<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Striped bass lined the Delaware River, and one customer hit the river to catch herring for striper bait, limiting out in no time, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. Then the angler both livelined and chunked the baitfish near the Turnpike Bridge, landing 15 stripers to 37 inches. Lots of smaller stripers dominated the river now,  and 20-pounders were probably the largest. Good numbers of 25- to 33-inchers swam the Big D near the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. Lures such as Striper Swipers, pencil poppers, Chug Bugs and floating Rat-L-Traps all produced, but bloodworms also grabbed bites. Bloods also nabbed excellent numbers of white perch, especially near the Philly Airport. Smallmouth bass, some of them topping 5 pounds, could be found in the Yardley stretch and near the wing dams at Lambertville and New Hope.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

The Delaware River started “waking up,” said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. Smallmouth bass, none large, were hooked on hellgrammites and leeches, and catfish were clobbered on livelined eels, chunked shad and chicken livers. The catfish included John Largo’s 10.9-pounder, Andrew Mann’s 7.6-pounder, Devon Jones’s 5.6-pounder and Dan Pokozni’s 5.3-pounder. Also on the Delaware, Chris Farley wrestled out a big ol’, 11.8-pound carp, and Rob Keiffer won the fight with an 18.8-pound striped bass. Howard Dutcher plied the waters for a 5.8-pound walleye. Merrill Creek Reservoir was a big-time producer for a variety of fish, such as Robert Strouse’s 6-pound pickerel, Marty Collier’s 6-pound largemouth bass and Harold Pennington’s 5.7-pound walleye. At Pohatcong Creek, Paul Carmine banked a 4.9-pound brown trout, and Zachery Fry yanked in a 2-pound brown. Angee Ramos tried Mountain Lake, coming up with two tiger muskies 12 and 14 pounds, and Doug Klinger dropped a line in the Lehigh River, cranking back a 15-pound carp.

Walleye fishing was solid at night on Lake Hopatcong, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. The Brady Bridge area got lit up with walleyes that hammered top-water Zara Spooks. Hybrid striped bass were on the chew in the lake in the early mornings. Dom Saranelli clocked a 9-pounder. Trout anglers trolled gold Phoebes around the lake’s state park area to tie into brownies and rainbows. Stream trouters tossed size-15 sulfur emergers during the evenings for a strike. Ramsey Outdoor and the Knee Deep Club will hold the Stew Lant Hopatcong Challenge on the weekend of June 27 and 28. The contest features seven categories for trout, hybrid striped bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pickerel, walleye and channel catfish. The entry fee for club members is $25 and for non-member is $30. Entry forms are available at www.kneedeepclub.org.

Striped bass and walleyes were dusted in the lake in about 14 feet, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Live herring worked for both, mostly during daytimes. At night along the shoreline top-water lures scored better. Bombers, Zara Spooks, Yozuris and Heddon Spit n' Images were best. Lee’s Cove, Byram, Henderson’s Cove and the yacht club at Bertrand’s Island were the best areas. Trout could be trolled on small Rapalas and Phoebes and also Mepps spinners in gold or silver. Largemouth bass anglers could throw small jigs around the shoreline for a catch. The lake level was down to 15 inches, and boaters were able to navigate the ramp just fine now.

The back end of Lake Hopatcong held largemouth bass, plenty of them, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield, and he bucketmouths chased down Keitech Fat Swing Impact Lures. Greenwood Lake offered decent largemouth action and some muskies. Capt. Deiter Scheel fished with Muskie’s Inc., walloping a mid-40 incher that followed up a big spinner. Then an even bigger muskie came in on the same spinner, but refused to pounce the lure.

Trout fishing was top-notch on Round Valley Reservoir, said Steve from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. Brown trout to 3 pounds were taken on drifted shiners in the 20-foot depths, and lake trout 15 to 20 inches hung in 20 to 65 feet. Trolled crank baits will hang either. Robert Ard landed a 5-pound brown while fishing shiners from the shoreline. Duke Fregolle fished at Merrill Creek Reservoir in the 100-foot depths, whacking a whopper, 7-1/4-pound brown. Hybrid striped bass were fought in the dead of night at Spruce Run Reservoir on shiners or livelined herring.

Dry-fly fishing got really active on sulfurs for trout on Ken Lockwood Gorge and the South Branch of the Raritan River for <b>Skylands Angler</b>, Bill Hoffman said. His trips fly-rodded lots of brooks, browns and rainbows, but mostly brooks. At one point a little cloud cover rolled in, and the sulfurs flew the most, maybe because of pressure. In the mornings, before the dries got busy, stoneflies worked well. Fishing conditions were good, and trout were aggressive, and get out now before the summer heat begins to wear them down. Bill also tried fly-angling for carp on the reservoirs, but waters were a little too high and muddy to spot the fish to target. Fly-angling for carp is visual. Although Skylands did lots of trouting through the week, Bill’s surf fly-fishing trips are in full swing, as the spring migration unfolds. A trip last week put a client on several 3- to 4-pound bluefish on sand eel patterns on the bay side of Sandy Hook. The fishing wasn’t spectacular, but the blues were the angler’s first of the season, maybe his first or second on a fly in his life, and the migration is a great time to help ensure a catch like that.  If freshwater anglers want to try saltwater fly-rodding for the first time, this was the time to go. But it won’t last long. The fishing is 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 at Sandy Hook and Island Beach State Park.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Trout were hungry in the Pequest River, said Mike from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Tom Krok cast a Mepps spinner to pull out a 3.1-pound rainbow from the waters, and brown trout in the river whacked away at Pins Minnows and fathead minnows. Round Valley Reservoir served up 6- to 8-pound browns for anglers trolling spoons in the 80-foot depths, and lake trout could be found in the same depths. Anglers fished the Colonial Park ponds for a smattering of pickerel, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, and shiners and Senkos worked for all.

Lake Riviera was the most consistent producer for pickerel and largemouth bass, and shiners or killies attracted them in the evenings, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b>.  Roostertails and Mepps spinners could also pluck away at both. The Winding River was a “silent but deadly” spot for largemouth bass. Lester’s Lake gave up plenty of action on sunfish, pickerel and decent-sized catfish.

All three Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes dished out steady largemouth bass fishing, said Carl from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Plastic baits such as lizards and Senkos in pumpkinseed or watermelon got eaten up in the mornings and evenings. Manasquan Reservoir finally showed promise, with largemouths inhaling Boo-Yah Rattle Jigs with Yum Chunk trailers. Muskellunge congregated around the dam area at Lake Mercer. Large, 1-ounce, white spinnerbaits hooked the fish to 15 pounds.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Big, ugly channel cats to 15 pounds woofed up stink baits in the Delaware River, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. Small striped bass, but some up to 30 inches, swam around the river where Big Timber Creek dumps in, and they pummeled livelined white perch on the higher tides. Crappies gobbled up fathead minnows in the Cooper River and Stewart Lake. Largemouth bass, some of them big, swiped soft swim baits in the Salem Canal and at Alloway Lake.

Lake Rene was a shining star, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Both largemouth bass and chain pickerel gave up a consistent pull on shiners in the impoundment. Wilson Lake had more pickerel available, and Blackwood Lake and Kirkwood Lake had both largemouth bass and pickerel on the prowl. The action must’ve been good at all the lakes, Ed said, because the same customers came in two to three times a day to buy shiners.

Holdover trout were a main affair, said Lou from the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Iona Lake and Oak Pond were homes to quality, 2- to 3-pound rainbows. A fairly good showing of yellow perch could be located in Iona Lake, and use fathead minnows to try for the barred brawlers. Some of the lakes began to get weeded up, because water temps were on the rise. Keep top-water and weedless lures in the arsenal.

Striped bass of any size vacated the Delaware River in the local area, migrating to Delaware Bay and the ocean, said Matt from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Pennsville. But smaller ones were always around, and white perch and catfish were available on the river, especially near the Salem River and Mannington Meadow. Largemouth bass were active at Maskell’s Mill Pond and the Waterworks Pond. Top-water lures and rubber worms produced.

Largemouth bass fishing picked up after the spawn, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Buck bass smacked rubber lizards at Rainbow Lake and Daretown Lake. Both smallmouth and largemouth activity was solid at the Salem Canal and Union Lake. The fish sat high in the water column at both places, aggressively attacking tubes and Senkos. Outgoing tides on the Maurice River sparked white perch to eat up grass shrimp on top-and-bottom rigs. Find a deep hole for the best chance to locate a school. Catfish hugged the river bottom, scarfing up stink baits.

A busy fishery was under way on the Maurice River for white perch and small-striped-bass, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. Higher tides got them to turn on, and grass shrimp and bloodworms gave the best shot to catch either. Lunker largemouth bass were sometimes weighed in at the shop. They included a 6.2-pounder taken out of the Cooper River and a 4.2 pounder pulled from Cedar Lake.

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