<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Smallmouth bass and striped bass were active in the Delaware River until the deluge of rains hampered angling, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. Several customers landed 15 to 25 smallmouths apiece on minnows while drifting from Frenchtown to Point Pleasant. A little farther downstream, another fished around Bull’s Island from the walk bridge to the boat ramp, catching 25 smallies on minnows and a few small stripers on white rubber grubs. Farther downstream, other anglers picked up 20- to 31-inch stripers above the Route 202 Bridge on live eels. Capt. Deiter Scheel hit the stretch a little lower on the river at Lambertville, pulling in smallmouths to 20 inches. Another targeted the river nearby along New Hope, boating more than 30 smallies to 15 inches and nine stripers to 22 inches on Zoom grubs, popper lures and Super Flukes. Several anglers fished farther down the river around the islands at Yardley, saying smallmouth catches were just fair. Bill himself anchored farther downstream at the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, angling up five catfish, two eels and a white perch while fishing with nightcrawlers and herring.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Only a few smallmouth bass, eels and striped bass were rounded up from the local Delaware River, then rains flooded the area, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. A handful of sizeable carp and catfish filled in the blanks. Angee Ramos hauled in a 27-pound carp, and William Brown dragged in a 6-pound 10-ounce channel cat. Fishing also got cold at Merrill Creek Reservoir, but catches were to be had, if anglers were patient. George Milovich came up with a 4.9-pound brown trout on the impoundment, and Dave Au drilled a 7.7-pound largemouth bass and a 5-pounder from the waters. Ron Milton coaxed up a 4.9-pound smallmouth bass from the reservoir.

Waters became cloudy at Lake Hopatcong, said Dave from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus, so most largemouth bass anglers targeted the main coves that were less dirty than the smaller ones. A few muskies also showed up to attack large spinner baits on the lake. Greenwood Lake and Split Rock Reservoir were other bigmouth hangouts to take a look at. The best feed seemed in the early mornings, and minnows got most attention.

Incessant thunderstorms cut into fishing time, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. But small hybrid striped bass, some yellow perch and a few crappies, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and bullhead catfish were hung. Things were quiet otherwise. Catch the Knee Deep Club’s Catfish Tournament on Saturday and Sunday, August 15 and 16. Info is available from the shop: 973-663-3826.

Anglers who hit Greenwood Lake gave the only decent fishing reports, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. Rains that dirtied waters were the issue, but a fair showing of 2- to 3-pound largemouth bass smacked Senkos and Keitech swim baits in green and chartreuse at Greenwood. Lake Hopatcong should clean up and be fishable again by later this week.

Before the rains, the South Branch of the Raritan River shoveled up carp action, said Steve from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. Catfish and largemouth and smallmouth bass were also on the chew on the river, but the river won’t clean up until the weekend at least. But fishing at Round Valley Reservoir kept hopping for rainbow trout at night from the shoreline. Persistent anglers nailed hybrid striped bass at Spruce Run Reservoir from 8 p.m. through the night.

Bill Hoffman from <b>Skylands Angler</b> from Clinton took a look at the trout streams, but they were blown out from the rains, he said. Sometimes the roads to access them were even flooded. Conditions had been ideal previously. The Musconetcong River ran at 150 to 200 CFS before the rains, and suddenly reached 1,000 CFS afterward! There was no telling when the rivers would subside or when rains would give them a break. The year’s been a tough one in the high waters from constant storms, although the rains also kept the waters cool and favorable for trouting when fishable. When Bill fly-rodded the streams before the latest high waters, he saw no substantial hatches to key in on, so he nymphed, and that went great. Two 24-inch brown trout, huge ones, were landed and released. Bill hopes the white fly hatch takes place on the Musky in a week or two like it should. Fishing with the big, size-14 dries is fun and productive. But in the meantime during the past week, largemouth bass fishing at the farm ponds was the way to go. Bill has luck in the dirty waters with patterns like a wooly bugger in colors like rust, olive or black. 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>

The Pequest River will be one of the first streams to clear up, said Mike from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Casting a Yozuri Pins Minnow, holding it in the rapids, twitching it every few seconds, will be the best method to catch the river’s rainbow trout. Even in dirty waters, the method works. Also concentrate around the feeder creek mouths that empty into the main river, because the waters there tend to be clearer. Despite the rains, a torrid fishery for rainbow trout held up at Round Valley Reservoir from the shoreline at night. Nightcrawlers and Power Baits tackled up to 15 fish per trip. 

A cavalcade of fish could be waxed on the Winding River, said Jeff at <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. He tossed shiners on the river to fight pickerel, largemouth bass, sunfish and even four crappies. Fishing the shiners underneath bobbers was best. Lake Riviera served up plenty of the same species plus yellow and white perch, eager to chase white Mister Twister grubs. Lester’s Lake held more bigmouth bass than the other waters, and the Trilco stretch of the Toms River was also a spot to clock pickerel and white perch.

Lake Assunpink started to clear up from the rains, said Frank from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. When it does, the lake will be a top locale for largemouth bass fishing. The Frenchtown section of the Delaware River was home to plenty of smallmouth bass, willing to swipe crank baits. Look for new log and tree structure as the river subsides, new places to target where the fish will hang out.

Rising Sun and Stone Tavern Lake in the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area maintained their largemouth bass fishing, even through the deluge, said Carl from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Venom tubes and Senkos in green pumpkin and watermelon got whacked. The Delaware River was filled to the top of the retaining wall as of the beginning of the week, and might be fishable by week’s end.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Largemouth bass kept feeding right through the rains, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. They pounced on shiners at Blackwood Lake and Stewart Lake. Smallmouth bass fishing should continue on a tear on the Delaware River once its waters get back down to fishable levels. Creature baits or crank baits fished over the grass beds will gain hits.

Sunfish and catfish kept anglers busy at Grenloch Lake, and nightcrawlers worked for both, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Largemouth bass anglers honed in on Big Timber Creek. Try swimming shiners at the Route 47 Bridge.

The Cooper River produced good fishing for largemouth bass, said Lou from the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Fish Rat-L-Traps and spinner baits in the deeper waters in the daytime and shallow waters in the evenings. Kevin Ashton hauled out a 4-1/2-pound bucketmouth from the river. Malaga Lake was a place to play pickerel and sunfish. Laurie Wilson, 7, fished the lake with meal worms, reeling in a large pickerel and seven sunnies.

Sundown enticed largemouth bass to feed, said Dave from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Salem. A good share of the fish were battled at The Waterworks Ponds, Elkington Pond, the Deepwater Canal and Haddon Lake, and both Hula Poppers and Senko worms got strikes.

Largemouth bass fishing became noticeably better in the late evenings, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Wilson Lake, Mary Elmer Lake, Union Lake and the Salem Canal were all bigmouth destinations. Varying techniques included dragging 10- to 12-inch rubber worms, top-popping Jitterbugs and slow-reeling buzz baits. Big, toothy pickerel prowled around Parvin Lake, slamming shiners. Looking for big fish? Catfishing was flat-out awesome on either the Delaware River or the Maurice River for beasts to 10 pounds on dead baits along the bottom.

Lots of catfish patrolled bottom in the Maurice River, inhaling dead herring and Mr. Catfish dough baits, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. Nighttime angling out-produced daytime fishing for them. White perch nibbled bloodworms throughout the higher tides.

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