Place: Union Lake, Millville, NJ
Time: 5:30am-12:30pm
Date: Sunday, June 26, 2011
Weather: Warm, muggy 70 Degree Start rising to a sunny blue bird sky 85 Degrees.
Water Temps: 78 degrees in Main body; 72-74 up North in the channels.
Water Clarity: clear visability down to 2.0'
Wind Gusts: Pretty calm with a mild breeze late in the day
Best Lure: Small finesse worms, crankbaits, & RattleTraps
Depths fished: 3.5'~6.0'
Bass Limit: 3
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Couldn't ask for a better day to be on the water amongst great anglers, leisurely pleasure boat anglers, and a storm free day!
On Sunday, we had 17 club anglers fishing at Union Lake. Down slightly from the 24 or so we had at Cooper River Park the previous week. Not to be outdone, club members had the eye of the tiger look on with the hopes of catching Tboe Like size smallies and Salty type Largemouth Bass. Well, one can continue to wish and hope for that bite, as we had 2 anglers with there 3 Bass limits. 2 anglers with at least 2 bass, and 7 out of the 17 club participants weighing at least 1 fish. All of the Bass caught totaled 20.88lbs. The avg. weight of these bass tallied were around 1.74lbs. There were Largemouth caught and Smallmouth caught. Not Too shabby eh?
Alright without further adieu and I give this guy much props for taking his 2nd consecutive 1st place win in 2 weeks, Brian "BassHopper" S. for taking another 1st place at Union Lake with 3 Bass weighing 4.92lbs. Second place and his 1st time in the Money was won by 3rd yr member Rob "Ram1212" M. with 3 Bass weighing 4.66lbs. Third place and Lunker was taken by Kyle "Wallhanger" S. with 1 bass weighing 3.87lbs. Way to go guys!!!!
Here's the official Tale of the Tape:
Brian "BassHoppers" 1st Place:
Rob "Ram1212" 2nd Place:
Kyle "WallHanger" Lunker & 3rd Place:
Here are some Honorable mention pics: Jimbo
FishinTroop catch:
Crappy Jon's catch
Thanks to all that came and out made a day of it. Union Lake can be really tough but as one can see from the pics, it can also be rewarding!!
As we approach this years 4th of July weekend, Remember we're having our 8th Annual SJHT Union Lake Open Buddy Tournament this coming Saturday July 02,2011 from 6am-2pm. I'm hoping to double the number of boaters and have a good ole on that day.
Stay safe and I look forward to seeing some of you guys this coming week.
Tightlines guys, BN06
Edited by BigNasty06 on 06/27/2011
BN06, President
Congrats Brian on another win...Don't you get tired of winning???HAHAHA. Congrats to Rob for finishing in the money too. Kyle bring that baby to Salem My day started with no bites for the first hour and then I got a small pickeral and bass around 8:30. I was BS'ing with Kyle and had one on and lost him in the grass. Then everything went dead. I started throwing a 9" worm and had a massive strike and the only thing that came back was my hook. Finally got my keeper around 10:30 in the grass. Had another short - can you say 11 inch fish on a 9 inch worm.
Congrats to the winners as always. My day went from just plain sucking in the am to great in the pm. Arrived at the ramp at 5am. I prep the boat for launch, jump in the jeep, turn the key, click...not a sound. GREAT. After sonme choice words and some talking, there was no reason not to fish. With the kindness of Kyle S., we hooked my boat up to his Saturn and he dropped me in. Started buzzin and froggin the pads and needlegrass north of the ramp with a couple swirls but no avail. BS'ed with Kyle for a bit about his biggun in the box and his outboard issues, then made the trek across the lake. Shortly after arriving around 8 got my 1st bass and keeper on a t-rigged senko. Basically stuck with the senko for the rest of the day, working my way down to the dam and boating 10 more shorts and one big pickeral that got the blood pumping! After reaching the dam around 11:40 cranked up both tm's and headed back near the ramp. I get back within sight of the ramp and around 12:15 I set the hook on a keeper size lm. After I set it he took me into a small patch of needlegrass and he was gone. Frustrated, I kept casting heading toward the ramp. at 12:25 I set the hook again, this time I get him my 2nd keeper a nice smallie. Even better though when I walk back to my jeep I give it a try and it starts! In the end wound up with a running truck and my first top 5 finish with the club, awesome.
Thanks again to Kyle, Jimbo, Jiggin Den, and BN for helpin out with the Jeep, it was really appreciated! After making it home I picked up a new starter and solinoid from Advance Auto and put it in. It starts like a dream now.
I started out at the grass to the left of the island and started throwing a buzz bait in the pockets, Brian was on the opposite side of the grass throwing a Pop-r. I see him set the hook and said to myself here we go again, then I see him throw it back and said maybe I still have a chance! Ha! was I wrong!!! I caught one keeper on the opposite side in front of the grass on a Money Minnow. and had several shorts and 3 pickeral. That was it for me. Congrats to Brian on another impressive win! and to Rob for taking second! way to go Rob. And last but not least Kyle for a real nice Lunker! Nice job guys!
My day was pretty funny. I started out going right of the ramp (if you are looking at the lake from shore) along the shore. About 20-30 yards down the line (tops) and I catch my first. Maybe 2-3 casts later I hook up with my biggest one. Two in the boat by 6am. Both smallies and fought unbelievable. Those were my first two smallies ever. I had 2 come off and 3 shorts up until about 9:45 when I caught my third and final keeper right at 12 inches. Maybe 100 yards from the first two. The furthest I went all day was to meet JiggnDen and he kindly lent me some aid for the live well. All 3 came on a black&blue senko.
I went to charge my batteries yesterday and both read 100% charged after an 8 hour TX on Union lake. Now that is funny.
Thanks for all the congrats and right back to BassHopper & Kyle.
Edited by ram1212 on 06/28/2011
Well congratz to Brian for another win! Rob for a real nice bag of smallies! And Kyle for a sweet piggie... Also to anyone who brought fish to the scale on another tough day on Union lake!
Well my day started of rather boring, with a few nibbles here and there and a couple dinks until 9:15... At about 9am Trap and I decided to take a run and hit the dam and cove. So I put the TM on 5 and made a beeline for the cove. When motoring across the lake I like to throw a trap, This time it paid off! Almost dead smack in the middle of the lake I caught my first keeper! A nice little smallie in about 15ft of water... He swallowed the bait and fought like a fish twice his wieght! Man those smallmouth are fun to catch!
I continued to throw traps the rest of the way to the cove. With no takers. I switched to the DS, and started getting bit. I hooked something right at the mouth of the cove that had some wieght to it, but I could not get the fish to come up off the bottom before he came unbuttoned! We fished the cove with a lot of bites and no hook ups. We where guessing they where either Crappie or sunnies.
After leaving the cove we headed for the spot I caught my only keeper and tried some different approaches with no success. By now it was time for Trapper to leave, so I dropped him at the dock and started hitting the area just right of the ramp and picked up my 2nd keeper just 12 1/2 inches, but if felt nice to get that 2nd one in the boat! This one came on my trusty DS rig!
So after getting #2 I decided to go big for a little bit. so I started trowing an 8 inch Dead-ringer again with no success... With about an hour left in the day I went back to my bread and butter the DS, This time the bite was on I caught a few dinks and missed 2 keepers at the boat, one with 10 minutes to go... the way the bite picked up I really wish I had another hour to fish!
Jimbo
Thanks for all the congrats. Like Dennis said I had a short in the morning using a pop-r, in my normal spot. I fished there for another 2 hrs then moved around, fished some more grass and caught a couple pickel. I finally headed back to the stream where I picked up my first keeper and continued back in the stream a little more and got my second keeper about a half hour later. Thats when I decided to stay in the stream to pick up my third keeper, but it never happened. Came out of the stream decided to fish the grass again and got another pickel.. Fired up the outboard and ran toward the front of the lake and picked up my third keeper about 11am. All mine were caught on a 5"black n blue senko. Hey Dennis I hope your neck is feeling better and thanks for all the congrats.
BASS HOPPER wrote:
Thanks for all the congrats. Like Dennis said I had a short in the morning using a pop-r, in my normal spot. I fished there for another 2 hrs then moved around, fished some more grass and caught a couple pickel. I finally headed back to the stream where I picked up my first keeper and continued back in the stream a little more and got my second keeper about a half hour later. Thats when I decided to stay in the stream to pick up my third keeper, but it never happened. Came out of the stream decided to fish the grass again and got another pickel.. Fired up the outboard and ran toward the front of the lake and picked up my third keeper about 11am. All mine were caught on a 5"black n blue senko. Hey Dennis I hope your neck is feeling better and thanks for all the congrats.
It really sounds like the bass were not really relating to any hard structure or shoreline areas. Almost like they were suspending in the deeper parts of the water column and definitely in the grassy areas.
Thanks for the comments and your day on the lake. Although it may sound repetitive or a little boring at times, the information shared\discussed goes along ways not only to you but enhancing the overall Knowledge base and experience when we do meet up on the weekends.
I always say what good is it to all hold onto everything we've learned in life without sharing\discussing amongst friends and family. I'm reminded of that everytime I visit a local watering hole and see a kid, teenager, or even an adult try to catch them from land.
Note: If BassHopper continues on his streak, I may have to call ESPN and get him his own Camera Crew to videotape his domination. He's definitely trying to reclaim his 2009 AOY status!! LOL!!
Great remarks and Day on the water guys!!!
BN06
BN06, President
My day started with no bites for the first hour and then I got a small pickeral and bass around 8:30. I was BS'ing with Kyle and had one on and lost him in the grass. Then everything went dead. I started throwing a 9" worm and had a massive strike and the only thing that came back was my hook. Finally got my keeper around 10:30 in the grass. Had another short - can you say 11 inch fish on a 9 inch worm.
In the end wound up with a running truck and my first top 5 finish with the club, awesome.
