Jump to content


NJ Pine barrens sampling / collecting trips


44 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_HicksFish_*

Guest_HicksFish_*
  • Guests

Posted 14 May 2012 - 01:27 PM

Ray Wetzel and I (Bob Hicks) are trying to put together a number of sampling / collecting trips to the New Jersey pine barrens again this year.
We're hoping to do about 4 trips between May and Sept.
If you're interested, please e-mail me hicks_fish at yahoo dot com, or see one of us at a NJAS, MAKA or JSAS meeting.
Open to all - no experience required.
Ray has a permit for a few of the lakes in the area. For example, one of the lakes we always enjoy sampling is Horicon Lake in Lakehurst, NJ.
We always manage to see something different or unusual there.

#2 Guest_gerald_*

Guest_gerald_*
  • Guests

Posted 14 May 2012 - 01:54 PM

Bob -- Mark Denaro of Bucks County Aq Soc asked me to give a talk at their meeting (NE of Philadelphia) on Thursday July 5, followed by field trips Fri and/or Sat in PA & NJ. Since I have never sampled around there, it would be great if you and Ray could schedule a trip for July 6-7 to coincide with the BCAS event. My talk will be on Enneacanthus and Elassoma. I was planning to post a query asking for NANFA member site recommendations in that area, when up popped this timely thread!

#3 Guest_HicksFish_*

Guest_HicksFish_*
  • Guests

Posted 14 May 2012 - 03:27 PM

Hi Gerald - I think a trip on the 6th or 7th would be great. It just depends on Ray's availability. I e-mailed Mark and Ray to start the ball rolling.
I had noticed you were speaking at BCAS and was hoping to attend your talk. Coincidently, Mark is speaking at NJAS this Thursday, so I'll try to get together with him and Ray to firm up a plan.

#4 Guest_keepnatives_*

Guest_keepnatives_*
  • Guests

Posted 14 May 2012 - 09:01 PM

Ray Wetzel and I (Bob Hicks) are trying to put together a number of sampling / collecting trips to the New Jersey pine barrens again this year.
We're hoping to do about 4 trips between May and Sept.
If you're interested, please e-mail me hicks_fish at yahoo dot com, or see one of us at a NJAS, MAKA or JSAS meeting.
Open to all - no experience required.
Ray has a permit for a few of the lakes in the area. For example, one of the lakes we always enjoy sampling is Horicon Lake in Lakehurst, NJ.
We always manage to see something different or unusual there.

Does his permit allow for possession of Blackbanded, Banded and Bluespot sunfish. NJ law doesn't allow possession of these or Mud sunfish with a fishing license.

#5 Guest_davidjh2_*

Guest_davidjh2_*
  • Guests

Posted 17 May 2012 - 11:02 AM

I'd be very interested in going. Aside from the last week in June my schedule is pretty much open.

Gerald, if you want to do some sampling on the non tidal part of the Delaware river let me know maybe we can throw a trip together, I know a few good spots.

#6 Guest_HicksFish_*

Guest_HicksFish_*
  • Guests

Posted 17 May 2012 - 01:19 PM

Two trips in the works so far:
1. May 26th - Short notice, but we're trying to get a trip organized for Sat. May 26th (that's the Sat. of memorial day weekend).
2. June 9th - Looks like Sat. June 9th (with Mark Denaro and Gerald) will be a go as well.
Please e-mail me so I can forward the details: hicks_fish at yahoo dot com

#7 Guest_gerald_*

Guest_gerald_*
  • Guests

Posted 17 May 2012 - 02:16 PM

Bob - my PA/NJ visit will be JULY 5-6-7, not June.
David - that sounds great, but I've never been there and dont know what's where or local collecting laws, so You/Bob/Ray/Mark/etc plan out some sites for Fri & Sat and I'll go where I'm told. Would be nice to do a mix of gravel/cobble stream sites and swamp sites.

#8 Guest_HicksFish_*

Guest_HicksFish_*
  • Guests

Posted 18 May 2012 - 11:53 AM

Bob - my PA/NJ visit will be JULY 5-6-7, not June.

Thanks Gerald - my mistake, (did I mention I'm new here?).
I saw Mark and Ray last night at NJAS, and the NJ trip on Sat. July 7th is on. Mark is also working on a PA trip for Fri. July 6th.
Separately, Ray is trying to put together a different trip for June - possibly the 9th or 10th.

#9 Guest_davidjh2_*

Guest_davidjh2_*
  • Guests

Posted 21 May 2012 - 02:35 PM

I might be able to do the trip this weekend, I have to see if I can get a babysitter for Saturday, my wife has to work that day. I'l send an email when I get home tonight.

#10 Guest_davidjh2_*

Guest_davidjh2_*
  • Guests

Posted 21 May 2012 - 02:41 PM

Bob - my PA/NJ visit will be JULY 5-6-7, not June.
David - that sounds great, but I've never been there and dont know what's where or local collecting laws, so You/Bob/Ray/Mark/etc plan out some sites for Fri & Sat and I'll go where I'm told. Would be nice to do a mix of gravel/cobble stream sites and swamp sites.


If time permits I know some decent stone bottom areas on either the Millstone or Delaware rivers.

#11 Guest_davidjh2_*

Guest_davidjh2_*
  • Guests

Posted 26 May 2012 - 06:59 PM

Thank you Bob for a great trip today. I had never seen a Blackbanded or Bluespotted sunfish up in real life and they are magnificent fish. I'll let Bob post his trip report before I post the few decent pictures I took. We had a great day and caught a very nice variety of fish. Aside from the Blackbanded and Bluespotted sunfish my favorite fish was the Pirate Perch I caught. I really wanted to bring home a Blackbanded or 2 and Ray had the permit to allow it but I just don't have the room in any tank but my 75 gallon and my Bluegill would kill them pretty quick. I did bring home some ghost shrimp as tank cleaners and Bluegill food and I also brought home one of the biggest tadpoles I've ever seen.

#12 Guest_AnubiasDesign_*

Guest_AnubiasDesign_*
  • Guests

Posted 28 May 2012 - 07:21 PM

I'm really sorry I wasn't able to make it this weekend. It sounds like you guys had a great time.

As previously mentioned, Gerald Pottern will be speaking on Dwarf Sunfish at the Bucks County AS meeting on July 5th. Gerald is going to hang around for a few days of collecting after the meeting. We'll be collecting with Ray Wetzel at Lake Batsto and possibly other sites in the NJ pine barrens on July 7th. We're still open to suggestions for where to go on Friday the 6th. All the spots I used to go to in Berks County, PA when I was younger no longer exist. If anyone knows of good spots within a couple of hours drive of Bucks County, please let us know.
Mark

#13 Guest_AnubiasDesign_*

Guest_AnubiasDesign_*
  • Guests

Posted 28 May 2012 - 07:22 PM

Gerald, if you want to do some sampling on the non tidal part of the Delaware river let me know maybe we can throw a trip together, I know a few good spots.


David, where are you going and what are you catching?
Mark

#14 Guest_davidjh2_*

Guest_davidjh2_*
  • Guests

Posted 29 May 2012 - 04:01 PM

I'm thinking of either Stockton NJ, there is a long but very shallow spillway that comes off of the canal into the river which is a very nice area for collecting. Almost directly across from it on the Penn side there is a small state park with good parking and bathrooms that sits right on the river. There are 2 islands there and the channels are shallow and fairly easily crossed(depending on how high the water is) and the slack water also makes for good collecting. I've never tried a seine net in either area but I'd have to believe that a seine would work very well. I also know of a spot or 2 further downriver below Lambertville that are also very good with shallow water and good dipnetting/seining areas. One good one if the new bridge across the canal is done in time would be Scudders Falls. I've caught Margined Madtoms, Banded Killifish, Tessellated Darters, Blacknosed Dace, Green, Redbreasted and Bluegill Sunfish and Shiners that I believe were Spotfins but I'm not sure. I'm positive there are a lot more fish in there that I just haven't seen or caught

I'm working on getting July 5th, 6th and off but I don't know if I'm going to be able to get those days since a couple of people in my dept already have those days. If I can't get those days I'll be going for the 2nd and 3rd of July instead. Saturday the 7th shouldn't be a problem though.

#15 Guest_davidjh2_*

Guest_davidjh2_*
  • Guests

Posted 30 May 2012 - 12:05 PM

This is one of the spots I have in mind. The water is about a foot higher then usual, the area to the left is usually dry land and there are a lot of rocks to flip over and a lot of small fish to chase/catch.


Posted Image

#16 Guest_AnubiasDesign_*

Guest_AnubiasDesign_*
  • Guests

Posted 01 June 2012 - 10:57 AM

David,
That sounds good. Are you working from the NJ side or the PA side? I'm wondering which state we'll need to be licensed for.
Mark

#17 Guest_davidjh2_*

Guest_davidjh2_*
  • Guests

Posted 01 June 2012 - 03:38 PM

A NJ or PA license is good bank to bank. If you are going to be going on any of the south jersey trips I'd recommend getting a NJ license

#18 Guest_HicksFish_*

Guest_HicksFish_*
  • Guests

Posted 04 June 2012 - 05:55 AM

Sorry for the short notice, but we're putting together another trip for this Sunday June 10th. Please e-mail as above if interested.

From Ray's announcement:
We will be collecting at Dove Mill Pond (Jackson, NJ), and other area
locations including Horicon Lake and Cattus Island State Park in Toms River if
there's enough interest. As Cattus Island fishes are brackish water, you
need to make plans to bring enough of their water home with you if you go for
fish there.

#19 Guest_davidjh2_*

Guest_davidjh2_*
  • Guests

Posted 15 June 2012 - 02:38 PM

Just so I can start planning this in more detail. We're going to be hitting the Delware July 7th?

#20 Guest_HicksFish_*

Guest_HicksFish_*
  • Guests

Posted 15 June 2012 - 02:46 PM

I'm pretty sure Delware/PA is on Friday July 6th, and NJ is on Saturday July 7th.



Reply to this topic



  


0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users