<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

A wide array of species could be reeled up from the Delaware River, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. He fished the river at Linden Avenue, landing seven striped bass to 20 pounds, 10 catfish from 6 to 10 pounds and a couple of eels. A customer cleaned up on 24 stripers, nine catfish and all kinds of white perch on the river below the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. Farther down the river near the Philly airport and the UPS building, anglers played with plenty of slot stripers that inhaled bloodworms. Herring worked well, but bloods claimed more of the fish. River guides put their anglers on plenty of stripers from 20 to 40 inches while fishing live herring or chunked baits. Smallmouth bass fishing really turned on in the river, and several anglers said they bailed the fish, mostly 12- to 15-inchers, in the Bull’s Island area on minnows, nightcrawlers or grubs. The river along the Route 29 wall at Byram was also a smallie hot spot, and one customer fished there to tangle with 17 of the bronzebacks, two stripers and a walleye, all on minnows.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Fishing was absolutely on fire at Merrill Creek Reservoir, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. A lion’s share of all types of fish were pulled out of the impoundment. Wayne Voorhees released two smallmouths 3.6 and 4 pounds, and Bob Coates whacked an 8-pound 12-ounce walleye. Angee Ramos beat a 3-pound brown trout and a 6-pound lake trout. Jim Stout pinned down a 6-pound brown, and Andrew Greenleaf drilled a 5-pound 10-ounce brownie. Shawn Dornblaser combined for a 4-pound largemouth bass and two 4.8-pounders. How’s that for some good fishing at Merrill? The Musconetcong River roiled with trout activity. George Moore banked a 4.3-pound rainbow, and Charles Lance creeled a 4-pound ‘bow. Tony Scalafaro took a 3-pound brown. Lenny Carroll fished the Pequest River to rustle up a 3.6-pound brookie.

Trouters headed to the Rockaway River to pick out rainbow trout at dusk on small emerger flies, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. Lake Hopatcong turned up a few hybrid striped bass and a 14-pound muskie that smacked a trolled Rapala X-Rap in 15 feet.

Lots of walleyes and striped bass were hooked on herring and top-water lures on the lake, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Henderson Cove and Byram Cove seemed to produce most of both fish. John Swenty hung a 9.3-pound walleye from a dock at Mount Arlington. Trout were trolled on the lake, such as the 2.5-pound rainbow and the 2-pound brownie that Lou Marcucci trolled in the Great Cove area. The lake level came up about 5 inches from the past week’s rains. In the Knee Deep Club’s trout tournament during the weekend, Wayne Bryant won first place with a 1-pound 14-ounce brown trout. Jeff Good grabbed second with a 1-pound 11-ounce brown, and Frank Schweigher scored third with a 1-pound 1-ounce brown.

Greenwood Lake’s fishing was ultra-productive, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. He hooked 16 largemouth bass to 4 pounds at the lake on Senko and Power worms cast tight to the banks. The Highland Lakes threw out a bunch of smallmouth bass to 5 pounds that chased down crank baits and Senkos. Trout casters plied the Ramapo River, pulling on a fair share of the fish.

Trout pleased stream anglers in the local area, said Chris from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. Bead-headed nymphs and emerger flies got the attention of sizeable, holdover rainbows, like the 4-pounder that Chris reeled from the South Branch of the Raritan River. Lake trout from 15 to 22 inches were available at Round Valley Reservoir, pounding metal jigs bounced off the bottom.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Some quality trout were checked in from the Musconetcong River, said Mike from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook, like Don Vandawson’s 7.2-pound rainbow that swiped a Rapala, and Robert Deiger’s 2-pound brownie.

Lake Riviera was a solid bet for largemouth bass and pickerel catches, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Lester’s Lake was a place to cop crappies, pickerel and largemouths. Head to Forge Pond for yellow perch and white perch willing to nibble twister tails or killies. The Trilco stretch of the Toms River held a steady flow of picks and yellow perch that ate up shiners.

The Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes were ripe with largemouth bass activity, said Frank from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Senkos, shiners and slowly worked crank baits drew in bucketmouths to 3 pounds. The Delaware River shoveled out striped bass, especially near the Turnpike Bridge and at Florence. Trout fishing picked up on local streams, now that the water levels subsided a bit. Catch the shop’s storewide sale that continues this week.

Rising Sun Lake put out a super largemouth bass chew, said Tony from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Senkos and shiners attracted the strikes. Carnegie Lake offered a formidable bigmouth presence, and Lake Mercer harbored 3- to 4-pound largemouths and slab crappies mouthing up shiners. The Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area lakes dished out a mess of pickerel on shiners and Roostertails.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Striped bass fed heavily on the Delaware River, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. Up to 46 inchers were angled off the Gloucester Pier and near the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. Bloodworms and fresh herring got the bites on moving tides. Some truly monster channel catfish scarfed down chunked eels or herring on the Big D, and Rick was seeing a 10- to 15-pounder come in almost every day. A 19-pound whiskerface topped the scale this week. Largemouth bass jumped on shiners at Blackwood Lake, Stewart Lake and Newton Lake, and Mantua Creek served up a solid bevy of crappies on grub jigs.

Trout action was solid at Grenloch Lake and Oak Pond, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Plenty of largemouth bass pummeled shiners at New Brooklyn Lake, and scores of pickerel toothed up fathead minnows at Lake Rene.

Most of the lake action centered around chain pickerel fishing, said Lou from the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Customers bought up shiners to hunt the fish at Iona Lake, Malaga Lake and Franklinville Lake, either free-lining the baitfish or casting them under a bobber for a jarring pickerel attack.

On the Delaware River most striped bass resided up north, said Jeff from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Salem. But little by little the bass were trickling down, re-entering Delaware Bay. Big, bruiser channel catfish sucked in chunks of herring or eels on the river near Alloway Creek and other locales. Largemouth bass aggressively hammered Senkos and shiners at the Route 540 lakes.

Both smallmouth bass and largemouth bass went wild at Union Lake, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland.  Bass activity also fired up at the Salem Canal and the Menantico Ponds. Senkos fished wacky-style were the best baits around. Trout were taken on Roostertails and yellow Power Baits at Iona Lake and the Maurice River. In the tidal river plenty of short striped bass slammed live herring.

The Maurice River really blossomed for striped bass fishing, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. Even though herring were scarce, the stripers loved herring chunks but also bloodworms and swimming plugs during high tides. There were a load of throwback caliber fish with keepers mixed in. White perch could also be caught from the river, and frozen grass shrimp were a primo bait.

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