After knocking out some of my chores/projects around the house this past Saturday and Sunday morning, I
decided relax a little and have a go at it Sunday afternoon on the Passaic River in my `Yak.
So as sat on the patio table out back, studying my map of the Passaic River, I mapped out a new destination to try. The last adventure worked out pretty well, as I paddled upstream and fished my way back down to where I launched and parked my truck. Now I told Sharon I`d be home around seven that night, so the tricky part was calculating just how far upstream to paddle, in order to be back at the truck by six-ish, in order to make it home by seven(or so). What complicated this a tad more, was the fact that this adventure would once again, take me into new territory.
Arriving at my new destination, I got my `Yak in the river and just soaked in some of the beautiful, sunny Sunday afternoon weather before headin` upstream. The river was a bit higher than normal and a tad “murkier”/discolored than I was used to seeing.
I tied on a fave combo, an `ol Firetiger Spinnerbait with a double-tail Chartreuse Twister Tail. Which also had a little something “extra” attached. My Canadian friend Nathan Robinson showed me this when he was down here a few weeks ago.
A “Trailer-Hook” –
This Trailer Hook will definitely help raise your odds against fish swatting the Twister Tail and missing the hook!
I paddled upstream a good two and a half hours, then started fishing my way back down the Passaic. Found some absolutely awesome looking pools, but after a couple hours of fishing, not a strike or even a miss. The pike just didn`t seem to want to cooperate on the gorgeous, hot sunny day.
By now it was getting later in the day and it looked like I was going to get skunked, as I was only about three hundred yards from where I launched. What to do, what to do……… I felt like it was fourth and long and I was at the two minute warning. We needed a “Brett Favre Gunslinger move” and we needed it now! ha! ha! As I rifled through my “bag-of-tricks”, I pulled out my old faithful “Clown Bomber” Lure that I caught that Tiger Musky on a few months before. “What the hell?” I thought, “Let`s give it a go!”
This is the exact color combo “Clown Bomber” that I used. Like I said, I nailed a Tiger Musky with it a few months back. Would/could there be any “magic” in the Bomber now as my time on the river was fadin` fast?
First cast……nothin`. Second cast with the Bomber and BAM! Fish on! And a good one at that!
Crank up your speakers and watch this short Video of the day`s NJ Fishing Adventure:
What a way to end the day! Wranglin` up a beautiful 5.8lb. Largemouth Bass! Guess the `ol “Gunslinger” had it in him that day on the river –
I am available for Guiding also if you`d like to have me join you on a NJ Fishing Mission, simply write to me on my site; www.AdventuresWithKen.com and we can discuss and arrange everything.
After talking about getting a new kayak for Sharon and honing in on(and eliminating) a few different ones at some local stores, I decided to take a run to Dick`s where I bought my `Yak last year. I really like buying at Dick`s as the sales assistants in the outdoor department are always very helpful and give good solid advice.
Sharon and I, discussed a “sit-on-top” vs. a “sit-in” type of kayak and she opted for the “sit-in” as we both felt it would offer her a little more stability(and she wouldn`t get as wet! Very important factor! ha! ha!)
We loaded up the `Yaks and headed over to Spruce Run on Sunday to give it a go in her new kayak.
I helped her get all set, she jumped in and away she went!
After paddlin` out and about on Spruce Run for a few hours, Sharon suggested that we head home, grab a bite and make our way over to Merrill Creek.
(However, she also had another “motive” other than just feedin` Ken……..to bring a “guest” with her to Merrill Creek! ha! ha!)
Turn up your speakers and enjoy this fun little Video of the day`s adventure in the `Yaks;
We really had a wonderful day in the kayaks on Sunday and I`m looking to many more fun future Adventures with my new kayakin` side-kick and the most awesome, sweetest girlfriend a guy could ever have!
NJ Shad Fishing in the Springtime on the Delaware River. One of my favorite Spring activities! The forecast
for this past Saturday was ideal. Sunny and breezy with temperatures not expected to get much over 70 degrees. Perfect Shad Fishing weather in my book. I only had about two and a half hours to fish on Saturday as I had a good bit of yard work to get too. So I had to get busy on the river fast.
I loaded up my gear in the truck and was on my way by six a.m. on Saturday morning to my destination: Riegelsville. It`s late in the season for Shad in this part of the river and I was guessing I`d pretty much be by myself fishing the Delaware River that day.
Upon arriving at my spot, I anxiously tied on my favorite flutter-spoon….
An unpainted, smooth-blade Gold spoon, as I have caught count-less shad over the years. Not really sure if indeed colors are that big of a factor when it comes to shad fishing. Hell my friend Curt Ryder would say, “Ken……when that`s the only lure you use, of course the odds are goin` up for that particular lure in regards to how many fish you catch!!” – ha! ha!
I eased myself down the bank and into the river, then slowly worked my way out into the dark water of the Delaware to begin casting.
It wasn`t long……then BAM! A strike! Shad on! These Springtime Shad are the most feisty freshwater fish I have ever caught!
More than once, they`ll give you a nice “Air-Show” too!
Here`s a Video of my NJ Shad Fishing Adventure on May 24th 205 below;
Ended up catching four Shad in those two hours on the Delaware River. Hell….. to me, just being out on the River is like some sort of utopia. Catchin` a fish or two is a heck of a nice added bonus though!
Well our NJ Pike Fishing Adventure this past weekend was nothing short of yet another excellent fishing excursion with a gentleman by the name of Nathan Robinson from New Brunswick Canada.
Nathan found my website three months ago, as he was “Googling” NJ Pike Fishing and reached out to me me through the site. He explained that he was coming down to New Jersey the first week in May and wanted to fish for northern pike, as he had never caught one simply because there aren`t any pike in New Brunswick. Quite frankly I was surprised that there aren`t Pike up there. Heck my Step-Father & I traveled up to northern Ontario for eight years fishing for smallmouth bass, walleye and of course, northern pike. I really thought they were everywhere in Canada. Hey you learn something new everyday right?
Being an experienced kayak fisherman, Nathan liked the idea of chasing those pike in the Passaic in the `Yaks. He has quite the kayak set-up(see pics below) at his home in New Brunswick.
Notice it`s a Pedal-Driven Kayak. An extremely well-equipped, very professional-looking vessel, I must say.
Quite the `Yak indeed!
Initially he planned on bringing this elaborate kayak to New Jersey, but decided not too, as it probably wasn`t a good idea to have it sit on top his vehicle all week as it might`ve “grown legs” and disappeared. So the next option was to rent one while he was down here. I myself, wasn`t really sure where to rent a kayak, as everything I found on-line was in South Jersey. I thought, “Ahhhhh what the hell……I`ll ask the question, where to rent a kayak on the NewJerseyHunter.com forum. Well what happened the next day was incredible………. I got a response and the subject said, “Ken…why rent?” I thought, “Great….someone wants to sell me their kayak”. I read the message and was shocked at what it said, “Hey Ken…don`t rent one, I`ve got a kayak that you can use”….WOW! I thought. This gentleman who is a complete stranger to me, graciously offered to let Nate use his kayak! He proceeded to give me his address and said it would be out by the pond and to help myself to it and no rush to bring it back. Wasn`t this an incredibly nice offer? An act of pure kindness…….The kind of gesture that restores one`s faith in humanity as my friend Lisa put it.
I threw the `Yaks in the bed and loaded up my gear and headed east to meet up with Nate on Friday. Nate was pretty darn excited to have a `Yak to fish the river in and my goal was to hopefully get him into a few pike out there.
Nate caught his first pike that afternoon. He said, “Well this is what I came for,….at least I caught a pike….I`m satisfied” –
But I wasn`t,…… as I wanted to get him into a decent size pike. With paddled back to the lot at dark that night and talked about where to fish on Saturday. We decided to meet twenty miles away from this location, at 7am the next morning.
Then it was Saturday………. and then the Adventure kicked in!
Wasn`t long until we were into some nice-size pike on the Passaic on the cool, cloudy day!
Nathan caught two beautiful pike that afternoon! One was a tad over seven pounds!
Watch the Video of our Pike Fishing Adventure on the Passaic River! You`ll enjoy this one!
I do indeed believe this Pike Fishing Adventure left quite an impression on my new Friend from New Brunswick Canada.
NJ Black Bear “Season” is underway…….at our house that is!
Yep….. we had quite the action-packed week of NJ Black Bear Sightings at the house this past week.
Just for the record, I do not bear hunt, however I don`t have a problem with anyone that does.
I just never had to desire to take a bear……
The only “Shooting” that I do when it comes to Bears, is I just shooting them with my cameras!
On Wednesday May 6th, I got up early to do a litle scoutin` for turkeys before work, as I planned on sitting
the next morning for those “ThunderChickens” – I came home around 7:45am and as I walked on the back patio, I glanced up in the woods and did a double-take! There was a huge Black Bear lying only twenty-five yards off of my back wall! “Was it asleep?” After watching the big bruin lay there for about ten minutes, finally he/she got up………. and I could see that the bear was injured. It walked about twenty yards and slumped up against a tree…….sitting on his butt. I never saw a bear just sit randomly sit on his butt. He was holding his left paw/leg in the air as it appeared broken/or fractured.
I cautiously crept up by walking on rocks, to within twenty yards of the monster bear, that I guessed had weighed somewhere around 4-500lbs. I called the local police and explained the situation and why I was concerned. I said to the dispatcher, “I`m sure you get hundreds of NJ Black Bear sightings daily and I`m not calling just because I see a bear in my yard, I`m calling you because this bear is actually hurt and that I was concerned whom may possibly cross-paths and come into contact with this bear in the wilderness” –
With that, she sent an officer to my house. Upon arrival the officer said, “Wow……. that is a big bear”. He also told me that some local sheep were killed just this past week, by a bear just down the road and that this may possibly be that very same bear. So he called NJ Division of Fish & Game and their response was simply this; “Unless you know specifically that this particular bear is responsible for those killings, we`re not all that concerned about this one” – They also said, “An injured bear such as this, can heal within three to four weeks” –
I explained my concerned was simply the possibility that anyone hiking/walking back could indeed come upon upon this monster.
I told them that I`m a turkey hunter and that I could easily walk up on this monster while walking to my stand in the dark.
*All of the picture below where taken the week of May 4th. Notice the dates/times on the bottom of each photo. Enjoy these amazing pictures.
I spoke to my Mother the other day on the phone after I sent her these latest pictures,
Her response after seeing this pictures; “You couldn`t pay me to live there with all of those bears!” –
NJ Black Bear Season is here………. and my cameras are on hand and ready to shoot some bears!
Made my way out & about on Saturday to try my hand at some Tiger Musky Fishing for the first time in some new territory. Loaded up my `Yak & headed out at daybreak to my destination….. Oxford Furnace Lake.
I really don`t know all that much about this beautiful Lake other than it`s only a hop, skip & jump from my house in Warren County NJ and that I heard there are Muskies in it.
It is an absolutely gorgeous, very serene location. The water was very calm with hardly any ripples as there was only a hint of a light breeze.
“It was a gorgeous Spring day to be out in the `Yak”, I thought to myself as I started working the water with
my Bomber Lures.
This adventure was indeed very
exciting because everything I was
doing that morning was purely trial
and error, as I had never fished
specifically for Tiger Muskies, nor
had I ever fished Oxford Furnace
Lake before. I didn`t have a map of the Lake, so I really don`t know what it`s like structure-wise. As I scouted the entire Lake the one thing I did notice was the fact that the majority of it appears to be fairly shallow. If I had to guess, I`d say the deepest seemed to be around 30 feet or so.
I worked various spots for a good two to three hours………Then it happened! BANG! Fish on!
Watch the Video below that I shot that morning of my first Tiger Muskie. It wasn`t a monster by any means, but it was still the targeted Tiger Muskie that I had come there for so I was pretty darn psyched!
NJ Pike Fishing – “Had the day off of work, so I loaded up my `Yak the night before in my truck and made my way to the Passaic River at daybreak today, to see if I could wrangle up a Northern Pike or two for my first outing of the season” –
“When I arrived at the river, I was a bit disappointed as the river was actually quite muddy. Nevertheless, I was here and wanted to have a go at it as the forecast was calling for an absolutely beautiful Spring day.”
“I double-checked the arsenal of Pike lures in my knapsack, Bombers _Check…..Spinner baits_Check…..Mepps Piker Kit_Check/Spare Reel _Check/Extra Line _Check……All set. Good to go!”
I untied my `Yak and carried it to the river`s edge. Went back to the truck to slip on my neoprene waders, grabbed my pole and headed back to the `Yak.
Turn up your speakers and watch the short Pike Fishing Video I shot while fishing that day.
I fished for about five and a half hours that day on the Passaic River. While it wasn`t one of my better days
Pike Fishing, I did indeed manage to wrangle up my first Northern Pike of 2015, and hell, a day doesn`t get much better than this, especially when you`re out and about enjoying the Springtime air while fishing in the great New Jersey Outdoors.
Well ever since I posted a couple hunting videos, a few guys have been asking me what kind of gun do I hunt with. So I thought I`d tell you all a little Tale about my 1960 Browning “Light Twelve” Gauge Shotgun that I use for deer hunting in New Jersey and how it came about.
My Dad always hunted with a Browning “Light Twelve” 12-Gauge….. when it was time for small game and deer hunting, that was the only gun he ever used. I remember very well what shells he used for deer hunting…..Winchester Mark V`s. When shot through his Browning, they were an absolutely amazing combo.
It was always a big deal for me to be able to go with Dad hunting & as a youngster. That`s me proudly holding the skinned Rabbit & my brother Keith sayin`, “I want to keep him!”
I have been deer hunting since I was ten years old and while I did shoot quite a few does on “Doe-Day”, I missed my share of bucks. Dad used to say that I got “Buck Fever” when I would see a buck……. and miss! ha! ha! I could shoot does no problem, but when a deer came through with antlers, that old “Buck Fever” would kick in!
Well my Dad passed away in November of 1979, Al Nagie, who worked with my Dad at Power & Light took me deer hunting that December up on his farm. I shot my very first buck on that cold December day with my Dad`s Browning Shotgun.
My first 8-Point Buck that I shot with my Dad`s Browning Shotgun in 1979.
I used those Mark V Buckshot Shells that year I shot my first buck, that my Father had from previous years.
Moving a few years forward, in 1988 I got it in my head to try to find Belgium Browning “Light Twelve”…… as I figured I`d just retire Dad`s & keep it in the gun cabinet.
Ended up tracking one down at Griffin & Howe, a high-end gun dealer in Bernardsville. I drove over to see it one rainy afternoon with my long-time childhood friend Mark Ader. We eventually found the Browning on the display rack and could not believe the condition….. it was simply gorgeous! I bought it for $350 dollars!……To me, it was like finding Gold.
Now it was years later and those famous Winchester Mark V Buckshot Shells were no longer produced. Instead you could buy Copper-Plated Double O Buckshot, so I did. Low and behold, that old beautiful Browning didn`t throw this type of shot at all……. as I missed a huge Buck at a ridiculously close range!
I remember sitting there in my stand completely shocked at what had just happened as I watched the big buck gallop away. So after that I only took the Browning out Pheasant Hunting and gave up on using it for deer. Now no no…… I didn`t stop deer hunting, I just used my Step-Father`s old JC Higgins 12-Gauge Pump for the next few years.
That is until I went back to Bernardsville and started working at Bernardsville Volkswagen in 1996. See across the street from the dealership was Clark`s Hardware Store and I ended up selling Jim Clark and his family three VWs.
Now this hardware store was the coolest one ever to me because Jim also had a gun dealer`s license and had a few guns for sale from time to time.
Well one Saturday morning I walked over to get something and saw this old Browning up on the shelf for sale. I asked if Jim was around and they called upstairs and down he came. Jim and I always had nice conversations,…. heck anything from Volkswagens to guns!
I asked him about this old Browning and he took it down. He told me it was probably from the late 40`s to early 50`s. I noticed this peculiar safety mechanism on the gun, unlike anything I had ever seen. As a matter of fact, to be perfectly honest, I thought it was pretty darn awkward.
*Watch this quick Video as I explain how it works;
I remember scratching my head thinking, “There is no way in hell I`d hunt with a gun with this type of safety” – Then Jim said that he believed it was a full-choke barrel. I said, “Well how can you tell?”…..He took a dime out of his pocket and said, “If a dime fits in the barrel sideways, it`s a modified choke and if it can`t go in the barrel, it`s a full-choke” – “Doesn`t go in the barrel Ken, it`s a full-choke” –
Now I was a little more interested as I never had a Browning with a full-choke barrel. I was thinking that I would just swap barrels with my 1960 Browning. So I asked Jim what he was asking for it and he said $350 but “If you really want it, you can have it for $200 because we`ve bought so many cars from you and are going to need another pretty soon!” – With that, I marched across the street with that old Browning Shotgun.
A couple months later I was planning to pattern that gun with the full-choke barrel. I went in a sporting good store(which is no longer there), down by Muller Toyota on Rte. 31. I went in and asked to buy a couple boxes of Double O Buckshot and the old man out the counter asked me what kind of gun was I shooting? I told him and he looked at me and smiled, then took the boxes of Double O`s off of the counter and put two boxes of Triple O`s in their place. He said, “You run these Triple O`s through your old Browning…..and you`ll be thankin` me”
I drove over to Spruce Run to try them our that afternoon. After I shot the first round I was shocked! At 40 yards all eight pellets were tighter than any shot I had ever seen! I loaded up another target and shot again at 50 yards……… I was shocked! Same tight grouping! Never ever though of using Triple O Buckshot.
I was off the entire week of Buck week that year and what a week it was! I ended shooting four bucks and two does that week with that Browning “Light Twelve” Gauge Shotgun using Triple O buckshot.
The furthest I have shot and killed a buck is at 93 yards on a drive using Triple O Buckshot. I had three “drivers” that day walk off the distance…..and all three were shocked.
To this day, Triple O Buck with my ol` Browning, is the only thing I use for deer hunting in New Jersey.
NJ Deer Hunting in the Wintertime can certainly be challenging and today when I jumped up in my tree stand at 5:45am it was a brisk 12 degrees. Fortunately I do indeed like the cold weather, not the wind, just a nice calm, cold winter morning.
After seeing what showed up on my Trail Cameras this past week, I was very anxious to jump up in my tree
this morning! Two very Big Bucks showed up during the week, one is an absolute Trophy! A Huge 8-Pointer
with very high tines on both sides. Have a look at the pictures below –
Quite the Big Bucks eh?!
Now I do read about this quite often, hunters on various threads around the internet saying, “Ohhhhhh they`ve gone “Nocturnal”….. Really? No no……. see they went “Nocturnal” because nowadays we all have trail cameras and can finally see Monster Bucks like this at night! Big Bucks have always been Nocturnal feeders and are very wise deer, hence the impressive “Crown of Antlers” they usually exhibit like the Big Boys above. So I have been regularly jumping up in my tree stand, hoping that one of these Big Bucks would walk out of the cover…….. but to no avail as of yet. While I am routinely in my stand, I`m not taking that bet that either will show up before the NJ Deer Hunting Season ends. I really think my opportunity to see either or both will be in the Fall of 2015 during the Rut. But I have my fingers crossed and maybe if we get a little snow, these Big Boys will show up in the daylight hours.
As it is getting along in the NJ Deer Hunting Season, it is also time to fill the freezer with some meat!
My opportunity came this morning around 11:30am as four does approached “Ken Beam`s Big Big Buck Deer Feeder”, I cracked the one below, loaded the doe up in `ol Big Red and drove it over to my friend`s place, Tommy the Butcher in Washington to have it processed. By the way, if you`re looking for an excellent butcher in NJ, I highly recommend Tommy! All of the cuts are vacuumed packed and you can`t beat his prices!
Last Saturday as I walked out of the house, I turned back and grabbed my hunting coat out of the garage as I couldn`t believe how cold it was. Normally I like to hunt Quail wearing my vest, but with temperature at a very frigid 14 degrees, I decided to go with the coat.
I met my buddy Curt and “Jake” at our usual meeting spot in Clinton at 4:45am to head back
down south to the Pine Barrens to do a little NJ Quail Hunting in Greenwood Forrest. We always leave very early as it`s a 110 mile drive to our destination in Whiting New Jersey.
As we pulled into the parking area at right about 6:45am, I commented, “Wow……. looks like we got more than just a few hunters here today huh?” as there were quite a few more vehicles than the previous week.
We got out of the truck, threw on our coats, grabbed our guns and made our way out into to woods about 15 minutes or so, before the legal shooting hour, sunrise.
As we hiked out down an old logging trail, we noticed a person chatting with a few hunters. When we got closer we realized it was a Game Warden. When we walked by “Her”, we both said “Good morning”
I also said, “Geez…..we were wonderin` who the heck was out here today without any orange on!” She smiled & said, “Ohhhh I have it right here in my pocket.”
We made our way down an old abandoned road and the first shot of the morning rang! Then another…. and another!. I looked at Curt and said, “Time to hunt!” and with that Curt let Jake off the leash. It was only a matter of minutes before he was on point in a hedgerow. Curt worked around one side trying to get into position, while I was coming around the other side towards Jake.
As I made my way across the hedgerow, the bird broke out behind us and Curt spun around, took the shot and got our first Quail of the morning.
Wasn`t too long after that Jake was on point again. This time on the edge of an open field. Curt made his way towards the dog and told me to “stay out in the open as it will probably break across the field.” Jake held point very well and just as Curt was about twenty yards away the bird did indeed break across the open field. I immediately shouldered my .28 gauge over-and-under Beretta shotgun and had my second Quail of the morning.
Here is a Video with some action-footage from our Quail Hunting Adventure that morning.
Turned out to be another fine morning NJ Quail Hunting with Curt & Jake as we each ended up with our limit of four birds each.
