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Toms River

Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2018 8:03 pm
by NJpatbee
After 43 years in Sussex County I am now a resident of Barnegat in Ocean County. Although I will still frequent my NW Jersey favorites, this site used to have a fair amount of Toms River enthusiasts. What is the latest and is it worth heading out to the Toms when I cannot travel North?

Re: Toms River

Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2018 10:10 pm
by 46er
Welcome to Ocean County. The Toms is always worth a trip, just be careful of the holes if wading and bring a pair of pruning shears for the brambles ;) Easiest place to start is the Riverwood Park parking lot and walk to the river, downstream a piece if your interested in the TCA. You also have the salt, great time of year is starting there.

Re: Toms River

Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:16 am
by NJpatbee
Thanks for the info!

Re: Toms River

Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 8:53 am
by Rusty Spinner
NJpatbee wrote:
Tue Sep 04, 2018 8:03 pm
After 43 years in Sussex County I am now a resident of Barnegat in Ocean County. Although I will still frequent my NW Jersey favorites, this site used to have a fair amount of Toms River enthusiasts. What is the latest and is it worth heading out to the Toms when I cannot travel North?
Best of luck in your new life downtheshore, Pat! The Toms is not like any other river you've likely fished in NJ or elsewhere. At least that was my finding when I fished it twice over the years, both times in the TCA.

Re: Toms River

Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 10:48 am
by Johnw
The easiest way to get to the TCA is to park at the low end on Rt 571 and walk upstream on the right side of the stream. The Toms, in my opinion, is not the same since the State stopped stocking brookies. The rainbows seem to disappear for the most part and don't hold over as well as the brookies perhaps because of the high acidity in the Toms. We will be float stocking the Toms in the Fall and you are welcome to join us. It would be a good way to learn the area.

Re: Toms River

Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 5:20 pm
by 46er
Pat, if you'd like to have some fun now that the summer crowds are gone; tie up, or pick up, some small Clouser Minnows, needle nose pliers, crimp the barb and head to the bay. Barnegat has nice town beaches, or the outflow of the power plant on RT9. The snapper blues are everywhere.

Re: Toms River

Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:58 pm
by NJpatbee
Thanks for the good tips. It is going to be quite an adjustment for some one that had wild brook trout a short walking distance from his house. I will be back to haunt them but I will start looking into some salt water gear.

Re: Toms River

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 2:58 pm
by robtf
and remember, if you're not snagging then you're probably not fishing the right spots.

just sayin' :D

Re: Toms River

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 3:36 pm
by NJpatbee
robtf wrote:
Wed Sep 26, 2018 2:58 pm
and remember, if you're not snagging then you're probably not fishing the right spots.

just sayin' :D
Nothing on top?

Re: Toms River

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:01 pm
by Johnw
I am told that there is action on the top in the evening. I have fished the Toms over 100 times over the years but never in the evening. I have caught fish on top but very few. Because of the size of the river and the surrounding trees and brush, fishing on top is difficult but not impossible.
Fall stocking in the Toms is set for Tuesday, October 9th. We meet in Riverwood Park, parking lot around 10:30-11:00 o'clock.

Re: Toms River

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 2:36 pm
by NJpatbee
Johnw wrote:
Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:01 pm
I am told that there is action on the top in the evening. I have fished the Toms over 100 times over the years but never in the evening. I have caught fish on top but very few. Because of the size of the river and the surrounding trees and brush, fishing on top is difficult but not impossible.
Fall stocking in the Toms is set for Tuesday, October 9th. We meet in Riverwood Park, parking lot around 10:30-11:00 o'clock.
Thanks but unfortunately Tuesdays are my one day/week I have to travel to North Jersey for work. I would really enjoy walking (and stocking) the river with people that know how to fish it.

Re: Toms River

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2018 3:31 pm
by robtf
Johnw wrote:
Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:01 pm
I am told that there is action on the top in the evening. I have fished the Toms over 100 times over the years but never in the evening. I have caught fish on top but very few. Because of the size of the river and the surrounding trees and brush, fishing on top is difficult but not impossible.
Fall stocking in the Toms is set for Tuesday, October 9th. We meet in Riverwood Park, parking lot around 10:30-11:00 o'clock.
Haven't been on here in a while (obviously) and for some reason I never get email notifications.

That said, would have been a hoot to join you last week... but I'm still working anyways.

I am tentatively and hopefully planning on retiring in 595 days
( 1 year, 7 months, 17 days... but who's counting)

Pat, I too have rarely seen fish rising... there were a couple of occasions not during the evening, but under very very tough brush.

Re: Toms River

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2018 5:38 pm
by Johnw
Rob, sorry to hear you are still working but at least there is light at the end of the tunnel. I'll try to let you know when the next Toms stocking occurs. I usually get the info from the F and W website.