Wet a piece of aluminum foil and rub off the rust. Works on just about anything with a rust stain.

Anything shiny with a single hook. Blues attack from the rear so almost never use a wire leader. You lose fish when another blue tries to take the lure out of fish’s mouth that your fighting. So, when there thick and feeding heavily I’ll use wire.

On a cost per year , Simms is the only way to go. Easy to fix leaks, pinholes , ( inevitable) with alcohol and aqua seal. My first pair lasted 10 years , saltwater and all. Plus the you can dial in your sizing well. My current pair are made in USA, I think I paid around 300. I would start with the American made and go up if you can afford it. The g3 +4 have extra layers, I believe , so there slightly heavier.

Hate to be that guy, and I see your not the only one out there, but this really pisses off the rangers, being it’s clearly marked and all. I don’t like it being closed either but the next step is no fishing in the whole park. Please think twice about going past those signs. You can catch bluefish about anywhere in the open areas.

Also used on a mullet rig surfcasting. Remove hook stick wire in mouth of finger mullet and out rear and put hook back on. Old school rig. Usually for bluefish.

Not all of em

I guess we’re lucky here in N.J. they stocked our trout early and let us c&r till opening day 4/11. I fished the last 2 day and never ran into another fisherman. The governor even said go out and fish, just keep your distance. Only thing he ever said that makes sense. Today I got back to my truck after wading a long stretch and there’s like 10 teenage kids shoulder to shoulder fishing below a dam. That kinda crap is going to ruin it for everyone else. Man I sound old!

I don’t fish for them much but the guys that fish hopatcong do really well

Gold/black jointed rapala. Was 1975 and it got my 1st fish. 18” pickerel. Been hooked ever since.

Best way I’ve found is off the end of the spool ( the “x” on shimano’s instructions) If the spool is exactly the same diameter as the reel, it will go on with no twist, but this rarely happens.. I’ve got my wife trained to hold the spool and flip it over when it starts to twist. Stand 8 or 10 ft. Away from your helper and you’ll see the twist develop. Then flip the spool and it will untwist as you continue. You’ll find it going a long time one way, and just a couple turns the other to straighten it out. And tension of course.

I switched to gamma poly flex years ago over mono. Costs more, lasts longer, behaves like mono and about double the breaking strength of same size mono. (. 4 lb. diameter breaks at 8. 12 lb breaks at 20.) I’m never going back!

Oh btw, wd 40 is a pretty good starting fluid in a pinch. Worked as a mechanic and used it all the time.

The guys who fished Delaware bay for weakfish used to swear by a Finnesse fish soaked in wd. Never tried it myself though. As far as the noise thing, was out in the mud hole off New Jersey on a charter once. The bluefish were on their spawn so we chummed for sharks. The captain was setting out chum etc and says damn, I can’t find my bell. Well he would hang a small bell off a cleat (underwater) and said it would attract sharks. So we hung a diamond jig inside a beer bottle and hung it off the side. Sure enough we hooked a 200lb. Mako. Didn’t land him but apparently their curious about the sound.
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quick point. Any lure that comes with a split ring, loop knot not necessary.

The more I think about this thread, things come back to me. ( a lifetime of fishing). Caught a large bluefish on the beach and it puked up a 12” northern kingfish very much alive. Released them both. Was walking the bank of a reservoir bass fishing and caught a good one. Had a distinctive spot on its tail. On my way back, caught the same fish again and decided to keep him. ( he really wanted to go home with me!). In his stomach was a 4 shiners 3 crayfish and a baby squirrel. What a glutton!