NAME --------------------- Kaz
DATE ---------------------- 5/29
TIMES --------------------- 7:00AM to 5:00PM
CONDITIONS ------------- Windy, Overcast
AREA FISHED ------------- Several Coves
FISHING METHOD ------- Casting
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Spinnerbaits,Topwater
NOTES --------------------- It was cloudy most of the day, but the fish were pretty cooperative. Did not use any spinning tackle this day. Caught 6 largemouth bass 1 1/2 to 3lbs.using spinnerbaits in weeds. Missed about 8 more strikes because of my slow reflexes. Later in the day when the wind subsided,caught 2 largemouth 2 to 2 1/2lbs with a Yozuri walkin'dog topwater bait on top of weeds in major coves.Also caught 2 large chain pickerel on topwater(and destroyed my brand new topwater plug!) Well,hey! topwater season is back!
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NAME --------------------- Chris Anderson
DATE ---------------------- May 31st
TIMES --------------------- 7pm - 10:30pm
CONDITIONS ------------- No wind / smooth surface
AREA FISHED ------------- Main Lk to Lee's Cove
FISHING METHOD ------- Casting
BAIT/LURES USED ------- worm/rapala/jitterbug
NOTES --------------------- I now know why they call Hopatcong Hybrids "Rockets". 3-1/2lb on Jitterbug fished topwater. I know maybe a little too early for topwater but caught several stripers chasing smaller bait up against shoreline. Long cast and twitch back to boat produced several opportunities. My first, and still shaking.
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NAME --------------------- mike santoli and bob neals
DATE ---------------------- 5/31/00
TIMES --------------------- 10:30am to 4:30 pm and 6pm to 9pm
CONDITIONS ------------- sunny light winds
AREA FISHED ------------- main lake
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- phoebes, yozuro, rapalas and thundersticks
NOTES --------------------- fishing started tuff. put gold prizm tape on phoebes and started to catch. caught 7 trout early 6 on rigger 4 to 12 ft. 2 had spring kd99 tags numbers 195 and 118 was a double header at 12 and 10 ft down. caught 1 holdover no tag or mark of tag . tookscale sample for lou. 3 fish on 1/2 oz gold phoebe 2 on 1/2 oz gold, 1on rainbow yozuro. caught 2 lb 8 oz rainbow on brown #5 shallow shad rap flat lined. lost 5 lb plus fish at boat at sharps rocks. picked up bob caught 4 trout and 2 pickerel. one on chartruse junior thunder stick one on 1/4 oz gold and red phoebe 2 on 1/2 oz gold and red phoebe. early sharps rocks hot later chestnut point hot.
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NAME --------------------- mike golabek
DATE ---------------------- 5/31/00
TIMES --------------------- 7/30 am to 2/30 pm
CONDITIONS ------------- best day weatherwise this year 70's
AREA FISHED ------------- great cove-chestnut point
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling flatlines
BAIT/LURES USED ------- panther martin youzuri pheobe silver
NOTES --------------------- 11am to 2pm fish bite was on.breaking fish on calm water all over.biggest rainbow was 3lb2oz.10 rainbows and two browns caught in three hours.again had big fish on which i didn't see except for white water way behind boat.tip of the day, let out alot of line fish seemed boat shy. mike
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NAME --------------------- mike santoli and bob neals
DATE ---------------------- 5/29/00
TIMES --------------------- 6:30 am to 10:30 am
CONDITIONS ------------- cold cloudy windy
AREA FISHED ------------- main lake
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- phoebes
NOTES --------------------- have not fished in 5 days. caught 6 trout on 1/4oz brown trout phoebe. got 1 on 1/4oz gold and red phoebe. caught 2 on 1/2oz gold phoebe. bob got 1lb 13oz brown. all on rigger 4 to 12 ft. speed was 2.8 to 3.0 mph
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NAME --------------------- John Tice
DATE ---------------------- 5/25/00
TIMES --------------------- 8:00am-12:30
CONDITIONS ------------- scattered clouds
AREA FISHED ------------- banks/ docks
FISHING METHOD ------- casting
BAIT/LURES USED ------- 4in husky jerk
NOTES --------------------- followed banks and underneath docks and caught a 15 1/4 in rainbow w/ a tag. Caught a NICE pickeral and largemouth. Still pretty new to this lake so if anyone has ANY suggestions on what to use or where to go it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
e-mail: Mrpig339@aol.com
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NAME --------------------- Kaz
DATE ---------------------- 5/07/00
TIMES --------------------- 7:00AM to 4:00PM
CONDITIONS ------------- Mostly Sunny,breezy
AREA FISHED ------------- Shallow banks in Woodport,State Park
FISHING METHOD ------- casting shallow banks
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Rat-L-Traps,Rapala floaters,Small Worms
NOTES --------------------- Caught exactly 10 LM Bass all over 1.5lb, 3.4lb being the largest.Pre-spawn female hit the Rapala floater near rocks while aggressively twitching the bait. Another female hit a Rat-L-Trap. Most bass this day hit a small worm on a secret rig. As always,released them immediately.
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NAME --------------------- mike santoli
DATE ---------------------- 5/24/00
TIMES --------------------- 9:40am to 3:40pm and 6:30 to 8:30pm
CONDITIONS ------------- sunny and windy , rain between, cloudy late
AREA FISHED ------------- main lake
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- rapala, thunderstick,swimmin image, yozuro, phoebes
NOTES --------------------- trolled lots of different lures and colors caught 7 trout early and 1 pickerel. all trout on 1/4oz brown trout phoebe from 6 to 18 ft 1 on flat line. caught a 3lb 11oz rainbow at 10ft on pickerel point going 2.7mph. fish seem to like more speed. i had many hits when i gun the engine or starte to reel in line. was the same during contest. picked up bob neals and fished 2 hourr caught 2 trout and 1 pickerel all on 1/4oz brown trout phoebes.
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NAME --------------------- Shaun Smith & Chris Bogoly
DATE ---------------------- 5/23
TIMES --------------------- 1:15pm~7:00pm
CONDITIONS ------------- Scattered showers
AREA FISHED ------------- Bertrand Island to Raccoon Island
FISHING METHOD ------- Casting & Trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Rapalas~fire tiger & perch,spinnerbaits
NOTES --------------------- Fished mostly 10 foot of water. We picked up 3 pickeral trolling, w/ the biggest at 23 3/4 inches.Started casting in the dropoffs 8-12 feet ending up w/ 2 more pickeral,1 perch and 2 nice largemouth Bass~~18 1/4" & 18 1/2" One muskie was also hooked into but wasn't landed.
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NAME --------------------- mike santoli and bob neals
DATE ---------------------- 5/21/00
TIMES --------------------- 5:30 am to 5:30 pm
CONDITIONS ------------- fog and rain
AREA FISHED ------------- main lake
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- phoebes, rappalas, yozuro,
NOTES --------------------- caught 24 tout and 1 white perch. won contest with rainbow caught on flat line #7 black and silver rappala. 9 trout on red and gold 1/4 oz phoebe. 6 trout on black and white rappala. 3 on 1/4 oz brown trout phoebe. 3 on 1/2 oz gold phoebe. 2 on rainbow mirror yozuro smallest size. 1 on # 5 firetiger shallow shad rap. early on top latter on top and rigger to 12 ft. early 2.5mph latter 2.9 mph caught. i have 113 trout caught in lake this year.with bobs help we trolled 7 lines all day with only one tangle.
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NAME --------------------- mike santoli
DATE ---------------------- 5/19/00
TIMES --------------------- 2:30 to 5:30 pm
CONDITIONS ------------- windy and rain
AREA FISHED ------------- main lake
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- phoebes and tony spoons
NOTES --------------------- caught 3 trout all on flat lines. was setting rigger when fish hit lure on top.fished 2 flat lines and 3 on rigger all time . no hits on rigger. same speed 2.5mph
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NAME --------------------- mike sntoli
DATE ---------------------- 5/18/00
TIMES --------------------- 9:30am to 1:30pm
CONDITIONS ------------- windy cloudy
AREA FISHED ------------- main lake
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- phoebes, sutton spoons and tony spoons
NOTES --------------------- 4 trout on phoebes. 1 pickeral on phoebe. 1 hybred 6lbs 8oz on phoebe.all on rigger 6 to 18 ft
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NAME --------------------- mike santoli
DATE ---------------------- 5/17/00
TIMES --------------------- 9:30 am to 8:30 pm
CONDITIONS ------------- light winds partly cloudy
AREA FISHED ------------- main lake nolan point to yacht club
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- phoebes and tony's spoon
NOTES --------------------- caught 18 trout no rigger from 4 to 20 ft also caught 4lb 2 oz hybred. gold, brown trout, green and gold phoebes caught most. speed 2.5 mph
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NAME --------------------- Dan o'donnell
DATE ---------------------- 5/21
TIMES --------------------- 5:30 am -9:30 am
CONDITIONS ------------- cool, light wind, light rain, poor visibility
AREA FISHED ------------- Davis Cove/ Elba point
FISHING METHOD ------- from dock
BAIT/LURES USED ------- live shiners
NOTES --------------------- Fished for four hours- 2 big Pickerel, several perch, crappie, and small largemouth + 1 big rainbow trout KDC tag # 529. Woulda fished longer, but efforts thwarted by pansy friend from Rutherford-didn't really have the brass for it.
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NAME --------------------- Webguy
DATE ---------------------- 5/21
TIMES --------------------- 5:30am-3:30pm
CONDITIONS ------------- FOGGY and cool
AREA FISHED ------------- Deep water
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Pheobes and Rapalas
NOTES --------------------- The KDC Trout Contest had 71 entrees out on the water but the fog kept most everyone else off the lake, at least until after noon, which was good for the fishing. I sure could have used a compass, at times I lost site of land and ended up turned around. I heard everything from getting skunked to bagging 21 trout in one boat from guys in the contest. I boated 8 trout (and lost 3 others), 4 rainbow and 4 browns, on downriggers from 5 to 15 feet down and flat lining. The biggest I pulled out of the water was a 17 inch rainbow that weighed 1lb.13oz. Another good day on Lake Hopatcong.
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NAME --------------------- mike santoli
DATE ---------------------- 5/13/00
TIMES --------------------- 6:30 to 11:oo am
CONDITIONS ------------- mild wind cloudy
AREA FISHED ------------- chestnut point to yacht club and river styx
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- phoebes, sutton spoons rapalas
NOTES --------------------- caught 4 on 1/4 ox brown trout phoebe 2 in river styx 2 main lake got 4 on gold 1/4 oz phoebe 2 in river stix 2 main lake 4 kd00 fish 2 kd99 2 state all on downrigger from 4 to 12 ft
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NAME --------------------- Rich
DATE ---------------------- May 13, 2000
TIMES --------------------- 7:30am - 1:00 pm
CONDITIONS ------------- overcast
AREA FISHED ------------- Brady Bride
FISHING METHOD ------- casting, some trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- spinners, live worms
NOTES --------------------- My first time on Lake Hopatcong. Great experience. I lost two nice size pickerals. Caught and released a lot of blue gills and perch from the rods with the worms. Got 1 good size Bass using a spinner. Looking forward to my next time out.
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NAME --------------------- Larry, Brian and Mario
DATE ---------------------- 5/13/00
TIMES --------------------- 9:00 - 6:00
CONDITIONS ------------- overcast in morning, sunny in afternoon
AREA FISHED ------------- area south of lee's park, and henderson's bay
FISHING METHOD ------- jigging grubs and rattle traps
BAIT/LURES USED ------- 5" grubs / 3/4 oz. chrome rattle traps
NOTES --------------------- First time I ever fished Hoptacong, what a beautiful lake.Spent some time trying to figure out their patterns. Caught all fish in shallow water 8' or less, 6 pickeral, 1 smallie, 1 walleye, and 16 largemouth up to 3.5 lb., will be back Friday and Saturday May 19 and 20. Anyone have any suggestions on areas to fish and lure selection, smoke colored grubs seem to catch the most fish. Would like to catch some more smallies but will settle for largemouth if you know good areas to catch them.
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NAME --------------------- mike santoli
DATE ---------------------- 5/10/00
TIMES --------------------- 9:30 to 3:00
CONDITIONS ------------- foggy windy rain
AREA FISHED ------------- main lake jefferson house to yacht club
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- brown trout, gold, green and gold phoebes tony spoons
NOTES --------------------- 3 trout on brown trout phoebe at 6 ft on rigger. 2 trout at 4ft on green and gold phoebe. 2 at 8ft on tony's spoon. 1 at 8ft on gold phoebe. 1trout kd99. 1 trout 2lb 4oz, 1 trout 2lb 2oz. lost large 5plus lb trout with jaw tag at boat at elba point. terrible weather hard to handle boat in wind.
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NAME --------------------- Jim, Alf and Dan
DATE ---------------------- 5/9/00
TIMES --------------------- 10:00am-2:30pm
CONDITIONS ------------- Sunny, hot and windy
AREA FISHED ------------- State Park, Point Pleasant, Bed Bug Island and the back of Great Cove
FISHING METHOD ------- Live lining herring and jigging
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Herring, Maribou Jigs
NOTES --------------------- Skunked!! To be honest, I don't have a clue how to fish this place. The reports already posted have shown a lot of fish are being caught, but I can't even get a hit. Alf and Dan had the same frustrating problem. We tried for walleye, largemouth and perch and we got nothing. How do you guys do it? In all honesty, I really don't know how to fish lake hopatcong. It's a great lake, but its size and complexity make successful angling real tought on a novice. Maybe it's time to hire a guide. Anyway, good fishin'.
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NAME --------------------- mike santoli
DATE ---------------------- 5/9
TIMES --------------------- 6:30 to 9:30 am
CONDITIONS ------------- sunny light winds winds increasing late
AREA FISHED ------------- main lake chestnut to yacht club
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- phoebes gold and brown trout
NOTES --------------------- caught 8 trout on brown trout phoebe at 6 ft on rigger, got 2 trout on brown trout phoebe at 4ft, 2 more on gold at 5 ft had limit in 40 min. trolled at 2.5 mph all lures 1/4 oz.
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NAME --------------------- Joey Scarangello and Dad
DATE ---------------------- 5/6/00
TIMES --------------------- 8pm-10pm
CONDITIONS ------------- calm and warm
AREA FISHED ------------- shallow water near State Park
FISHING METHOD ------- casting
BAIT/LURES USED ------- original rapola (4.5in)
NOTES --------------------- Casting into the shallow water near the state park we caught 12 walleye and 4 large mouth bass. All the walleye were over 3 lbs. Joey caught the largest at 5lbs 5oz. 24 inchs.
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NAME --------------------- mike santoli
DATE ---------------------- 5/6/00
TIMES --------------------- 6:30 to 11:30 am
CONDITIONS ------------- sunny light winds
AREA FISHED ------------- main lake chestnut point to yacht club
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- brown trout phoebe, gold and green phoebe, gold phoebe
NOTES --------------------- got 7 trout on bt phoebe 4 ft on down rigger, got 3 on green and gold flat lined, got 3more on gold phoebe at 6ft on rigger; got 2 on gold phoebe flat lined 1o trout knee deep fish,3 f99 all f99 released, 5 state fish, speed 2.3mph to 2.6mph had to go to work and leave the great fishing.
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NAME --------------------- Shawn Aughey(age 14)
DATE ---------------------- 5-6-00
TIMES --------------------- 1:oo p.m.-3:00 p.m.
CONDITIONS ------------- sunny and hot
AREA FISHED ------------- Brady Bridge
FISHING METHOD ------- on shore casting
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Mepp spinner
NOTES --------------------- It started off as a slow day. I started off with a small 8 oz. Rock bass, a 11 oz. Crappie, and my friend caught a 6 oz. Perch. The highlight of the day was when I thought that I snagged a rock. It turned out to be a 8 lb. 28 inch Tiger Musky. It attracted a croud, and 2 nice men let me borrow their net. One man who stocked them, was kind enough to help us. So it ended up being a great day.
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NAME --------------------- Noel Sell
DATE ---------------------- May 5, 2000
TIMES --------------------- 6am to 1 pm
CONDITIONS ------------- Overcast and then sunny
AREA FISHED ------------- All Over
FISHING METHOD ------- Jigging
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Jigs
NOTES --------------------- Caught about 25 crappie, 1 white perch, two yellow perch, and a few nice big bluegills on jigs. Crappie were anywhere from 10 to 13 inches up to a pound and a half. Caught all fish on ultralight and two pound test. Love catching those wonderful crappie up there. Water temp was anywhere from 58 to 64 degrees depending on time of day and where you were fishing. Left the bass alone, but did catch two very small bass on jig
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NAME --------------------- Bill Haase and Carl Platvoet
DATE ---------------------- May 5
TIMES --------------------- 9 pm- 1 am
CONDITIONS ------------- Clear
AREA FISHED ------------- Henderson
FISHING METHOD ------- casting
BAIT/LURES USED ------- bombers and swim'n images
NOTES --------------------- Got our first stripper of the year (5lb 9oz) one smallmouth (2lb 3oz) 6 walleyes up to 2lb 6oz. The water temp in Henderson was 57
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NAME --------------------- mike santoli
DATE ---------------------- 5\3\00
TIMES --------------------- 8am to 8pm
CONDITIONS ------------- sunny 60's light wind
AREA FISHED ------------- sharpe rocks, river styx, between islands, great cove
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- phoebe, rapala,sutton spoons
NOTES --------------------- caught 7 trout on phoebes gold, brown trout 2 in river styxx 2 between island 2 sharpes rocks 1 great cove released f99 brown 15in caught picked up bob neals at 6pm he caught 3lb 2oz walleye river styxx on brown trout phoebe trolled at 2.5 mph 4trout flat line 3on downrigger
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