Any experience on the NJ Meadowlands marsh flats?

[JFigliuolo]

ARGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

I should resist....

Firstly, I respect Ship... A LOT, I have known him (internet only) to be EXTREMELY helpful.

Secondly, I know nothing of Gellflex.

That being said... My INITIAL reaction to ship's post was similiar to GF's. I'm not sure why. I thought it was out of character fo SW.

Rereading the post I THINK I felt the first sentence was sarcastic. I understand now it was not, but I can see why GF felt the way he did. His reaction was his own and I am not defending it. Just saying I understand why he FELT the way he did.

[deermaster]

WHAT SHIPWRECK SAID HOW I SEE IT
Put your time in my friend. that tells me there is fish there, and it is well worth my time
There is some amazing fishing there in the winter months. what more could you ask for? hes telling you upfront that it is a great place.
I was just talking to JonS about this. that tells me that if two very repsected anglers and helpful people on this board are willing to fish it, i sure will
We plan to fish it alot after the back closes. that tells me exactly when to fish it.

as you can see, he told you everything you need to know, and much more than 90% of other anglers would

[gellfex]

Originally Posted by deermaster

WHAT SHIPWRECK SAID HOW I SEE IT
Put your time in my friend. that tells me there is fish there, and it is well worth my time
There is some amazing fishing there in the winter months. what more could you ask for? hes telling you upfront that it is a great place.
I was just talking to JonS about this. that tells me that if two very repsected anglers and helpful people on this board are willing to fish it, i sure will
We plan to fish it alot after the back closes. that tells me exactly when to fish it.

as you can see, he told you everything you need to know, and much more than 90% of other anglers would

As I've said, since I'd already done my due diligence by working the archives and talking to locals before asking stupid questions here, I knew there were fish there. I didn't need a general confimation of fish, nor did I ask for one. And the last line doesn't say when to fish it, it says when HE'S going to fish it, that is after the back bays he prefers are closed. I'm pretty sure there's fish there at other times.

The question was:"I'm going to try and get out on the lower Hackensack tomorrow. I was wondering if anyone had advice on what to throw or tow, and what depths and likely type of structure to look for. I'm not looking for spots, just general advice."

His response was like if someone asked for advice on a car purchase and is told "cars are great, I love my car".

JFigliuolo, thanks, I was starting to wonder if someone had slipped me a mickey, and I had no grasp on reality. I may have had a short fuse that day but I usually don't see things that aren't there. What up with someone who twice posts he's unwilling to give advice, then starts backpedaling at length about how he's the biggest advice giver ever and really was going to if only I had asked nice to begin with? (which I certainly did)

ctd450 & Lineside, you're true gentlemen, and thank you for the crumbs. I love crumbs! Perhaps the 4" & 6" shads I tried sunday were too big, but even they weren't heavy enough to get down to the bottom easily where I was. Maybe a 3 or 4 oz bucktail would have been good, the one I had was 1oz. I was also thinking I should replace the my 15#mono with 20#braid to increase casting distance and speed up the drop.

ctd, If you'd like to get out there before you get a boat, PM me. We can take my canoe. I usually paddle it with my 10 yo son, but his low HP limits the wind conditions and tides I'll try. I'd also like to get to where I was with a fishfinder and see the structure and depth. I made a mount for the canoe, but am struggling a bit with mounting it usably in the kayak, which is not a typical SOT fishing yak.

[Shipwreck]

speechless
and that may be a first

[Fish Tank]

Shipwreck wasn't F'ing with you Gellfex. He told you what he knew at the time... "there's great fishing there in the winter months." If someone told me that an area fished well in the winter when I was asking in the fall, I would think twice about fishing in it in the fall.

Here's some info you may want to try. Historically, eels are arguably the best bait for stripers. Depending upon how fast the water rips back there run a 2oz to 3oz egg sinker to your running line. Tie a swivel onto your running line. Tie on a 3' shot of 30#-50# mono to the other end of the swivel. I only use circle hooks for bait, tie on a 4/0 circle to your mono. Hook an eel up through the mouth and out an eye socket.

Get to the bridge you talked about at the end of the incoming current. As the outgoing current starts, get behind a bridge abutment downcurrent. Let the eel down to the bottom in a controlled fashion, and reel in about 5'. This way the eel is close to the bottom but not hidden in it. Now, work the back eddy by hanging in it for a bit. If nothing, let the edge of the current catch your yak and fall back on the current til you're in the main flow, repeat.

If there is a bass there, and it wants to eat, it will find your eel. This is the simplest way to fish to catch.

The only rule is there are no rules, but eels close to the bottom falling back on current is as close to a rule as you can get.

I hope this is acceptable.

[EddyRider]

[Mullet Miller]

I thought I would let this settle down on it's own. Unfortunately, my job got in the way over the past few days and it turned uglier.

I'm locking this thread down because it's turned into a one sided mud fight. Ship, my apologies for allowing this to go on to long.

Gellfex, you need to lighten up and stop reading stuff into where it is not. As many others pointed out, he gave you good info and was never obnoxious towards you, yet you came back with an answer that accuses him of "dangling his member in your face"? I should have given you a warning then but didn't. I am giving you fair warning now, it won't be tolerated again, you will get a full infraction the next time. Lighten up Francis!