NAME --------------------- Sam Hoagland
DATE ---------------------- Wed.11/29
TIMES --------------------- 3:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.
CONDITIONS ------------- cool
AREA FISHED ------------- western shore line then over to the Windlass
FISHING METHOD ------- Trolling large stick baits
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Large stick baits
NOTES --------------------- Did nothing but a small Pickerel until I turned at Halsey Island and work towards the Windlass along the weed line. After a hectic 15 minutes I boated my first Muskie. 37 inches and I guessed about 15 pounds.
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NAME --------------------- Tracker Boys
DATE ---------------------- 11/29/00
TIMES --------------------- 9:30 to 2:00
CONDITIONS ------------- cloudy
AREA FISHED ------------- Great Cove to Sunken Island
FISHING METHOD ------- down riggers, dispy divers and flat lines
BAIT/LURES USED ------- 6" jointed bombers (silver and black / firetiger)
NOTES --------------------- We started in Great Cove went along the shore in 25' of water. At 10:30 Bills downrigger popped, it was an 8lb 6oz true strain. We were near Barnes Brothers. At 11:00 my rod popped and I got a 9lb 12oz true strain. We went around the shore line to sunken island and got nothing else. Both our fish came 20' down. It beats working.
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NAME --------------------- Jim Archambault
DATE ---------------------- 11/28/00
TIMES --------------------- 10am-4pm
CONDITIONS ------------- Cold and cloudy
AREA FISHED ------------- main lake shoreline
FISHING METHOD ------- Trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Rapalas and Bombers
NOTES --------------------- Muskie fever has got me! I bagged work and went after them again. Flat line trolling again in 10 to 15 feet of water all along the edges of the main lake at 3-4 mph. I boated 4 pickerel and one muskie 33 inches long. The muskie was caught on a jointed firetiger Bomber Long A. Water temp was 35 degrees.
NAME --------------------- Jim Archambault
DATE ---------------------- 11/25/00
TIMES --------------------- 11am-4pm
CONDITIONS ------------- Cold and cloudy
AREA FISHED ------------- Nolan's to Bedbug
FISHING METHOD ------- Trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Rapalas and Bombers
NOTES --------------------- I've been reading all the reports of muskies being caught so I threw on all the biggest stuff I had and went out after them. I met Pat Lange at the state park but it was all ice so we went in at Lee's County Park. We didn't get a thing until Pat got out of the boat at just before 2pm. In 10 minutes I picked up a 24 inch pickerel on a big jointed trout Rapala by Chestnut Point and a 32 inch true strain muskie on the same lure as I headed north and passed the glass house. An hour later I got another 32 inch true strain down by the yacht club on a black and silver Rapala. Bad start, great finish. Looks like we might be ice fishing soon.
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NAME --------------------- Sam Hoagland/Lou Marcucci
DATE ---------------------- Mon. Nov. 20, 2000
TIMES --------------------- 9:30A.M. to 10:45 A.M.
CONDITIONS ------------- sunny and cold
AREA FISHED ------------- Mt. Arlington shore line Bed bug to Great Cove
FISHING METHOD ------- Trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Large stick baits
NOTES --------------------- Sam heard muskies were being caught and he wanted to get out before his meeting at noon. Started from his place at Point Pleasent and worked the area to Sharps Rock, nothing on the first pass.But since I had a fish in this area yesterday we made a second run. As soon as we got by Bed Bug Island my rod was hit. After a few minutes we had boated at 9 1/2 pound true strain muskie. This was our only fish of the morning.
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NAME --------------------- Kevin Scanlon/Ray Scanlon/Fred Nitek
DATE ---------------------- Sat 11/18
TIMES --------------------- 2pm to 4pm
CONDITIONS ------------- windy and cold
AREA FISHED ------------- Mt. Arlington shore line, Barnes Bros. to Chestnut Point
FISHING METHOD ------- Flat trolling clown pattern stick baits and downrigging fire pattern "believers" at 4 to 6 feet.
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Stick baits and "believers" musky baits
NOTES --------------------- Trolled north from Bertrand's and hit our first Musky on a fire pattern "believers" down about 5 or 6 feet on the downrigger. It measured 37", a beautiful tiger. The second fish, a 35" true strain hit when we were going over Chestnut Point, it hit the flatline rod pulling a six inch clown pattern bomber lure. Both fish hit in about 14 to 16 foot of water.
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NAME --------------------- Tim Clancy / Lou Marcucci
DATE ---------------------- Sunday, Nov.19,2000
TIMES --------------------- 2:30 P.M. to 4:30P.M.
CONDITIONS ------------- Slight wind and cold
AREA FISHED ------------- Mt. Arlington shore line Beg bug to Great Cove
FISHING METHOD ------- Flat line and downrigging
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Large stick baits
NOTES --------------------- The first fish came about 3:30 off Bed Bug Island on a Blue and White Rebel Windcheater. It was a true strain which measured 29 inches. We didn't weighed it and guest about 6 pounds. Just before we quit Tim got his fish on the downrigger fishing a Chrome/Black Bomber. His fish was a Tiger which measured 35 inches and weighed 10 pounds.Tim and I fished a total of 5 hours this weekend(Fri,Sat and Sun) and caught four muskies. I suggest we all go back to Pat Lange's article in the March 1999 newsletter and read it again. IT HAS COME TRUE.
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NAME --------------------- Tim Clancy
DATE ---------------------- 11/17/00
TIMES --------------------- 3 pm
CONDITIONS ------------- cold and breezy
AREA FISHED ------------- Elba Point
FISHING METHOD ------- Down rigging
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Believer (Musky lure)
NOTES --------------------- Was dodging the wind as much as picking a good spot to fish, dragging a perch pattern Musky Believer 12 feet down, when I caught nicest fish I've ever seen on Lake Hopatcong. Rigger went off just as I was approching Davis Cove. Thought I hit bottm but then felt the bottom pulling back and realized I had finally got into my first Musky. A real nice ten minute fight and no net but I still managed to get him in the boat for a quick measurement, 34 incher, and I guestimate 12 pounds. A real beauty with light bars and kinda of irredecent with blues, greens and purple. Eyes the size of a half dollar. Most exciting fish I ever caught on the lake and I hope to meet him again in five years or so. Gonna keep my boat in another week now.
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NAME --------------------- Lou Marcucci
DATE ---------------------- Friday Nov. 17, 2000
TIMES --------------------- 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M.
CONDITIONS ------------- Sunny,Windy and Cool
AREA FISHED ------------- Lake Hopatcong Yatch Club
FISHING METHOD ------- Casting from docks
BAIT/LURES USED ------- 4 1/2 inch chrome black red fin
NOTES --------------------- Caught my largest musky of the season this morning, and my first one casting plugs from the shore.I must say though that I was very lucky,I was using light tackle with 6 lb. test line and no steel leader. Both sets of treble hooks were hooked in the lower jaw of the fish and the plug was on the outside of I'ts mouth. I had to walk the fish back to the boat ramp to finally land it. I did't have my scale or tape with me, but the fish was more the 36 inches and over 15 pounds.
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NAME --------------------- BILL CONDON
DATE ---------------------- 11/8
TIMES --------------------- 330PM 5PM
CONDITIONS ------------- SUNNY WITH A LIGHT WIND
AREA FISHED ------------- WILDWOOD SHORES TO RIVER STYX
FISHING METHOD ------- TROLLING
BAIT/LURES USED ------- STICKBAITS AND SPOONS
NOTES --------------------- I'M HOOKED ON TIGERS NOW I PICKED UP 1 TIGER 31" RIGHT OUTSIDE OF DAVIS COVE. TOOK A PICTURE AND THREW IT BACK. HEADED TOWARD RIVER STYX AND HOOKED UP AGAIN THIS 1 WAS 36". BOB NEALS WITNESSED THE CATCH . WENT BACK OUT ON SUNDAY 11/12 AND GOT 1 34" NEAR SHARPS ROCK I ALSO GOT SOME PICKEREL. 5 TIGERS IN 1 WEEK. I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE BOAT OUT.
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NAME --------------------- BILL CONDON
DATE ---------------------- 11/5
TIMES --------------------- 7AM 9AM
CONDITIONS ------------- WINDY AND COLD
AREA FISHED ------------- ELBA RIVER STYX AND YATCH CLUB
FISHING METHOD ------- TROLLING
BAIT/LURES USED ------- STICKBAITS AND SPOONS
NOTES --------------------- SUNDAY AM WINDY AND COLD HAD BAIT BUT WASN'T MARKING ANY FISH SO I THREW 2 LINES OUT AND DECIDED TO TROLL LOOKING FOR FISH WHEN 1 ROD BENT IN HALF AND LINE WAS GOING OUT STEADILY. I WAS SNAGGED ? I PICKED UP MY ROD AND IT WAS FIGHTING BACK. AFTER 10 MIN. I BOATED A 38" TIGER WOW - HALF HOUR LATER I GOT A 34" TIGER - WOW - I'M HOOKED
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NAME --------------------- Webguy
DATE ---------------------- 11/7/00
TIMES --------------------- 9am-3pm
CONDITIONS ------------- Partly sunny
AREA FISHED ------------- State Park
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Rapalas
NOTES --------------------- I spent the whole time on the flats where the pickerel were hammering stickbaits. I landed 13 with a double at around noon. I had a chance to land a real big one but he got off. I was trolling along when the marine police came alongside, I asked if I should pull in my lines and he said no. Then he asked to see all my stuff and before I knew it he was behind my boat with two of my lines over his bow. As he dropped back I hooked into him and he started to take line, what a site! He managed to get the lure out of the shoulder of his leather jacket and I was left with a mess of tangled line and lures. I asked him to keep his distance while I regrouped, then he gave me a 5 minute dissertation on the proper spacing of the registration decals on my boat. The moral of the story, pull in your lines when you see them coming!
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NAME --------------------- Webguy
DATE ---------------------- 11/4/00
TIMES --------------------- Noon - 5pm
CONDITIONS ------------- Partly sunny, breezy
AREA FISHED ------------- flats at state park
FISHING METHOD ------- trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Floating Rapalas and Husky Jerks
NOTES --------------------- I spent most of the day trolling the flats in front of the state park with floating Rapalas out long and Husky Jerks short behind the boat to stay above the weeds. After catching a half dozen pickerel I moved to deeper water and added downriggers. While trolling the edges of the main lake I got four more pickerel.
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NAME --------------------- Lou Marcucci
DATE ---------------------- Wed. Nov. 1
TIMES --------------------- 2:30 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.
CONDITIONS ------------- Cool and Windy
AREA FISHED ------------- Great Cove and Mt. Arlington shore line
FISHING METHOD ------- Trolling
BAIT/LURES USED ------- Blue Rebel Windcheaters and Yellow Bomber
NOTES --------------------- Since I had a musky yesterday I thought I try again today. Caught my first and only fish five minutes after leaving the dock. I was just passing Dow's Boat Rental when the fish hit. Turned out to be a Tiger Musky about seven pounds. It was 31 inches long. Will try it again tomorrow.
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