New Jersey Fishing Reports

Fifteen to 20 inches of ice locked up the entire lake, said Ron at FISH307.com at Lake George. Some bruiser fish were entered in an ice-fishing tournament during the weekend. A pair of 19- and 22-pound northern pike hit the scale and were wrestled from the Canoe Island area. A 12-pound lake trout was hoisted up from the Narrows, and a 9-pound laker was pulled through near Dome Island. A mess of large, 4- to 6 pound landlocked salmon were hooked near the Paulist Fathers’ Seminary, but smaller salmon also seemed to be around. Hot-and-heavy yellow perch fishing went down at Huddle Bay on Buckshot Spoons and mousies on Mud-Bug jigs. Another ice tourney takes place at Hague this weekend, and call the shop for details. Ice fishing should last another three weeks.

Salmon River

Winter steelheading’s been the best in 20 years, said Jim from All Seasons Sports in Pulaski. Catches were solid all winter long, with no lapse, like the phenomenal fishing in the ‘80s, he said. Anglers on each trip averaged anywhere from one to 20 fish that weighed 6 to 12 pounds. Shelf ice sometimes hung along the bank sides, so the upper river seemed best to fish. Stoneflies, trout beads in glow colors, Berkeley pink worms and blue and pink egg sacks all worked, and brown trout bit, too.

Two steelheads were banked and three were lost on a trip Saturday, said Bill Ferman from High Hook Guide Service from Pulaski. Egg sacks were fished, and plenty of other anglers hooked up all around. Steelheads gathered in the deeper holes through the entire Salmon from Douglaston on the lower river to the fly zone at Almar on the upper. In winter some days can be better than others for fishing. When slush forms on the lower river on cold days, the upper river has to be fished. Saturday was 31 degrees, not bad, but morning temps dipped into the teens the next couple of days. Snow also fell Sunday night and part of Monday. Winter through early spring is the time for steelheading. High Hook both wades and drift-boats for salmon, steelheads and trophy brown and rainbow trout with both spinning gear and fly rods. Ask about winter steelhead rates!

The river’s fishing was spotty on trips Saturday and Sunday, said Paul Auguscinski from SAS Guide Service from Pulaski. A mix of brown trout and steelheads were landed, but the angling wasn’t easy, took time, covering lots of waters. Both the upper river from Altmar to Pineville and the lower river were fished, and the hook-ups came on blue and chartreuse egg sacks and 8-millimeter Glo Roe trout beads. The waters at Altmar were crowded as usual. Warmer weather was coming, and Paul hoped that would trigger fishing to get more active. SAS Guide Service spin fishes for salmon, steelheads and trophy trout on wade and drift-boat trips, and enjoys teaching anglers the techniques that will help them learn how to hook up themselves, so they can even return to catch on their own. Time is running out: A special rate of two anglers for the price of one is available until March 15.

PENNSYLVANIA

The lakes were free of ice, and shore anglers were on the action, said Bill from Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle in Philadelphia. At Lake Luxemborg a selection of crappies, bluegills and trout were on tap, and waters along the docks, near the ramp and toward the dam were places to be. Most of the fish were taken on meal worms, wax worms and twister tails. The upper end of the lake near the bridge produced 11 rainbow trout to 14 inches for one customer who cast Power Baits and wax worms. Levittown Lake also gave up trout, mainly on metals like Kastmasters, Phoebes, Husk Lures and Swedish Pimples. The lakes in the Poconos still held ice, and Lake Greely and Lake Wallenpaupak were decent areas to pluck pickerel, perch and crappies through the hard waters. On the Delaware River the warm waters at the power plant incited a few catfish, carp, small striped bass and perch to chew on minnows, nightcrawlers and jigs.

NEW JERSEY

North Jersey

Most ice was unsafe for fishing on the lakes, said Kevin from Ramsey Outdoor in Paramus. But the Sussex County ponds sported a solid covering. Attention turned back to stream angling for trout, and quality rainbows were played at Ken Lockwood Gorge. Small patterns such as beadheaded nymphs and early black stoneflies got inhaled.

Limited shore access was available to the ice on the lake, said Laurie from Dow’s Boat Rentals in Lake Hopatcong. Fairly decent access and 7 inches covered the Woodport area, but the main lake only seemed fishable at Chestnut Point. Colder temps this week could lock it up again, if all goes well. Jim Welsh tricked up a 9-pound 14-ounce walleye on an ice-fishing Rapala jig. The Knee Deep Club’s ice angling tournament, already rescheduled once for this Sunday because of dicey ice, might be rescheduled again or cancelled. Call the shop for an update.

Ice fishing produced at Greenwood Lake, said Al from Meltzer’s Sporting Goods in Garfield. It wasn’t gangbusters for yellow perch like the previous week, but Al on a trip tackled enough perch, pickerel and largemouth bass to make it interesting, livelining shiners on tip ups. He also tried Lee’s Marina Cove at Lake Hopatcong, rounding up yellow perch, pickerel and an 18-inch walleye. Both jigging for the fish and swimming shiners on tip ups did the job.

Shoreline angling for trout was gaining steam at Round Valley Reservoir, said Steve from Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop. The rainbows gobbled up Power Baits near the boat launch and at Ranger’s Cove. Boaters trolled small spoons to latch into rainbows, and a half-day trip could average six fish. Ice anglers headed to Budd Lake for a last gasp at the sport, and stream trouters ran to Ken Lockwood Gorge for rainbows that sipped up bead-headed nymphs.

Both the Musconetcong River and Ken Lockwood Gorge were fished on a trip over the weekend, said Bill Hoffman from Skylands Anglers from Clinton. The Musky seemed to fish much better at the moment, and the bottom was very slippery from algae or something at the Gorge (so fish slowly and bring a wading staff there). However, Bill saw midges coming off the river at the Gorge, and midges or size-14, black stoneflies will probably be the patterns to use on the rivers. Still, he decided to try to catch the first trout of the season on a dry fly. Mission accomplished: A rainbow trout pounced on a micro caddis, probably size 18, and was landed on the Musconetcong. Three or four other fish rose to the fly but never committed. The fish seemed a little cold and sluggish, but if the days warm a little, Bill expects good action. Water levels were slightly high but clear. Trout season closes for stocking a moment on March 23, and get out now to shake off cabin fever. 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’s also available for trips for other fish like largemouth bass, if anglers want to fly rod for them. Skylands Angler fishes all year long, including for trout in winter. Winter can be a prime time for the cold-water fish, and the streams can be less pressured by anglers, making the trout less wary.

Walleyes stole the show from different waters, said Mike from Efinger Sporting Goods in Bound Brook. Brendan Gattone ice angled at Lake Hopatcong to pull in a 9- pounder and a 3.7-pounder. Sean Litwin fished the Delaware River at Lambertville to wallop two walleyes 6.3 and 6 pounds that attacked a Rapala crank bait. Trout fishers found plenty of luck on the North Branch of the Raritan River while casting bead-headed nymphs.

South Jersey

The Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes were going through the transition from ice out to open waters, said Sean from Harry’s Army and Navy in Robbinsville. Lake Assunpink itself put out action on largemouth bass for shore casters who flipped out shiners underneath bobbers. Delaware River anglers rapped walleyes at both the power plant and deeper waters from Lambertville south. Cast out shiners or Rapala crank baits.

With plenty of ponds in ice-out mode, shore angling began to gain popularity, said Carl from the Sportsmen’s Center in Bordentown. Farrington Lake, Rising Sun Lake and Stone Tavern Lake shoveled out a mess of crappies around the edges, and small, 1-1/16-ounce and 1/32-ounce hair jigs twitched underneath floats got the strikes. Some said walleyes came in from the Delaware River at the power plant.

Skim ice that re-formed on lakes simmered down largemouth bass fishing a bit, said Steve from Blackwater Sports Center in Vineland. But the ice melted each day, and when waters were open, the bucketmouths could be fought at Sunset Lake and Mary Elmer Lake. Pickerel angling failed to slow down one bit, and Iona Lake, Burnt Mill Pond and Cumberland Pond all offered steady catching on shiners. Crappies nibbled garden worms at Lake Lenape, and white perch began to feed in the Great Egg Harbor River and Maurice River. If the weather stays “consistent,” fishing on all fronts should pick up, Steve said.

White perch anglers chomped at the bit for the feisty scrappers to make the move up the Maurice River, said Ki from Huck’s Place in Millville. In the meantime, both the whiteys and yellow perch could be reeled in from the Tuckahoe River. Frozen grass shrimp floated on a short leader was key to perch success. Get ready for Sunday, when striped bass season opens in the back waters. The linesiders should move back into the Maurice in the coming weeks.