Lake Hopatcong Turning Over & Catches Come

Joe and I were supposed to fish the lake today, but as often happens with Joe, plans change as if by the slightest whim of a breeze, and I'm left with no real idea of why. People who love to fish invest expectations before going out, but when plans get dashed, I just start looking for other options, and otherwise project long range: there's still hope Joe and I will ice fish. In the meantime, Noel has expressed interest in fishing Binsky bladebaits, so if we plan on a time, Joe will have to wait if he really wants to get out there, unless I still have a day very late in the month or early November. My son has so many days planned to take off from work--two of them for steelhead fishing--that our annual October outing won't be a go this year. I told him in May we'll have time after he gets off for about four hours before dark, trolling.

Laurie at Dow's Boat Rentals reports a lot of hybrids, smallmouths, some big pickerel, perch, crappies and a few walleye are getting caught. The lake is turning over and vertical jiggers are getting in the game. She mentioned chicken livers for hybrids, bait that became very popular last year, but although I once caught a striper in the Delaware on chicken liver intended for a channel cat, I will stay with live herring and Binsky bladebaits.

Noel caught 40 fish yesterday, mostly yellow perch, and said the water temperature ranged from 59 to 62. Fifty nine is pretty chilly this early, but we really got switched from summer to fall overnight with very chilly temperatures recently.

"The big perch aren't in yet," Noel says.

I'm happy Noel expressed some interest in Binsky jigging and hope we go. I've connected with a couple of hybrids that might have beaten my personal best at five pounds, one ounce, along with another at just about five, and look forward to boating one of the big ones I constantly get news of being caught. Fishing makes particular things in life--fish--of great value to pursue, and there's a whole lot more to the lake than I can say in a blog post. But I can tell you there really is more, even though I haven't caught a really big hybrid yet.