A.j. Gamble

Fishing at Hoffman's Park in Union, Hunterdon County, this week, and wanted to see if anyone could give me details on which of the other ponds besides the largest one, stocked with trout bc I was ripping rainbow's out of there on rapalas easily, that is good for bass fishing? The website says 5 of the ponds have bass in them and an old timer said there are biggins in one of them, but since there are 32 I don't want to waste any entire day. Especialy in the slow fishing that is plaguing all the area waters this month. Thanks for the info if anyone can fill me in with their experience.

Welcome aboard from a fellow NJ/PA border guy who just recently joined the forums after reading the site for years also. I'm a bit down the river though, by Milford, NJ. Always thought it was funny two towns on the river in different states share the same name of the town and high school (Delaware Valley).

Researching your question, according to the NJ DFW lists the sunfish as a protected species and can't be taken from any waters in the state. I find that interesting bc they are so abundant in most of the ponds and lakes I've fished. But then again, I never really gave sunny's any attention or had the desire to keep one.

Been fishing Round Valley the past 2 weeks since the cold moved in, and the bass fishing has been SLOW. With the water clarity and temps in the high 40's to 50's, the only LMB's I've caught have been in beds. Using a Senko rigged either in a drop shot, weighted Gamamatsu hook, or 3/- Gam hook and working the worm at the speed of molasses. Moving maybe a foot a minute and making the worm do it's dance, I did manage to land a nice, fat LM over 16" and prob 4 or 5 lbs in 2 ft of water using that method. Hit 4 rainbow's on a Rapala X-Rap in Tiger Perch at Hoffmann's Park Pond (near Spruce Run). I believe the fish are confused with the huge warming trend followed by the sub-freezing temps with the rain. They're certainly not in pre spawn mode, hitting at anything, but are very skittish. Normally at RV, walking the banks you will see a ton of fish darting in and out, pickerel, bluegills, lmbs, even trout, but this past week especially the patterns are totally changed and slow...Anyone have the same experience in the Central/North Jersey area?

Went to Spruce Run today off the shore by the tower and bushwhacked towards the ranger's dock and got nothing whatsoever trying jigs, dropshots, jerkbaits, texas rigged lizards/worms and rapala lures. Lost a jig and my favorite daily carry SOG knife. So ticked about that. Noone I spoke with there got any bass, only catfish by the South branch. What gives? Anyone else have any luck there lately?