<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Smallmouth bass got on a world-class bite on the Delaware River, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. One customer grabbed 25 smallies at Bull’s Island on minnows on Saturday, and also fished the walk bridge back to the boat ramp in the fast waters, picking up a few small striped bass. Stripers 20 to 31 inches swam upstream of the Route 202 Bridge, inhaling livelined eels. A number of anglers caught 15 to 25 smallies apiece while drifting fathead minnows from Frenchtown to Point Pleasant.  Another fooled more than 30 smallies to 16 inches and nine stripers to 22 inches at New Hope on Zoom grubs, poppers and Super Flukes. Muskies sometimes slammed shiners that shoreline anglers drifted, and one of the anglers nailed a 31-incher and three walleyes 20 to 23 inches. The lower river was a place to cop decent fishing for smaller stripers on bloodworms, herring, chicken livers or clams. The fish, mostly under 25 inches, hung around sand bars, bridges and creek mouths. Catfish lay in wait at the drop offs in 20 to 25 feet, pouncing on nightcrawlers, chicken livers, bagels and shrimp.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

The Phillipsburg section of the Delaware River was ripe with activity from striped bass less than 20 pounds, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. Carp, including many that weighed 15 to 30 pounds, suddenly got on the take. Justin Dornblaster, 8, battled a 15-pounder. Also on the river, Bill Kennedy landed a 6.8-pound channel catfish and a 5-pound walleye. Merrill Creek Reservoir spouted out a 3-pound 12-ounce brown trout for Sandi Hoffman and two pickerel 3.6 pounds and 4.9 pounds for Ted Burton. Brian Ganguzza fished Oxford Furnace Lake, reeling in a 4-1/2-pound rainbow trout, and Roberto DeLarosa hit Bushkill Creek for a 2-pound 12-ounce brook trout. At Spruce Run Reservoir Shirley Thomas, 10, drilled a 6.9-pound hybrid striped bass.

Lake Hopatcong was a largemouth bass playground, said Dom from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. But a local pond gave up a 7.2-pound lunker for a customer who tossed out a Senko. Fly anglers nabbed trout big time on the Big Flatbrook on small terrestrials, including tiny leaf-hopper patterns. Most trout were hooked on the tiniest flies in the arsenal, spooky, wary to rise to anything larger.

Walleyes were pulled in from 6 to 15 feet of waters, said Laurie at <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Nights were best, and top-water poppers or live herring were choice offerings. James Orlando checked in a 6.2-pounder, and Jim Welsh hung a 5-pounder. Lots of action from smallmouth bass went down off Nolans Point and Chestnut Point on small jigs and bait. Bill Haase rounded up a 3-pound 11-ouncer. Hybrid striped bass 6 to 7 pounds hovered along the drop offs, off the points and at Woodport.

Hot and humid weather made largemouth bass anglers concentrate on shaded areas to find the fish, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. The shade along Greenwood Lake’s dock pilings and edges of weed mats drew in the bigmouths, and drop-shotted Senkos and hair jigs pulled them out.

Hot and humid days really kicked the hybrid striped bass feed into high gear, said Steve from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. Spruce Run Reservoir and Lake Hopatcong both held excellent hybrid angling for those trolling with live herring in the evenings and nights. Round Valley Reservoir served up rainbow and brown trout in 30- to 40-foot depths on jigs and live herring. In the South Branch of the Raritan River trout lay deep in the pools, sipping on terrestrial flies, and both largemouth and smallmouth bass could be fooled with Senkos.

Bill Hoffman from <b>Skylands Anglers</b> from Clinton got back last week from a tarpon trip at Boca Grande, where he jumped 15 of the fish, he said. He got right back to fishing New Jersey afterward, fly-rodding largemouth bass on the lakes and trout on the streams, and both were great. Spun-deer-hair top-waters did the job on the bass. But the good news was that trout fishing went well, and Bill really recommended that anglers fish for them now, because conditions were right, and nobody could know how long that would last. The news was welcome because before Bill left for Florida, trouting remained affected by high waters from the rainy spring. But the somewhat drier weather now made the trout streams closer to ideal for fishing. The previous rains weren’t without helpful affects, though, because the previous high waters seemed currently to make the streams cool, as probably did the mild summer, when normally the fishing would be faced with challenging warm waters. Catches on his trips included a couple of brown trout that were larger than 24 inches that were released. 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, so they can even 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 ocean and bay surf during the spring and fall migrations at Sandy Hook and Island Beach State Park.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

A mix of fish kept anglers catching, said Chris from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Smallmouth bass swam the Lamington River, honing in on sizes 8 to 10 streamers and wooly buggers. Channel catfish, like a 7.1-pounder that was weighed in, could be hunted on the Delaware and Raritan Canal. Hybrid striped bass, like Doug Zieoasnicky’s 6.4-pounder, could be played at Spruce Run Reservoir. Don’t count out the smaller stillwaters. One customer whacked a 4.8-pound largemouth bass at a private pond.

Largemouth bass, yellow perch and pickerel, a melting pot, could be dialed up from the Winding River on shiners, Senkos and nigtcrawlers, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Lake Riviera held plenty of largemouth bass and pickerel that sucked up shiners. Lester’s Lake doled out pickerel, sunfish and catfish, and Manasquan Reservoir produced for largemouth bass anglers who worked the shoreline near the poles and dead trees with rubber worms and Senkos. The rock wall area of the reservoir was another spot for the bigmouths.

Smallmouth bass got feisty on the Delaware River from the Trenton to upriver, said Sean from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Twister tails, tubes and poppers worked in the mornings and evenings, tallying up good numbers. Catfish and carp were mainstays on the lower river below Trenton. The three Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes and Prospertown Lake were go-to places to pummel largemouth bass and pickerel on top-water poppers.

The upper Delaware River areas at Fisherman’s Eddy and Fireman’s Eddy were locales for smallmouth bass fishing, said Carl from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Crawfish-colored crank baits and Rebel crawfish hooked the bronzebacks. Largemouth bass could be hunted at Carnegie Lake and Rising Sun Lake, and Senkos worked best. A few muskellunge attacked 1-ounce, white spinner baits at Mercer Lake.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Lots of small striped bass were plucked from the Delaware River, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. The river at the Gloucester Pier and National Park and the mouth of Big Timber Creek were spots to look for them. Bucktails, creature baits, Strike King Redeye Shads and Spro Aruka Shads could be thrown. Look for quality carp along the tributaries, especially Woodbury and Mantua creeks, tossing mulberry flavored dough baits and corn. Largemouths were also very active on the lakes and other waters throughout South Jersey, including Rainbow Lake, Stewart Lake, Newton Lake and the Salem Canal, and shiners were a best bet. Crappies cooperated on the Cooper River, swiping small marabou jigs.

Blackwood Lake turned out a fair load of largemouth bass and sunfish, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Malaga Lake and Parvin Lake seemed to give up larger bass from 1 ½ to 3 pounds, and shiners worked well at both places. Out-of-the-way Beatler’s Pond was also home to large bass that ate up shiners, and so was Clementon Lake. Catfish Hoovered up cut pieces of hot dogs from the bottom of most local ponds.

The Deepwater Canal and Haddon Lake were largemouth locations, said Matt from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Salem. Senkos and buzz baits did the job on them. White perch and catfish were always possible to put down on the Delaware River, and bloodworms will attract the perch, and dead, oily baits like herring or bunker will tune in the cats.

The Salem Canal was the safest choice to locate a largemouth, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. But Daretown Lake and Parvin Lake boasted the bigger bass. Union Lake shoveled out a mix of largemouth and smallmouth bass, and the largemouths gathered at the grass beds, while the smallies swam the deeper sections. White perch and catfish were creeled from the tidal portion of the Maurice River.

Customers who headed to the Maurice River tangled with white perch and catfish, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. Some of the cats reached the 5-pound mark, and the whiskerfaces mostly sniffed out Mr. Catfish dough bait and frozen shrimp. The whiteys were all over the shrimp.

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