<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river ran at a manageable 1,150 CFS, said Jim from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski, and steelhead action was going strong. Drop-backs were fought all along the river, especially at the gravel beds on the upper stretch, near the Two-Way Bridge and at the School House Pool. Pink worms really put the steelies into a frenzy, but egg sacks, single eggs and stoneflies worked well, too. A good day out on the river could get an angler 15 steelheads to 9 pounds.

Steelheads were spread throughout the river, and good catches were nailed, said Paul Auguscinki from <b>SAS Guide Service</b> from Pulaski. On the upper river’s fly zone a healthy number of the fish could be stuck on flies fished on a swing under a strike indicator. On the middle and lower river trout beads and egg sacks were most often used for plenty of hook-ups. Paul will wrap up his season on the river after Saturday. It was time to go striped bass fishing in New Jersey, he said. He fishes along Jersey’s coast when not focusing on the river. But the river’s steelheading should continue to be decent so long as water temps stay in the 50s. The flow was expected to drop to 350 CFS by the end of the week. SAS Guide Service will resume guiding on the river in August or the beginning of September for salmon, depending on water conditions and the timing of the run. 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. 

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Striped bass season was peaking on the Delaware River, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. Bill fished the Trenton area to tackle 18 stripers, three shad and a limit of herring. The bass were 26 to 32 inches, and the shad were small, about 2 pounds. The river at Linden Avenue held lots of 6- to 8-pound catfish, but a customer also walloped a 40-inch 23-pound striper there. The area between the bridges seemed to give up many bass that were 20 to 40 inches, and larger stripers to 25 pounds were found near the Turnpike Bridge and buoy 80. The larger linesiders ate up live or chunked herring. Mostly smaller stripers resided south of the Tacony/Palmyra Bridge. Capt. Deiter Scheel banged out the bass in the Trenton area, and one of his charters slammed double digits of the fish to 38 inches. Scheel reportedly said bass aggressively chased live herring out of the waters and along the surface, making for fun, exciting action. Shad fishing pleased anglers on the river but slowed a little in recent days. Shad could be located in the New Hope and Lambertville stretch.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Plenty of buck shad ran the Delaware River at Phillipsburg, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in the town.  But trout gained most attention, with loads of the fish checked in from a variety of spots. Larry Pennsyl beat a 3-pound brookie on Pohatcong Creek, and Paul Garra rustled up a 3-pound 10-ounce rainbow at Bushkill Creek. Roger Smith fished Durham Creek for a 4-pound rainbow, and Mike Melise hit the Musconetcong River for a 2.4-pound rainbow. Mark Laros plied Monocacy Creek to come up with a 3-pound 12-ounce brown. At Merrill Creek Reservoir Mike Kelly pounded a monster, 8-pound brown trout, and Donna Ketchledge wasn’t far behind with a 7-pound 5-ounce brown. Ricky Grassi also fished the reservoir to pummel a 4.4-pound chain pickerel to boot.

Trout fishing was the main affair, said Dom from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. The Muscontecong River, Stickle Brook and the Rockaway River all turned out trout in the 15- to 20-inch class that scarfed up garden worms, Power Baits and wooly buggers. Smallmouth bass could be angled out of the Newark Watershed lakes on shiners or Senko worms.

Trout were trolled from the lake in the shallower waters on Phoebes or small Rapalas, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Adam Kasica dialed in a 2.8-pound brown, and John O'Neill picked up a 2.9-ounce rainbow. Charlie Wilson landed a 3.2-pound tiger trout. Hybrid striped bass and walleyes were also hung from shallower waters, pouncing on herring or stick baits. Matthew Oleske whacked a 44-inch 19-1/2-pound muskie on a nightcrawler while fishing from a rowboat in the Great Cove area. The lake was down about 27 inches, but anglers could get boats in. They just might’ve needed rubber boots. Rains forecast to keep falling this week should help fill the lake some. Remember that the Knee Deep Club’s trout tournament takes place on the lake Sunday, May 17.

Largemouth bass were on a torrid feed at Greenwood Lake, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. In a local tournament there a bunch bigmouths to 2 pounds were battled on a variety of lures, including green pumpkin Senkos and No. 1 silver Rapalas. Entrants averaged 10 to 20 fish apiece, though most of the bass were small. A 3-pounder was the largest in the contest. The Ramapo River was home to plenty of trout willing to wallop white Roostertails. A 4-1/2-pound rainbow trout was wrestled out of the Rockaway River on Power Bait.

Monster, breeder brown trout lit up waters along the shoreline at Round Valley Reservoir, said Steve from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. Recent stocking at the boat launch created schools of 4- to 7-pound browns patrolling the area, willing to gulp Power Baits or chase down spinners. More than 170 big breeders were stocked Monday, and they seemed to hang out around the ramp for the time being. Lake trout in the 15- to 20-inch range hammered spoons and baits in 85-foot depths, all the way down to the bottom. Slow-trolling and bottom-bait dragging were two methods for success. Hybrid striped bass got active at Spruce Run Reservoir, and one local angler claimed to tie into hybrids on a regular basis from the shore.

Bill Hoffman from <b>Skylands Angler</b> from Clinton spent most of his fishing absolutely creaming bluefish from the surf both at Raritan Bay and the ocean at Sandy Hook, he said. He guides fly-angling trips in the surf around Sandy Hook and at Island Beach State Park during the spring and fall migrations, and the spring run had started! But he’ll also continue fly trips for trout in between surf casting. Trout at the moment could sometimes be nabbed on caddis flies but more often could be mugged on generic nymphs like hares ears. The natural caddis flies sort of skittered on the surface, and sometimes the trout keyed in on the actual skittering, tough to imitate. Still, some of the fish would rise to the dry flies. Ken Lockwood Gorge fished very well for trout for a friend while Bill was surf angling, and the Musconetcong also seemed to give up busy action. Trouting on the Pequest might’ve been slower. Bill lately also found largemouth bass, carp and hybrid striped bass to be active, willing to attack flies, and he guides for them, too. But the bluefish in the surf were going nuts, if anyone wanted to try for them! The speedsters 6 to 8 pounds sometimes slammed flies on every cast. If freshwater anglers especially wanted to try saltwater fly-rodding for the first time, this was the time to go, because the blues were thick. But it won’t last long. The fishing was equally a blast for experienced fly fishers. 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, hybrids, carp and largemouth bass, if anglers want to fly rod for them. Plus he guides fly trips in the surf during the spring and fall migrations.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Trout were the focus, said Mike from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Doug Foley socked a 5.3-pound brown trout on the Rockaway River, and Kelly Woodring angled a 2-pound brown from the Black River.

Muddy waters slowed down trout fishing a little on the Manasquan and Metedeconk rivers, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. But the Toms River ran clear enough for better trout catches on orange and pink Power Baits. The Ocean County College ponds put on a good show of bluegills and crappies that gobbled small worms and grubs. Herring and chain pickerel could be taken from Forge Pond, and pickerel and crappies smacked Mepps spinners at the Seacourt Pavillion pond.

The Delaware River offered up striped bass to 25 pounds in the Trenton area, said Sean from <b>Harry’s Army & Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Live herring was the best bait for the larger linesiders. Largemouth bass began to get cooperative on an assortment of lakes, including Allentown Lake, Lake Mercer and Lake Assunpink. White and chartreuse spinner baits or silver and black J7 Rapalas were good choices.

Largemouth bass began to get more active, said Tony from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Lake Mercer, Lake Assunpink and Carnegie Lake all produced the bigmouths in the mornings, and shiners or fatheads convinced the bass to feed even through the rains. Trout jumped all over dark-bucktailed Roostertails in the local streams.

<b>South Jersey</b>

After a little lull, striped bass fishing lit back up on the Delaware River, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. The fish got willing to grab baits on outgoing tides, and try fishing around the DOD or near the Tacony/Palmyra Bridge with bloodworms. Crappies were on a fair tear in the creeks along Route 130 in West Deptford and in the Cooper River. Blackwood and Wilson lakes began to dish out largemouth bass, and Raccoon Creek was a hot locale to pit muscles against big channel cats to 14 pounds.

Trouters were out and about, despite the rains, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. At Grenloch Lake the fish preferred glow-green Roostertails or meal worms, but at Mullica Hill Pond and Rowan’s Pond they favored wax worms.

Rains really muddied up the lakes, said Lou from the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. But largemouth bass should attack spinner baits once the waters clear a tad. So stick with trout for now at Grenloch Lake and Oak Pond, using bright-colored Power Baits or fathead minnows for a solid strike.

Striped bass could be pulled from the banks on the Delaware River at Penns Grove and Elsinboro Point, said Dave from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Pennsville. The fish ran 25 to 35 inches on average, but larger ones could be found that were moving back out of the river post-spawn. Bloodworms hooked most of the fish.

Steady trout fishing was scored on the Maurice River, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland, and both in-line spinners and Power Baits claimed the bites. Striped bass fishing gained steam on the lower Maurice on bloodworms or Rat-L-Traps. Largemouth bass fishing was hit or miss on the lakes and ponds, but when they did respond, they chased top-water poppers or buzz baits.

Lots of short striped bass were caught and released on the Maurice River, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. Some said more keepers showed up each day. Bloodworms fished on the bottom hooked the most linesiders, and white perch and catfish also inhaled the worms.

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