<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river continued to run at 335 CFS, very fishable, said Don at <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. Steelheads in the 6- to 14-pound class and brown trout were caught, an average of four to ten fish per angler, and the stretch from the Sportsman’s Pool to upriver seemed best. Nights dropped down to 18 degrees, so late mornings to early afternoons, or 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when waters were a bit warmer, were most productive. The fish crushed blue or pink egg sacks and stoneflies.

The river ran low, but rains were finally on the way for the weekend, and that could cause higher waters that trigger even more steelheads to move around, said Victor from Altmar’s <b>Fish and Ride NY</b>, a rental rancher for anglers. The river’s anglers were already catching. Once colder weather sets in, that will also continue to improve the fishing. The best catches came from the Pineville area, mostly on trout beads and flies. 

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Heavy rains at the end of the week put the flood on the Delaware River, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. But anglers fishing the lower river for catfish scored great on the whiskerfaces to 4 pounds. Baits included herring, clams, chicken livers, nightcrawlers and shrimp. Still, some fine catches of striped bass, 15- to 30-inchers, were plucked way downriver at Chester and Salem on bloodworms. Largemouth bass hung around the docks below the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, pounding crank baits and 4-inch slider worms.  One customer was out to Tullytown Cove, picking up a few largemouths and crappies. The bass were caught on plastic worms, and most of the crappies were bagged on minnows. Smallmouth bass sometimes milled around, and another customer grabbed five on Rat-L-Traps. The river ran at about 3 feet higher than normal and held at 58 degrees.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Lots of small walleyes were hung on the local Delaware River, falling for crank baits and minnows, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. Morris Campbell hit the river for two walleyes that were 6 pounds 10 ounces and 8 pounds 2 ounces. Paul Berger scarfed a 6-pound channel catfish on the river. Fishing at Merrill Creek Reservoir started to slow down, because of cooler waters, but anglers could still locate smallmouth bass on the feed. Bryan Nelson tugged in a 4-pound 12-ounce smallie, and Angee Ramos wrestled up a 4.4-pounder.

Fly anglers headed to Ken Lockwood Gorge and the Pequest Rivers for trout, and nymphs worked well, said Don from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. The shop will hold a fly tying show and seminar in the next few weeks, and call for more info.

Pickerel and yellow perch headlined the lake’s catches, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Both could be nabbed on small shiners fished at edges of the weed lines around Raccoon and Halsey islands. But walleyes pounced on Rapala ice-fishing jigs worked along the drop-offs. With the better weather ahead, Laurie planned to keep the rental boats in the waters for the upcoming weekend.

Walleye fishing held steady at Lake Hopatcong, said Nick at <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. Anglers jigged or trolled 3- to 4-pounders in 25-foot depths. Hopatcong is a great November lake to fish, but few people take advantage. Anglers who put in the time could also tackle largemouth bass on the lake on shiners or crank baits. Yellow perch could be hooked in the shallows by casting shiners along the weed edges.

Round Valley Reservoir doled out solid numbers of trout, said Chris from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. The browns and rainbows swam 20- to 30-foot depths off the North Tower, and Sutton spoons and drifted shiners got attention. Shoreline trouters at the boat launch whacked big browns on nightcrawlers in the evenings. Merrill Creek Reservoir also put up healthy numbers of trout to 20 inches.

A trip trout fished last week on Tuesday, before the big storm that lasted to the weekend, and catches were good, said Bill Hoffman from <b>Skylands Angler</b> from Clinton. Some large browns and rainbows were beaten, and the Musconetcong River was best, and ran a little high. But a couple of catches were made on Ken Lockwood Gorge, and the fishing is always more challenging there, because of selective trout, but that makes success more rewarding. The Gorge ran at about normal level, and the trout were scattered on those waters, not holding in usual places, for some reason. Nymphs and streamers worked well, especially an olive wooly bugger. Bill also ran a trip that fished the surf near Sandy Hook on Sunday, after the storm. Seas remained rough but fishable, and the angler belted a striped bass, his first-ever saltwater catch, on clam at Monmouth Beach. Bill and the angler weren’t expecting the best results because of the effects of the storm, but a bass was drilled, and Bill heard from nobody else who hooked up, although lots of anglers were trying. He expects the fishing conditions to keep improving this week as waters clear after the storm. He originally planned to fish the surf on Saturday, because forecasts called for improved conditions after the storm, but the fishing was impossible then in pounding seas, and the trip was postponed to Sunday. 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>

The Pequest River held the hot hand for trout anglers, said Amy from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. She and Mike from the shop fished the river with midges, hare’s ears and Panther Martin spinners, banking 10 trout that averaged 12 inches. Late afternoons were best for the angling.

The Trilco stretch of the Toms River served up pickerel and white perch, and killies claimed both, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in the town of Toms River. Forge Pond was another white perch hot spot. Largemouth bass and crappie anglers should focus on Manasquan Reservoir, and the tree lines and wood piles should attract the bass and crappies eager to swipe slowly worked jig-and-pig combos and suspending grub tail jigs fished under a slip bobber.

Although local lakes ran discolored from high waters, Gropp’s Lake still produced good catches of largemouth bass and crappies, said Frank from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Toss shiners around the wood piles and shoreline structure for an attack.

Largemouth bass kept bending rods at Lake Assunpink, and suspending jerk baits and shiners worked well, said Carl from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Crappies chased down fathead minnows in the wood pile sections of Manasquan Reservoir. Use a slip bobber to suspend the minnows just above the structure. Lake of the Woods at Fort Dix was a happening locale for trout fishing, and Power Baits and small shiners got inhaled. On the Delaware River large walleyes from 6 to 9 pounds keyed in on suspending jerk baits, especially from Trenton to Yardley.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Torrential rains poured, but the Delaware River’s fishing held up pretty well, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. Striped bass could be rustled up off the Gloucester Pier on bloodworms, and catfish were always chewing on stink baits and cut baits. Chain pickerel opened their toothy mouths in the Pine Barrens ponds and the Medford lakes, and shiners fit the bill. Crappies on the Cooper River stayed ready and willing to hunt grubs or fathead minnows.

Trouters tied into 2- to 3-pounders, sizeable ones, at Grenloch Lake, and Power Baits drew them in most, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Pickerel went wild at New Brooklyn Lake and Silver Lake, and a 24 incher was nailed at Silver. Blackwood Lake gave up smaller, 1- to 2-pound largemouth bass on shiners.

Iona Lake and Oak Pond were places to come up with larger trout in the 3- to 4-pound bracket, and Power Baits were top choices, said Lou from <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Crappies should be starting to get active at Lake Lenape, and target them with killies.

Crappie fishing was on, big time, at Union Lake, and the specks nibbled fathead minnows and small killies, and smallmouth bass were an added bonus, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Largemouth bass were active at Mary Elmer Lake, Malaga Lake and Parvin Lake, and Rat-L-Traps and Senkos scored. Trout anglers fished Iona Lake and the Almond Road portion of the Maurice River to load up stringers.

The Maurice River was a solid bet to tie into a striped bass, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville, though most were shorts. A mess of white perch were in the river as well. Both the stripers and the whiteys could be taken on bloodworms fished under a slip float, but the bass would also eat up bunker chunks.

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