except that are a cooler water fish than bass. However, they need to feed in the summer too. I've heard that walleye migrate up and down the river, so perhaps they hole up in the deepest water during summer. Narrowsburg further north has the deepest hole at 113 feet, which Matt and I visited that November in 2004, but couldn't effectively fish from shore.

When something we used to do--camp at Cedar Rapids--became a yearly event, it seemed almost as if we would do it every summer for the rest of our lives, but of course things change, although the memory and feeling persists in a positive way, which means the value lasts. These places actually live on in us even when establishments no longer exist because the thought of them can evoke the best of the feelings we had there. I think of Steve in the context of the river--fresh, wild, unspoiled--more than I think of his coming originally from Paterson, although Paterson is a wild city I know from visiting it on a courier job I worked in the 1990's. I was amazed at the colorful diversity of people and places. But he explored a fairly distant wilderness rather than remained within the limits of that city, which made a crucial difference in his life. And he passed this on to my family, which has made a difference to us.

North Branch Raritan River Smallmouth Bass Difficultly Gained

Left at 6:00 pm and soon began the long hike and wading to our favorite North Branch Raritan spot. Like last year, the hole was all but completely dead, and this after over a 10-year history of my son and I catching smallmouth and some largemouth bass since he was three, although I was alone this evening. Slogging through water with soft bottom to get there especially onerous, I don't remember it being so tough or else I'm suddenly aging, which I usually don't feel at all. I guess that's all the more reason to get away from the usual ease and take these stress tests.

I had four killies left from fishing Island Beach a month ago. I fished two of them in our favorite hole and lost a small bass, one of the killies still fishable later. Becoming drenched in perspiration fast, I felt the temperature hovering over 90 thick and omnipresent. And I felt a little surprised at how the river felt like bath water. I cast a Senko so I could reach spots clear across the river and missed two hits. Then I went downstream.

The stretch further from the parked car is my new favorite, perhaps. So once upon a time the stretch up above, which apparently gets some pressure, got the favor and now the stretch where it's difficult to wade close to the bank and not get deeper than the cell phone in the pocket is the preferred. But I've never caught a bass here better than 13 inches, and have caught a couple of bass over three pounds, and some others close to two pounds above. One of those bass nearly 19 inches long, we sighted another there of at least 20 inches.

Most stream bass measure about nine inches, and five of the six total I caught today were about that, one of them a little over 12 inches and close to a pound, a hard fighting fish. Three of them on the killies and three on seven and eight-inch Chompers worms. One of the bass I caught hit the Chompers on the surface as I retrieved to make another cast.

Apparently Sandy took several trees down in this stretch lengthwise along the bank, further down than I photographed below. When a tree or other large obstruction is in the water, flood currents dig around it and deepen the water, so I couldn't get all the way down the stretch and into the back I used to like to fish, not without getting my camera and lure bags wet. I had already placed my cell phone, keys, and wallet in my camera bag. My lure bag took a bad rip. It's ancient, susceptible, and needs replacement. I was careful not to lose a lot of money's worth of lures.

So much for my dream of actually hiking and wading all the way down to Route 28 and back, a total of about five miles. Not sure I could even do that without swimming at times. A kayak would work, by dragging it through some riffles. My son and I did get about half a mile further downstream once. Even then we had to do some tricky bank climbing to get around impassable water, impassable without swimming, that is.

I had some nice moments just before sunset when the air felt like it had cooled significantly. I had got as far downstream as I could with my two bags, unless I was going to deposit them on the high bank and risk thigh chafing on the wade and hike back. I thought of what efforts the outdoors sometime demand, and yet you can feel good in spite of the difficulty--even because of it. You struggle, and then when you relax with ease the response is pleasure and everything around you is nice, beautiful, and right.

Fly Casting for Paulinskill River Smallmouth Bass

Took my son to NJ Audubon Ridge Walkers, based at Mohican Outdoor Center. He'll be there into Friday. Plan was to take him Sunday, but he had sprained his ankle. The most strenuous hike they did earlier today. So Matt and I waited at the Center a few hours until they got back, going into town for dinner. A nice afternoon up in the mountains.

Fished the Paulinskill with my fly rod and a couple of bead head nymphs, but the sun had gone down and I couldn't sight any smallmouths. Had a real good time with my son in 2011 catching some bass on nymphs in the middle of the hottest afternoon in many years. It was over 105 degrees, much, much hotter than today. It was so hot we cut our plans short by two hours and swam in the river to cool off, exhausted by heat and desiring to drink the water (we didn't). I tried for 40 minutes or so this evening, pleased with my casting, catching a couple of sunfish and a rock bass. The bass gave a fair little account of itself. I got control of casting quicker than I thought I would. It's not that I did no fly casting as a boy and teen, but I've always had that notion hanging over me, which is commonplace, that fly casting is a difficult art. Basically, you need a wrist that knows where to put the line, and it's not all that difficult to do.

 Catfish Pond

South Branch Raritan River Still Running High

Back in May, I imagined doing a lot of South Branch Raritan fishing this late spring and summer. I almost began for smallmouths in late May, don't recall what interrupted. I got killies in mid-June, but the heavy rains had begun and although I got out on the river twice, it was running too high and stained. I still have some of those killies left--not that they're the only way to catch stream bass, far from it. I'm used to using a spinning rod, and the four-piece that I keep in my vehicle lost its two top sections to Lake Hopatcong recently. Still awaiting the new Ugly Stik.

So I tried fly fishing, although I really like doing this for smallmouths when water level is low. Water was only slightly stained today, but volume too powerful, I felt, to manage the Wooly Bugger. Wading was a problem with the high water too. I caught one little bass inadvertently by walking upstream to the next spot while trailing the Bugger behind me.

Northern Water Snake



Solar Electric Facility Would Denigrate Bedminster Township

A 55-acre, 49,000-panel solar electric generating facility for Sanofi-Aventis (pharmaceuticals) in Bridgewater Township is proposed for Bedminster Township where friends and my family live. The panels would cover environmentally sensitive ground in two blocks, including 38 acres of woodland that would be removed.

According to the Highlands Regional Master Plan, which is the result of extremely complex mapping of the overall region, the proposed site is a critical wildlife area with 90% habitat value and 30% and 95% wildlife corridor values, has 50%-65% groundwater recharge values, important farmland soils and is an agricultural resource area (once was a farm), has moderate watershed value, and one of the two blocks proposed to have panels is 75% flood plain. Chambers Brook nearby has flooded progressively worse in the past 15 years and one would hope that floods will not damage what may be cadmium panels. I read the Wikipedia account of those and though they are manufactured in China, they are considered too dangerous to use in China since cadmium is an extreme poison.

We don't want the panels. Just the thought of 49,000 scales on the backs of two creatures come uninvited to wholly serve the interests of a pharmaceutical company with nothing left over, scarring the land with two broad sweeps of blackness, devalues the township we live in. No one thinks solar power in general is a bad idea. It's how it's applied. Put it over parking lots and on roofs. Don't complicate matters by sacrifice. Denigrating environments in the name of environmental benefit makes no sense but a company's saving itself a little money, when surely it could go elsewhere with a project to where it really belongs. On its own property.

Part of the proposed land use area is wetlands, where I believe a roadway is proposed to cut through and the drilling for the power cable. This cable is planned to pass right under Interstate 287 into Bridgewater Township and may further disturb the integrity of this biome. At the least, it needs to be pointed out what they may be compromising, because in these times of environmental degradation, we need to fight for every inch.

Alternatives always exist for what we can do, for the man-made, but our environment is a natural given unlike our choices. Parking lots can use the cover of solar panels. They keep cars' interiors cooler on hot days and protect them from snow building up on them during the winter. Small considerations, but plusses gained rather than negatives imposed.

Besides, China outlaws the use of cadmium panels for a reason. If they were to catch fire or be damaged somehow, cadmium would leach into soil that has 50%-65% groundwater recharge value. That makes me nervous. A friend recently had a new well drilled in that area of the Township and it's not cool to put cadmium over the water source. It would put anyone on edge.

There will be Township hearings and voices will be appreciated.