Author Topic: FAVORITE ICEFISHING LAKE (Read 8012 times)

bucknbass · « **on:** Nov 16, 2005, 02:07 PM »

Just curious to see your guys favorite icefishing lakes.My lake is lake wanda in highland lakes and lake glenwild in blomingdale.But anywhere in highland lakes is great fishing.

Pike Popper · « **Reply #1 on:** Nov 16, 2005, 06:55 PM »

Monksville, Assunpink, Split Rock + a private lake in PA

bucknbass · « **Reply #2 on:** Nov 16, 2005, 07:36 PM »

Quote from: Pike Popper on Nov 16, 2005, 06:55 PM

Monksville, Assunpink, Split Rock + a private lake in PA

you do will in skunksvill ? what are you catching.

LoneWolf · « **Reply #3 on:** Nov 16, 2005, 08:30 PM »

Monksville isn't that bad. In an average season I can usually catch gills, perch, crappie(at night), walleyes and musky. I'm not saying the fishing is always great but you can usually scratch up some action.
It's like any other lake or res. .... one day it's hot the next day it's cold.

Pike Popper · « **Reply #4 on:** Nov 16, 2005, 09:52 PM »

I am a consistent fisherman of Monksville....There is such a variety of fish you can target from panfish to musky. I usually dont do good but when I catch something its of a good size. I spend so much time at this place its rediculous....Even though I dont catch much this is probably my favorite and most targeted lake. My usual places to ice fish will probably be a little different than usual this year because my brother and friend are out in PA and no longer in NJ like last winter. Will either be in PA a lot more or out on lakes that my friends want to go because they will actually "catch something", or out on Monksville by myself

Icephishnphreek · « **Reply #5 on:** Nov 17, 2005, 06:47 AM »

I guess every day that I have ever gone to Skunksville has been one of those cold days

. Oh well...I have been fishing alot on Cranberry but have found that the fishing is only good from sunrise until about 9 am. Then it is slim pickins for the rest of the day. I am really in need of trying out some new spots this season. Anyone want to help me and my 2 buddies out on learning a new lake? $:-\$

bayonne · « **Reply #6 on:** Nov 18, 2005, 06:48 PM »

hopatcong has the most action for me i do better thier then any other lake use tipups 2-3 ft of the bottom with a shinner and you will always get some flags jigging when you hit it wright youll catch all day from pan fish to bass pickeral and you never know in this lake ealy is better then its on and off during the day overcast days with light wind are the best they tend to bite allday on those days you can jig in the deeper warter out in the main lake for the big boys but its a pick but thier buttes eyes- chanallels - stipers the coves are good for pan fish and pickreal and bass its not uncommon to get 3-5 lbers ive even gotten the bass on panfish jigs

MikeThePike · « **Reply #7 on:** Nov 25, 2005, 11:19 PM »

Last year was Assunpink, Split Rock and me and PikePoppers private lake in PA. Monksville was slow for me all year with only 1 musky, a few perch and pickerel and a lot of wind trips and lost jigs do to all the trees down on the bottom.

I did pretty good on Monksville the season before with 3 muskies, some nice pickerel and perch as well.

Last year I started trying to learn Hopatcong and didn't do all that bad.

Pomoxis · « **Reply #8 on:** Nov 28, 2005, 08:29 PM »

I cannot tell a lie. Well, I can, but.... My favorite is Brightwood Pond. Why? It is 3 miles from my house, I don't have to leave town and I can get Bass & Crappie.
It is only 4 acres, there are no Stripers, Pickerel, Pike, Musky or Trout, and it is illegal. But hell, I can spend 2 hours from the time I step outside the house to the time I get back to the house and still get a half dozen fish. I spend about $0.75 on gas, don't need minnows and I don't even have to get the sled out of the car! DON'T IGNORE THE LITTLE PONDS, they are easy, convenient & fun.
To give you the answer you are looking for, I would say "I don't know". I only have 2 years ICE experience but I have gotten fish at Swartswood, Aeroflex, Furnace & Spruce Run. My biggest hope is Swartswood.
I would like to ask if anyone has ICE experience at Spruce Run? I have had great success there on open water and so have very many others. But I started to hear nothing but bad advice for ice fishing there. It didn't make sense to me, but the times I fished the ice there I saw nobody catch anything at all! They all said "not a hit all day". I went to a small spot nearby the lot and got two perch one day. I know fish are there. HAS ANYONE ELSE DONE ANYTHING THERE??? I intend to try much harder this year. I would be especially interested in finding Crappie there. It is Crappie Heaven. Don't worry about giving your fish away to me, they all go back. Thanks.

iceman_4432 · « **Reply #9 on:** Nov 29, 2005, 10:52 AM »

Spruce Run is a tough lake to fish ice fishing. First off its harder to freeze over than alot. I do good there open water and then ice hits and bam ..... not much going on.

As for the original question .. my all time favorite lake in NJ to icefish would have to be Hopatcong. I just always seem to do good there .... start settin the tip ups and by the time the 3rd one is in i have flags. Then u can really get into the panfish, pickeral, etc.

Swartswood is good too .. especially for trout. Cranberry is a good early on lake as it freezes over faster. And last year i had good pike fishing at Budd .... tough fishing, not too many hits but when you get one its a nice pike

bayonne · « **Reply #10 on:** Nov 29, 2005, 08:50 PM »

ive seen some nice pike from spuce run but 9 out of 10 trips you get skunked

LoneWolf · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 01, 2005, 08:40 PM »

Pike Popper if you have nobody to fish with on weekends give me a shout.

Pike Popper · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 01, 2005, 09:19 PM »

You got it Lonewolf.

ecsteelheader · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 04, 2005, 01:09 PM »

My favorite spots are greenwood lake,and the lake in my back yard,,i walk 100' and i'm fishing>))>

fishkopp · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 04, 2005, 03:36 PM »

Hopatcong has always been good to me , hard or soft water .

jedhead · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 04, 2005, 06:47 PM »

Quote from: fishkopp on Dec 04, 2005, 03:36 PM

Hopatcong has always been good to me , hard or soft water .

Pikeboy,
Speaking of being" good to me", still reaping benifits from that new suv?Get your auger blades sharpened its looks like it could be a year of ice. Jed

mang00neg · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 05, 2005, 08:52 AM »

My fave lake is Hopatcong hands down.
My least fave lake to icefish is Spruce Run.
The body of water I'd most like to try is Greenwood.

fishkopp · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 05, 2005, 11:05 AM »

Jedro

The magic of the new SUV is waring off rather quickly , it going back to my once a month routine.

It was good while it lasted .

ps I'm going to cabelas for a new auger and some othe ice fishing stuff .

tgrm · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 05, 2005, 11:40 AM »

I love to catch Muskies so I fish Mountain Lakes,Greenwood,Skunksville. They're great eating too.

fishkopp · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 05, 2005, 03:50 PM »

me too , that extra mercury level gives it a special salty flavor. It's real brain food ,so I'm told.

mm mmm good

muskie scampi ,fried muskie , baked muskie , muskie caserole , Cajun muskie, barbecued muskie , deep fried and breaded muskie ,stuffed muskie ,

WantageWilly · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 05, 2005, 04:33 PM »

Used to love Budd Lake but it was a bust last year. Never froze over completely and the fish were small.

Did anyone else fish Budd last year?

Pike Popper · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 05, 2005, 07:52 PM »

Yes I do agree with you. Last year wasn't that great for Budd Lake. The year prior was great but last year was different for whatever reason. Yes, I do agree, the fish were small as well.

Sub Zero · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 06, 2005, 09:25 AM »

Cranberry Lake has served me well over the years, especially early in the season.
After that I'll take Sruce Run for the Perch action!

mang00neg · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 06, 2005, 10:23 AM »

Hats off sub_zero, i can only find dinks in SR after the water gets hard.
I regularly see 2lb perch there open water, no clue where they go to hide
though afterwards.

JigAwhopper · « **Reply #24 on:** Dec 06, 2005, 01:31 PM »

Quote from: mang00neg on Dec 06, 2005, 10:23 AM

Hats off sub_zero, i can only find dinks in SR after the water gets hard.
I regularly see 2lb perch there open water, no clue where they go to hide
though afterwards.

Yeah, me too. I was always getting some dink perch from that place,,, never anything bigger than a finger. I would love to know where the big ones are hiding

, My former insurance agent's wall was lined with some huge bass and perch from SR when it was still a young reservoir. It was the place to be. Still a decent place for pike though, with more hummerhandels lately.
My favorite lake is LH hands down, there is always something biting there. I like Wawayanda and Split rock for the scenery though, even though fishing could be hit or miss. Oxford Furnace is also pretty good for trout and sometimes Amwell it it freezes. Actually, I love 'em all as long as there is some ice on them! J.

tgrm · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 06, 2005, 03:38 PM »

The Russians have some great tasting recipes for muskies Fishkopp you should look them up. My only complaint is they keep everything size means nothing. The bigger ones are the best chow down.

Pike Popper · « **Reply #26 on:** Dec 06, 2005, 04:41 PM »

The Russians are one of the reasons theres not that many fish to catch

Those 4 inch perch must be pretty tasty

I suppose if you keep about 50 perch that size you can get a decent meal

Bukshot · « **Reply #27 on:** Dec 08, 2005, 05:57 AM »

I like Cranbury. One of the previous posters said that it usually dies off though, by 9 a.m. or so and that is right. It seems to be a very early morning bite there only. I live in South Brunswick and there are a couple of local ponds here that are pretty good also. Davidson's Mill pond in North Brunswick is not bad. You get a decent bite with Pickeral, Bass, and some Crappies on the tipups. Anyone out there ever have much luck at Farrington? I have tried it several times and it's like the water is poison. Can't catch a thing. But I always hear how good it is!

mang00neg · « **Reply #28 on:** Dec 08, 2005, 10:07 AM »

Farrington has always thwarted me. I've caught a handful of pickerel, bass
and some shiners, that's it.

iceman_4432 · « **Reply #29 on:** Dec 08, 2005, 10:27 AM »

I havent had much luck over the years at Farrington either. A handful of fish here and there ... i just chaulk it up to not fishing in the right spot. BEcause i always here about good fishing.

Well its nice for me because i work 5 minutes from there so i can get out at lunch and do some jigging

That little sports store that was here is now closed ..... anyone know other places around farrington to get bait ?

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Author Topic: FAVORITE ICEFISHING LAKE (Read 8012 times)

MikeThePike