<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river’s steelheading in the past days was up and down, touch and go, a little “rough,” said Ben from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. Rains and colder weather forecasted this week should help. The river flowed at 500 CFS, somewhat low, and was supposed to be dropped to 335 CFS today.  Lots of steelheads filled the entire length of the river, and the best location to catch them changed day to day. Certain pockets were better one day, and others were the next. Brown trout also swam the whole river, and the fly zone in the upper river especially held them. Egg sacks were the main bait for the river’s fishing. Flies, mostly egg patterns and sucker spawns, connected, and stoneflies began to draw strikes, and the season was early for stoneflies.

Steelhead fishing definitely slowed a lot during the weekend, and crowds of anglers pressured the river then, said Capt. Shane Thomas from <b>Salmon River Guide</b> in Pulaski. His trips still scored plenty, but had to work harder. Fewer people lined the banks on Monday, and weekday fishing was better because of lighter crowds. One issue was that places to fish were limited during crowds. The river flowed at 500 CFS, getting low, and, after Shane gave this report, officials announced that the waters would be dropped to 335 CFS. Shane’s trips drift boated the upper river for the catches, because higher waters on the upper river were the only place to boat in the flow. Some anglers liked the 500 CFS, because the flow enabled them to get around or reach more areas to fish. But the flow limited drift boating. Salmon River Guide’s trips also wade the river, but Shane often drift boats when possible. His anglers caught steelheads on egg sacks and pink worms. Others sometimes beat up catches on Hot Shots. Fly anglers put the brakes on the fish, including on egg patterns. A few brown trout, not many, roamed the river.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Lots of largemouth bass had been active in the Delaware River toward Philadelphia, until water temps dropped, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. An angler who fished there Thursday found 46-degree waters, catching no largemouths, fishing for them all morning. Previously he landed 15 to 30 of the fish, 1- to 2-pounders, per trip on crank baits and plastic worms and lizards. Another found better success, racking up one to five largemouths per trip around the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, but said the fishing slowed each time out. Catfish put up solid catching on the river toward Philly. Several who fished at Station Avenue in the city rounded up cats to 3 pounds. A customer who fished the river downstream from Rancocas Creek creamed 11 catfish to 6 pounds on a trip. Baits that drew bites from the river’s whiskerfaces included chicken livers, herring, shrimp and bagels. White perch, all of them ½ to 1 pound, were  moving into the Salem Canal, willing to nibble bloodworms, nightcrawlers, small minnows or small, rubber twister tails, and small striped bass were occasionally mixed in. Back on the Delaware River, an angler who fished at the Trenton power plant, farther upstream, fought catfish, white perch, small stripers and largemouth bass on several outings. Still farther upstream at places like New Hope, a few smallmouth bass bit, but the smallie fishing was tapering off in the cooler waters. Fishing for walleyes, cold-water fish, was becoming better in the area, though. One customer who fished around the New Hope wing dam picked up a few smallmouths but better catches of walleyes. Farther up the river, another trolled plenty of walleyes downstream from the Stockton Bridge on crank baits. On one trip he nabbed nine of the fish to 25 inches. A shade to the north, another landed a few walleyes on the downstream side of the bridge abutments at Point Pleasant. News about other fresh waters was slow this time of year. Pennypack Creek put up fair trout angling, and anglers were happy to reel in one or two on a trip. Trouting was about the same at Levittown Lake, turning out a catch here or there. Fishing at Core Creek Park’s Lake Luxembourg was good for everything except trout: yellow perch, crappies and largemouth bass. An angler who often fishes for largemouths at Lake Nockamixon found the fishing becoming tough as fall progressed. He managed four largemouths in two trips, saying the fish would only hit suspended crank baits in 20 to 25 feet. He’s a lure angler but said bait would probably score much better. Members of the Penn Warner Club in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, near Bordentown, looted great chain pickerel, northern pike and largemouth catches at the club’s lakes. Photos of pike to 17 pounds and largemouths to 4 pounds were seen from the lakes at the shop. If anglers wanted to travel to the Susquehanna River, big smallmouth bass, mostly 2- to 4-pounders, supposedly banged out lots of action. This was the time of year to jump on large, frisky ones. But all customers who talked about the fishing said that if minnows aren’t used for bait, anglers may as well not fish for them. In South Jersey, chain pickerel pounced in the waters around Batsto. The Mullica River was one f the best places to wrestle them, and the cove across from Crowley’s Landing served up most for customers who fished there. Pickerel chomped in the spillway at Batsto Lake, and largemouth bass attacked in the lake itself. Anglers who fished the Maurice River in Millville tangled with yellow perch and white perch just below Union Lake. They had begun fishing in the lake, retreating to the river after winds blew too strongly. Farther north in Jersey, Manasquan Reservoir shoveled out super fishing for largemouth bass to 5 pounds for customers who fished with live bait.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

A few fly-rodders stopped by, buying tiny nymphs and midges for trout fishing on the streams, said Don from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Ledgewood. They seemed to fare well at fishing for the fall-stocked fish. Steam levels were up, not down. Fall stocking placed the fish in the streams in October, and winter stocking, set to begin Monday, will drop trout in lakes. Two customers kept fishing at Lake Hopatcong, angling up mostly largemouth bass on herring. They had visited the shop before beginning to fish the lake, and Don had told them to search out the baitfish, because that’s where the fish will be. A customer was fishing the ponds, discovering yellow perch quick to snap, sometimes totaling 30 in a trip. He cast garden worms and Phoebes but said nearly anything will draw bites, once the fish are located.

Shoreline angling held steady at Round Valley Reservoir, tossing up a mix of fish, said Steve from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. An employee at the shop fished there, landing exactly one chain pickerel, one rainbow trout, one largemouth bass and one sunny on small pieces of Power Bait. He and a buddy were the only anglers seen. But anglers are missing out, Steve said, because if they fish there only an hour, like the employee and friend did, they’ll catch. Launching a boat was impractical at Spruce Run Reservoir, because of low waters. Catching catfish from shore, including near Route 31, was productive, and nearly the only option at Spruce. Fishing for trout at the streams was entirely worthwhile. A humongous brown trout, a 14-pound 31-incher, was checked in from the South Branch of the Raritan River. The catch was difficult to believe, but Steve saw the fish and snapped a photo.

If anglers fish the trout streams for the fall-stocked fish, midges and bead-headed nymphs, usual fall patterns, should work, said Ron from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Nobody actually stopped by who fished the streams, but the trout should be able to be reeled in. News about largemouth bass fishing was never heard through the week. Burt from the shop in last week’s report said walleye fishing should be picking up on the Delaware River. Walleyes are a cold-water fish that anglers even catch while ice fishing. Live bait like minnows or worms are popular for the walleyes. But any lures that imitate small yellow perch can work. Walleyes gulp small perch in a heartbeat, though walleyes are members of the perch family.

Many anglers packed it in for freshwater fishing for the moment, but chain pickerel and crappies probably dished up the best angling now at the different ponds and lakes, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. One angler found bluegills still chomping, catching them on worms. Manasquan Reservoir offered decent largemouth bass fishing, including on Senko worms and other rubber baits. The impoundment’s hybrid striped bass fishing slows when weather begins to cool, and most will be hooked on the troll this season. Water temps were actually prime for trout fishing, and fall stocked trout continued to feed. They were banked on the South Branch of the Metedeconk River. The Toms River also produced the stockers, angling that will last a while. Manasquan River will be dirty for trouting from rains this week. Whatever shiners currently remain at the shop will be the last stocked until fishing picks back up. But worms are carried all year.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Fish deep with shiners if trying for largemouth bass in the cool waters at lakes like those at the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area, said Frank from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Or fish “low and slow,” he said, with Senko worms. Catfish will sniff out baits in the Delaware River late into the season, “but it’s getting questionable now,” he said, because of cool weather. The river flowed at a healthy level, but the rains this week would likely raise and dirty the waters. Not many anglers fished fresh waters this late in the fall.

Anglers fishing the lakes were a no show, said Lou from <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Maybe if a warm spell moves  in, customers will hit the waters again. Nothing was even heard about angling for fall-stocked trout on waters like Iona Lake. Word on chain pickerel or largemouth bass fishing was also mum. But saltwater anglers wiped up on plenty of striped bass, including on Delaware Bay. Customers stopped by all weekend from Thursday to Saturday for supplies for stripers. Here’s sad and happy news in one: Lou finally plans to retire, and sold the shop. Happy news for Lou. The owners of an old, well-liked tackle shop along the South Jersey shore bought the store, so that sounded like good news, too. Maybe Lou will work at the shop on occasion after taking time to enjoy retirement a moment. Or maybe not! For now, take advantage of the Big Retirement Sale: All fishing gear is on sale! That includes rods, reels, lures, tackle boxes, waders, boots, shirts and everything. Some items are up to 50 percent off. Stop by, take advantage, and wish Lou well.

Fall-stocked trout were banked on the Maurice River here or there, said Vince from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Other waters including Iona Lake and Giampetro Park Pond were also stocked and should give up the fish. Largemouth bass fishing seemed slow, though the angling would normally be good, because the fish should be feeding to prepare for winter. A largemouth tournament at Sunset Lake saw sluggish fishing. The bucketmouth fishing seemed never to recover this year, once the warm summer kept them from biting, according to the shop’s reports this season. The store at times reported improvements in the angling this fall. Then warm spells followed by cool spells followed by warm spells, temps that fluctuated too much, seemed to put a damper on the bite. Maybe now the weather was too cool, and the fish already hunkered down to wait out winter. Chain pickerel that thrive in cold should be frisky around the local lakes.

Back to Top