You post there is ice and they show up in flocks

[davek134]

For all those who venture out on what safe ice that was left on budd this weekend

 how you do?

[KingKool]

My bud and i ended up doing really well...fished from 7am-2pm ended up with around 15 pike up to 27",three bass(biggest a tad over 4lbs),a handful of crappie and a perch. Ran out of bait and called it a day.
Wind just got worse and anything not tied down went for a ride.
Of course there is always the one that got away,the guy fishing near us left for a bit and asked us to watch his tip ups,well the flag went up,felt heavy,saw it pass the hole(really thick pike) and it sliced his leader.
As you know we were using green 30lb test braided and a couple bit through that(no leader,learned my lesson)
Well a guy later in the day fishing out from the boat ramp comes over and asks if we are using green braided line...we tell him yeah and he proceeds to tell us he just caught a pike with a hook already in it tied to green braided line. Too funny.

[KingKool]

Couple more things...ice was 4-5 inches where we were.
Also a female officer came by and told us we were tresspassing and we had to leave. The guy fishing next to us called  the police dept and they ended up telling us that we werent actually tresspassing by fishing but parking your car in the beach lot and actually crossing the beach is.  It was ok to park on rt 46 shoulder and walk down though.

[MikeThePike]

I never had a problem parking in the beach lot before. If anything I'd have just said I was there for the beach "Beautiful beach weather, isn't it officer?" 

You also can park by the Castle and thats a safer bet then parking along RT46 plus its a closer walk to where the creek leaves the lake and you also have the old dock that provides some structure.

[Pike Popper]

Cops have came by and told me the ice has been checked by the parks department or whatever and told me the ice I'm on isn't safe, but after explaining it was thick they said I could stay lol. I park in that municipal lot all the time and workers see me all the time and never say anything, so apparently they don't mind.

[Moose3888]

I think I'm gonna try to make it to Budd after school Wednesday. The next few days seem cold so the ice should be solid. Can someone give me the name of a bait shop I can stop at? Thanks in advance.



Moose

[Tom_K_from_NJ]

Moose,  The closest bait store I know of is Bait and Boat, located on Lake Mustenetcong. I forget the road name( rt 151 or 206?), but it's a main drag.   It's right next the the Hess station, at the back end of a driveway.

[KingKool]

In all honesty i think she tried to use the trespassing thing instead of saying the ice might not be safe(this was 11:30am and there only 3 total people on it) but after seeing 2 more people pull in and go onto the ice she changed her mind about unsafe ice and just left.

By the time we left there around 6 people still fishing and a few other people ice skating.

[MikeThePike]

Bait and Boat is only open till noon and IMHO is just about a complete waste. They used to supply most of the shops in the area until their prices (even at wholesale) got to be too ridiculous, especially for the sizes of the baits. (close to $10 for XLs that aren't even bigger than most shops larges most of last season) I'm not sure which direction you'd be coming from but I like East Coast Customs in Landing (right by Lake Hopatcong). Their bait prices are much better and its a well run shop. There is also another shop on RT46 a few miles west past Budd but I can't think of their name.

[Tom_K_from_NJ]

Mike,  Does East Coast Customs usually have jumbo shiners?   I haven't been to bait and boat this year as I haven't ice fished NJ yet, but I think I may go there Wed. Tom.

[NJ PIKER]

county line sport shop in hackettstown on rt 46
I'd call before going to any to check on bait supply and hours

[NJ PIKER]

last time I was there [Jan.]  they had a mix batch but were only 2.50 a doz.
none were x large though. guy was real nice and said he will be open 7
days aw

[Pike Popper]

I plan on going to either Budd or Monksville(ice pending) Wed. morning before i have to be at work, so whatever place it is I'll probably be fishing it from 6am-1030am. Will feel weird to be ice fishing jersey for the first time in 2 months and the last time lol. Then its back to PA.

[MikeThePike]

I was only in there once this season and he only had 2 or 3 left and thru them in with my larges. I know he carries them but whether or not he has them in stock I don't know. You can give him a call at 973 770 8318

[Pomoxis]

"You post there is ice and they show up in flocks"

Well, at least some flocks are not all bad!
Let's hope that next year the flocks are well dispersed over 10,000 acres of ice in NJ.
Imagine if that happens this winter in March!

Pomoxis,  world's only Crappie sportfisherman?