<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

A few fresh salmon remained in the river, but this was the end of the run, said Victor from Altmar’s <b>Fish and Ride NY</b>, a rental rancher for anglers. However, tons of steelheads and brown trout filled the waters, and this was the beginning of the run for them. The fishing will only get better, and the steelheads will stay in the river all winter, until they spawn and drop back down to Lake Ontario in April. The fishing is even great in January to March, and thick snow pack that makes getting to the river more difficult becomes the only main challenge then. The daytime temperature reached 28 degrees on Monday, and no snow lay on the ground. Trout beads, pink worms, sucker-imitation flies and just about all the usual baits and artificials currently hooked the fish. Steelheads are trout, after all. They’ll bite like trout will, and some anglers could make the angling more difficult than it is. Water levels were at 550 CFS at the beginning of the week. Fish and Ride NY offers a rental rancher with all the amenities for anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts. Stay the weekend or a week, and the staff can recommend fishing guides and other services for a visit.

The run of salmon in the Salmon River neared its end, said Eric at <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. But steelhead fishing really turned on, and big brown trout were mixed in. Average days gave up three to five steelies per angler, and the fish averaged 6 to 10 pounds. They mostly held in the middle to lower sections of the river, biting all day long, and egg sacks worked best. The river ran at a shallow 335 CFS, so anglers could walk the stream with relative ease.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Largemouth bass fishing somewhat picked up along the Delaware River, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. The waters at Dredge Harbor, Tullytown Cove and Salem Harbor served up the bucketmouths going after plastic lizards, grubs and Senkos. Striped bass began to show in greater numbers in the river from the Commodore Barry to Walt Whitman bridges, and an array of baits got them to bite, including bloodworms, clams and shrimp. Trout could be found in force at Levittown Lake and Pennypack Creek, and Power Baits and wax worms scored at those locales.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Trout fishing was really top notch, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. Recently stocked, big breeders jumped on spinners, Power Baits and meal worms. The Musconetcong River was especially a trout factory, doling out a 5.8-pound rainbow for Dwayne Webb, a 5-pound rainbow for Robert Owens and a 5.2-pound brown for James Yarnell. Bill Price hit Pohatcong Creek, landing a 4-pound rainbow. Catfish, such as Andrew White’s 6.6-pound channel cat that scarfed up a stink bait, could be clocked at Oxford Furnace Lake.

Trout fishing was the main affair, said Don from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus, and limits could be creeled at both the Paulinskill and Big Flatbrook rivers on drifted Power Baits and nightcrawlers. Trout could also be taken from Lake Hopatcong.

Fishing for walleyes and hybrid striped bass held steady at the lake, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Larry Stiscia fished at Chestnut Point, nabbing a 5-pound 15-ounce walleye and a 6-pound 8-ounce hybrid on worms. Nick Marchitto fished along a dock at Nolans Point, tackling an 8-pound 7-ounce walleye on herring. Plenty of the marble eyes swam the 30- to 40-foot depths, grabbing Rapala ice-fishing jigs, Gotcha jigs and Mister Twister grubs on jigs. Henryk Czech jigged an ice Rapala off Chestnut Point, fighting walleyes and hybrids but also a beast of a muskie that was 29 pounds 48 inches.

The Rockaway, Ramapo and Big Flatbrook rivers offered plenty of trout to go around, and garden worms were really the top bait, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b>  in Garfield. Fallen leaves in the waters made fishing difficult with lures, so drifted baits were easier to use. Very large breeders held strong in pools on the Flatbrook, but they were fickle, sometimes making for frustrating angling. But be persistent, and the lunkers will eventually chomp.

Local streams were loaded with quality, 2 to 5-pound trout, but leaves in the waters made fishing tough, said Steve from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b> in Lebanon. Fish nightcrawlers or meal worms on the bottom, avoiding lures for now. Trout continued to roam the shoreline at Round Valley Reservoir, and Power Baits and Roostertails claimed rainbows to 3 pounds. At Spruce Run Reservoir a few northern pike ate up shiners, and a few catfish inhaled nightcrawlers.

The trout streams were high but fishable at the beginning of the week, surprisingly unaffected by rains, said Bill Hoffman from <b>Skylands Anglers</b> from Clinton. Rises were seen, and lots of the fish seemed to fill the waters. Although rains through the summer often made trouting difficult because of high waters, the streams never became low and stagnant like can happen in the warm months, so fish mortality was low. Nymphs were a good choice for a hook up now, but streamers also worked well. If anglers wanted to fish with dry flies, they could use terrestrials like ants and beetles. The terrestrials could also work because of windy weather that was common, because the fish can be honed in on the bugs that get blown into the waters from the breeze. Bill also fished the surf around Sandy Hook through the past week, and the fishing was hit or miss for striped bass and blues. Anglers had to be at the right place at the right time, and no big blitzes were run into, but the angling was certainly picking up, and this was the time of the year to get out there, while the fall migration was starting to come through. Bluefish seemed more common in the bay surf, such as at Atlantic Highlands, and stripers seemed more abundant toward the ocean wash. The blues were actually a great opportunity for beginner surf casters, because they were numerous and always eager to pound a hook. They’re also great fish to catch, hard fighters, big, fast and feisty. Lots of bait including sand eels and peanut bunker crammed the waters. The time of the year was prime for both trout and surf fishing. Maybe choosing which to pursue was the difficulty! Skylands Angler guides fly-fishing trips for trout on the Musconetcong and Pequest rivers and Ken Lockwood Gorge. Bill aims to teach anglers, whether beginners or advanced, how to fish the rivers, even so they can come back and catch on their own. That includes fly selection, how to fish the flies, casting lessons and all aspects. He also offers trips for other freshwater fish, like pike, hybrid striped bass, carp and largemouth bass, if anglers want to fly rod for them. Plus he guides trips in the ocean and bay surf during the spring and fall migrations at Sandy Hook and Island Beach State Park.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Ken Lockwood Gorge was the spot to angle for trout, said Amy from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. She reeled in trout to 18 inches while fishing with sizes 14 to 16, white caddis and hare’s ears. The North Branch of the Raritan River was another place to hunt the fish. Jessica Rowz fooled a 4-pound 12-ounce rainbow while dunking a Power Bait there. Hillsborough Pond could put out a lunker largemouth for anglers. Harold Keely knocked down a 3.4-pound largemouth that Hoovered his nightcrawler on the impoundment.

Lake Riviera was the most consistent producer for customers, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. The lake behind the apartments was a solid bet to hang largemouth bass and crappies that pounced on killies under floats. But Lake Horicon was a prime-time pickerel haunt, and killies will work there as well. Trout fishing held up on the South Branch of the Metedeconk River, and salmon eggs and nightcrawlers got devoured.

Largemouth bass began to feed more aggressively, fattening up for the winter, said Eric from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Hefty bigmouths attacked at the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes, mostly smacking shiners, but some were going after top-water buzz baits still. Of course, they’ll become less reluctant to swipe the top-waters as the lakes cool. The Delaware River produced walleyes and smallmouth bass on fathead minnows, but the chew was slower than a few weeks back. Trout congregated in the Musconetcong River, Pequest River and South Branch of the Raritan River, and some topped out at 5 pounds and larger. The fall’s breeder stocking was a stunning success, he said.

Bucketmouth bass got more jumpy than before at the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes, said Carl from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Shiners and hard jerk baits, especially Rapalas and Lucky Craft Pointers, got strikes. Crappies began to cooperate more at Rosedale Lake, nailing hair jigs tipped with fatheads. The Bordentown stretch of the Delaware River was a place to pick up catfish and small striped bass on nightcrawlers fished along the bottom.

<b>South Jersey</b>

The Delaware River turned out formidable largemouth bass fishing, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. Places such as the Graveyard, located north of the Commodore Barry Bridge, were home to bass in the 20- to 30-foot holes. They keyed in on crank baits, Bush Bogs and creature baits in darker colors. The Bandit 200 Series Lures and Spro Shads were also producers. Big trout to 5 pounds were pulled from Grenwich Lake and Oak Pond. Crappies seemed to wake up all around in the cooler weather, getting caught at the Cooper River, Stewart Lake and Bells Lake. Fathead minnows were the go-to choice to get the slabs to bite.

Big, breeder, stocked trout wreaked havoc at Oak Pond and Grenloch Lake, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. A variety of offerings worked well, and try Power Baits, fathead minnows, meal worms, Roostertails or Mepps spinners. Choose black bucktail hair on the spinners.

Trophy trout to 5 pounds and larger got walloped at Oak Pond and Grenloch Lake, said Lou from the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Anglers could limit out on trout at Iona Lake, but the larger fish swam Oak Pond and Grenloch. Crappies went wild at Lake Lenape and Parvin Lake, and jigs tipped with fathead minnows gained all the strikes anglers could handle.

Largemouth bass became a bit more active as rains cooled down waters, said Wade from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Salem. The Pennsville Ponds were a place to go, and catches of a dozen or more were commonplace. Senkos and jerk baits worked slowly got the big hits. Striped bass slowly moved into the local Delaware River.

It was a pickerel fiesta at Sunset Lake, Rainbow Lake and East Creek Lake, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Killies floated under a bobber was the best method to score. Largemouth bass hit chrome and blue-and-white Rat-L-Traps at the Salem Canal and Parvin Lake. Flip’n Jigs in blue or black also worked well. A fair showing of resident striped bass were on the take in the Maurice River, mouthing up small, 4-inch plugs. Large trout from 2 ½ to 5 pounds tugged on lines at Mary Elmer Lake. Use Power Baits or fathead minnows for the stocked breeders.

Action picked up on all fronts in the Maurice River, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. White perch jammed up the river, and a body of small, 18- to 20-inch striped bass moved in, and bloodworms dialed in both. Plus catfish in the river eagerly gobbled up fresh-cut bunker cast out on a bottom rig.

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