[Rich B the Flukebanger]

Thanks Huge for the great thread site. I recently moved to Orange County about a year ago from North Jersey and I am looking for some local spots close to home to fish. My two boys are interested in fishing. They are young still and shore fishing is a must for them, although I have a 16' tin willing to trailer anywhere. Action is critical with the little guys like any other 5 year old losing interest quickly. I know it won't be until the spring time but at least I'll have some knowledge on where to go to catch some panfish and bass.

I am kinda looking forward to catching freshwater fish again, especially SM. My true love is the salt but now two and a half hours away? I guess I still have the Hudson in the spring. By the way, crummy spring in the river with the size and quantity of fish. Fished out of Newburgh three times in the spring. Lots of schoolie fish. No heavy females. Late spawn!?

On bait and tackle shops. I know of the one in Sloatsburg. Any others I should know about to give business too?

Thanks for your help fellas.

 

[HugeFish4]

Hang in there Rich...the board is a little dead this time of year, but you should get some responses.

 

[One Under]

Rich, try the search function and put in "Orange County" several good posts come up.

I moved to Orange County two years ago and found a few places worth your time. First off is Harriman State Park and its "Seven Lakes" - I got my boat permit there this year, only have gotten out three times on Welch but HugeFish just just kills em there - nice smallie action also!

Round Lake and Walton offer some opportunites also in Monroe.

Glenmere Lake is also one I heard about in Orange but, haven't wet a line there yet.

Again, try the search funtion and you can locate several posts covering this area.

Tight Lines,

One Under

 

[Johnkud]

Depending on where in Orange you are , the pond at Thomas Bull is good for kids , also check out Chadwick Lake in thw Town of Newburgh . Out on 17K there is also Winding Hills Park that has a small lake with boat rentals in season . Depending on their ages , Wallkill river does have some shore sites but you'll have to drive along the river and find them . Walkill does have a a launch site and wide open area for the kids for starters . And of course , for shore fishing you have the Hudson that will give the kids fun with white perch , cats and eels depending on season , let alone the Stripers which ARE caught from shore and will thrill you as well . Harriman IS close and does open up a ton of water and shore line to you as well . Also there are Washington and Browns that are City of Newburgh watersheds but haven't been open to fishing in a few years Keep watch in the paper if they do opwn but there are VERY decent fish in those lakes . A few years back a Dad was watching his son reel in a sunny when an 8lb or so largemouth spied the hooked sunny and ended up on the kid's wall .
Again , depending on where you are , there are also a few ponds right behind the Woodbury Commons and the Ramapo River DID have decent trout through stocking . SAouth west Orange towards Pa is the Delaware River and Sullivan County is a stone's throw with even more water

 

[JOHN G]

welcome to the board Rich! as Huge said, this is an typically slow time of the year for this forum.......

but I knew some of our members would come on and bail you out!!!

 

[Scott E.]

Ex-Orange Co. Resident

Rich,

Right in your own backyard give Wickham Lake a try, right behind the prison and by the airport, I have heard that there is some good panfish action as well as decent bass for you to hook the kids up with.

These guys gave you a few others as well Walton, Round & O&R Lake in Monroe. Harriman and Sterling Forest SP may offer a few more spots. Also Glenmere Lake is just up Rt 94 from you in Florida.

If you want a NJ license you have Waywayanda SP just up the road from the Warwick Drive-in. Also Green Turtle Pond around the corner from big Greenwood Lake in the Awosting area of West Milford.

But the best peice of advice I can give you, pick up a local map of Warwick, you may be able to find some great small ponds close to the house. I lived for a few years just off Lakes Rd.(Dutch Hollow Rd area) down by Greenwood Lake and I had this great little private pond a few hundred feet from the house, a fun little place to waste a few hours and every now and then a decent size bass or pickerel would show itself.

On tackle shops close by, O&H Bait and tackle in Chester and Greenwood Lake Sports in West Milford, NJ are about the two closest that I remember. You may find something in the Vernon, NJ area also.

 

[Cast-a-way]

Ask and you...

shall recieve...Welcome aboard Rich. The fellas gave you alot of good info. on this post. I think I fished every lake mentioned in the post. I also have small children (come to think of it their not that small anymore...going to be 9 in Feb) that I love to take fishing with me.
Wickham lake which Scott mentioned has some HUGE panfish and some HUGE bass as well however, getting on to the lake is another story. If your into trout fishing there are some great streams (rivers) in the area also. FYI the Ramapo river you can fish year-round. Welcome to Orage County....home to alot of fishing holes..
George

 

[Warwickfishman]

Hey there Rich,
This group of fisherpeople (p.c.) are great and share all kinds of info. msg me and we could hook up (I'm up on Brady Rd, not far from Larry's Deli).. I know a number of great spots in town as well a few really good hot spots in Sullivan County....


keep an eye out when opening day for trout season the local hunting and fishing club sponsors "take a kid fishing day" and they stock the stream full of trout, and every kid gets a prize wether they catch or not....



tight lines.. Ken

 

[Rich B the Flukebanger]

Gentlemen, thanks for all the excellent advise and info. I will certainly circle them on my Hagstroms map I have. There is nothing like learning from the locals that fish particular bodies of water. I want to learn those secrets of success. Do any of you guys fish the Salt? I took the day off work Tuesday and fished off a friends boat for blackfish since the season opened on Saturday. We had some luck, I had three nice keepers up to 7# and a 1/2 bucket of seabass. The water is still a bit warm for a good bite. Anytime anyone wants to go, let me know.

George, I went a few months ago to Wickham lake near home. Didn't fish just scouted it out. I found an area where you can put a cartopper in. I actually spoke to a few guys taking their boat out. I also seen a large motor boat in that lake whizzin around. Looks promising from shore. Can't wait.

Scott, sounds like green turtle pond gets hit hard now after reading some of the posts. I used to fish there over 10 years ago and did well with yellow perch and catfish by the dam. I guess alot of people fish it now. Spent my life fishing greenwood/ wanaque watershed. I know that area well along with the Ramapo. Did you ever fish Bear Swamp Brook in Mahwah? You can access it only by hiking the gravel road about 3 or 4 miles up some rugged terrain off Rt. 202 or if you know the lock code to get your car up there god bless ya. I used to bungee my rod onto my mountain bike. Boy the pickeral and bass up there are unbelievable. Also, the natural brookies that are in the brook that leaves the pond. I want to go now talking about it. Not to mention Monksville. I can't or can believe that the tackle shop over by Monksville closed a while back. That place has all the right structure but......

John, thanks for the lakes in the Newburgh area and tom bull SP. I would love to fish the Wallkill. It seems like a tough place to fish. The river flows all over the place. Do I stop at any of the bridges crossing the river and fish up or downstream or are there certain spots better than others. I went for a ride one day up by Goshen/Hamptonburgh area. Not many opportunities to park and fish. Any spots you can recommend? Thanks

Ken, anytime you want to fish let me know. How about some icefishing when the weather cooperates? I live on Sand Hill Lane/off Union Corners Road (41)/Wheeler road in Florida.

Thanks again guys.

 

[Warwickfishman]

Hey there Rob, I know a few people on union corners rd. have you ever ate at that little place in edenville .. Great breakfasts....
the name I can't remember at the moment...
and Ice fishing? I'll try sure.. and as far as salt water.. NOW YOU'RE Talkin...... I went 4 times this fall out to Montauk, (I'm orginally from Bklyn) I caout a [email protected]#T load of blues and sveral nice strippers.... and head out there in the spring for flounder and fluke in the summer.. I may be living up here and love LMB fishing but my heart belongs to the ocean..

I look forward to catching up with you soon,, If your sons are old enough, there are several great Scout troops (I'm a Scoutmaster) and/Cub packs in town that realy get the kids involved in te community...

Tight Lines.. Ken

 

[Johnkud]

Salt ?? SALT ??? Did you mention SALT ? Geeze I was thinking I was the only one LOL Just last Sunday had a BLAST down at WE2 with Stripers and Blues . Unbelievable action and fun for about 45 minutes then it shut down ! Stripers on top water don't get much better .
But any how , From Walden north to New Paltz I would have to say is your best bet for shore fishing the Wallkill . HOWEVER ,as you head north , all I've really sen or heard from shore is monster size carp OH NO I typed the "C" word . On here carp are hardly EVER mentioned LOL But towards New Paltz , I hear the DEC did stock Walleye a few years back , haven't heard anything about them though

 

[Scott E.]

Rich,

The last time I fished Green Turtle has to be close to 30 years ago with my dad and uncle, was always a good panfish place.

I grew up fishing that area as well, we would fish for trout in the stream that came out of Greenwood all the way down to Stonetown Rd. in Stonetown SP, now Monksville covers much of that.

Yes, I have fished Bear Swamp in what seems to be a memory from another life it was so long ago. My family has history in Bear Swamp, I remember my grandfather talking of going up there by horse and buggy when he was young to visit his grandparents, somewhere up there on that mountain is the old ruins of the homestead, according to my cousin, but how much of it is still there after close to 100 years I don't know.

The Rampo River for a few years was quite literally my backyard, I spent many days after school from early spring to late fall fishing for trout and rock bass.

What about the hike back to Ramapo Lake???, up on Skyline Dr., that was another great bass/pickeral lake.

 

[Rich B the Flukebanger]

Scott, The foundations, chimneys and remains are still visable. Delapidated obviously but it's like a time warp up there. You should take a hike up there some day. There is also a boy scout camp up there called Camp Todd. They are now looking to develop it into homes. So much to solitude and fishing. Ramapo lake I know about. I only went ice fishing up there one time.

John, thanks for the info on the Wallkill. More north than I thought. I was wishing the bite was better in the southern black dirt region. Funny how the river runs North defying gravity?

Ken, the boys are still to young for cubscouts. My kids are 5 & 3. I plan on fishing for flounder in the Shark river in the next week or so. Got to pick the right tide and watch the wind if you know what I mean. Don't want to be out in the boat when the wind is blowin'. Waiting for the water to cool off a bit down there. Would you be interested?

 

[Warwickfishman]

Rich,
you name the time and place and as long as nothing else is happening I'm there....

Ken