<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

The Delaware River’s striped bass fishing became a hit or miss proposition, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. He fished the river in the Rancocas Creek area, landing 13 stripers, seven catfish and two eels on herring chunks. The stripers were in the slot range, and the catfish were 1- to 2-pounders, and the eels were up to 30 inches, very large. Anglers fishing the river near the Turnpike Bridge tangled with loads of 20- to 28-inch stripers that chomped frozen herring and bloodworms. But the best bass angling, at least the most fights, took place around the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge for quantities of short bass, though large linesiders were tough to find. The bigger ones apparently left the river, migrating toward the ocean after the spawn. Smallmouth bass catches really amped up on the river, and the Yardley area below the wing dam was a solid spot. One angler pounded 15 smallies, one walleye and a bunch of rock bass on grubs and spinners. A few anglers followed shad up to the Water Gap, battling plenty of the fish on shad spoons and small shad darts.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Merrill Creek Reservoir served up the hottest fishing around, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. Lots of big largemouth and smallmouth bass and pickerel were mugged. Bass that were checked in included Tracy Schmidt’s 6.8-pound largemouth and Ray Daue’s 5-pound smallie. Pickerel included John Viscomi’s 6.6-pounder, Earl Black’s 5.5 pounder, Paul Marshall’s 5-pounder and Bill Marshall’s 4-pound 12-ouncer. Catches at Merrill also included big trout like Rick Scheetz’s 7.3-pound brown, Paul Murrey’s 5.9-pound brown, , Jim Stout’s 6.8-pound lake trout  and Darin Volpe’s 4.8-pound laker. In the Delaware River large channel catfish sucked up cut baits, and small stripers to 20 inches nibbled chicken livers. Monster pickerel haunted the river, too. Bryan Williams muscled up a 7.4-pounder, and Chris Bogoly wrestled in a 5-pounder. Don Matlock fished Pohatcong Creek, banking a 4.8-pound brown trout.

Walleye fishing took off at Lake Hopatcong for up to 7-pounders, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. For the best luck, fish the Brady Bridge area at night with top-waters such as Jitterbugs and Zara Spooks. Hybrid striped bass to 9 pounds also became active at the lake, getting hooked on live herring. Trouters hit Ken Lockwood Gorge to throw sulfur flies to match the hatch from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.

Roman Pera beat a true beast of a tiger muskie on the lake, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. The 29-pound 47-incher slammed a Bomber plug. Walleye fishing gained momentum, especially in the dark hours, and popper plugs hooked the fish to 7 pounds. Don Rolff reeled in a 6-pound 14-ouncer from a Mount Arlington dock. Hybrid striped bass started to become aggressive in such areas as Henderson Cove, Great Cove and near Bertrand’s Island. Zara Spooks and Bomber plugs got whacked in the evenings.

The Highland lakes ran rampant with largemouth and smallmouth bass, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. He boated 34 bigmouths and bronzebacks while casting Senkos. Some of the smallies weighed 4 pounds, and so did some of the largemouths. Lake Hopatcong dished out largemouths in the 2- to 3-pound class, especially at the coves.

Trout fishing held up strong on the South Branch of the Raritan River, said Chris from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. Small, bead-headed nymphs and sulfurs turned up trout in the 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. time frame. Round Valley Reservoir anglers pulled lake trout off the bottom that consistently hit Crippled Herring jigs. Look for largemouth bass to start attacking Senko worms hard again in the South Branch of the Raritan, as they begin to come off the spawning beds.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

For trout, try fishing the Pequest River, the Black River or the North Branch of the Raritan River, said Mike from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b>  in Bound Brook. Roostertails and orange power baits will work well.

Pickerel and largemouth bass were on the chew at just about all local lakes and ponds, said Jim from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. The Trilco stretch of the Toms River also shoveled out a few pickerel that pushed the 3-pound mark. The Ocean County College ponds were a place to grab the bass on shiners. Forge Pond was home to a mix of yellow and white perch that gobbled up shrimp. Bill Mercer socked a 3-pound 11-ounce white crappie at Mercer Lake that will be a new state record, Jim said. The slab pounced on a jig tipped with a curly tail.

The Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes boiled with largemouth bass, said Sean from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. The bucketmouth sat on the spawning beds, so live baits such as shiners and minnows got them to strike more than lures or other artificials did. But the live baits needed to be kept in front of their noses to really annoy them, drawing an attack. Gropp’s Lake was also a decent largemouth spot and held a pretty solid crappie population.

Largemouth bass were on the prowl at all the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes, said Tony from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Rising Sun Lake and Stone Tavern Lake were particularly productive. Shiners and nightcrawlers got the bites not only from the bass but sometimes from crappies. Lake Mercer was a place to hook crappies as well as large pickerel. At Carnegie Lake pickerel that were sometimes big enough to break 12-pound line swiped shiners.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Striped bass could still be angled from the Delaware River, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. But most of the bass were now 20- to 28-inchers or juvenile, resident fish, no longer the big, breeding migrators that spawned in the river then left. Bloodworms, Hopkins lures and live herring could fool large quantities of the fish, some days putting up 70 for a few anglers. Hot locales included the mouths of Newton Creek and Big Timber Creek and the National Park area. Smallmouth bass began to get active on the river, especially over the grass beds. Crappies gorged on grubs and baby nightcrawlers in the Cooper River and at Malaga Lake. Largemouth bass hunted down shiners at Wilson Lake, Blackwood Lake and Stewart Lake.

Lake Rene had a torrid top-water fishery going on for pickerel and largemouth bass, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Hula Poppers and Jitterbugs got punched in the mornings and evenings.  Large and in-charge pickerel were on the feed at New Brooklyn Lake and Wilson Lake, and shiners hung under bobbers worked best. Crappies schooled up in the Lakeland Lakes, and fathead minnows fit the bill to land a few. The Blackwood Lake spillway attracted plenty of sunfish and bluegills. That was a good spot to take the kids. Trouters fished Hammonton Lake with Roostertails in fluorescent green and white for a good share of the fish. Catch the store’s catfish tournament that begins on Saturday, June 13, featuring more than $2,000 in cash and prizes. Call the shop or stop by for details. 

Largemouth bass could be hung on shiners at Malaga Lake and Wilson Lake, said Lou from the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Rainbow Lake was a big surprise, because outstanding yellow perch fishing was to be had for anglers tossing out small shiners and baby nightcrawlers under floats.

Post-spawn largemouth bass fishing was steady, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Senkos, Flip-N-Jigs and jerk baits banged up the bigmouths at Daretown Lake, the Salem Canal and Rainbow Lake.  Union Lake was a prime smallmouth bass hangout, and the Maurice River gave up steady striped bass fishing on outgoing tides. Most of the linesiders were shorts, but an occasional keeper was claimed.

Good numbers of striped bass hung out in the Maurice River, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. But finding a keeper was tough. The stripers inhaled bloodworms and grass shrimp, and white perch also ate up the baits, especially the shrimp, in the river. A solid amount of catfish picked up stink baits from the bottom of the river.

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