<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river’s flow dropped to 750 CFS, and tons of steelheads, many of them fresh, swam the waters, said Capt. Shane Thomas from <b>Salmon River Guide</b> in Pulaski. A few brown trout moved up from Lake Ontario, too. A trip with one angler aboard Monday drift-boated more than 20 steelheads. The flow receded from last week’s 1,800 CFS -- a roaring river! Previous rainfalls was the cause. This week lots of snow fell, and more was coming, and the banks were already becoming difficult to fish. But Shane usually drift-boats the river anyway, and now through winter is the time for steelheading, and drift-boating eliminates difficulty in trudging through the snow. The fish swim up the river in fall, stay through winter, spawn in spring, then return to the lake. Anglers with Salmon River Guide mostly fished with beads under floats. Some drift-boaters back-trolled plugs. Crowds disappeared, and anglers were left alone to fish quieter waters with many fish.

Snow 7 to 8 inches was predicted to fall this week on snow that already covered the ground, but the river ran at 750 CFS, completely fishable, and steelheading was great, said Dave from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. Egg sacks, beads and stoneflies tied into the catches, and bubble gum worms began to work. The run of brown trout seemed about over, and few were reported caught. Steelhead fishing, though, lasts all winter.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Winds and cold kept most from fishing, said Greg from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Ledgewood. A few knuckled in trout from rivers like the Pequest and Musconetcong. Mostly flies – nymphs, scuds and egg patterns – were fished in the cold. Sometimes the streams ran high and dirty, including after rains the other day. Other times they ran low and clear. Skim ice formed in the mornings in waters like at the coves at Lake Hopatcong, melting later in the day, because of temperatures and winds. No customers reported fishing Hopatcong. Anglers hope ice fishing becomes possible within two or three weeks.

A few customers fished for trout from the fall and winter stockings, walloping the catches, said Nick from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. The Big Flatbrook is productive this time of year. Okay catches, sizeable trout, were copped from Barbour Pond. Most trouters bought trout worms and butter worms to fish. Yellow perch and crappies were mopped up at Lake Hopatcong a week or two ago on live bait. No news was reported from there afterward in the weather. Fishing for the perch and crappies should pluck bites from the River Styx Bridge, because deeper waters are within reach. Lake fishing could turn out a tug, but anglers had to brave cold and winds. Skim ice probably formed on lakes, and once that happens, anglers fish the ice-free middle of the lakes from boats. Nobody talked about largemouth bass fishing and walleye fishing. The shop is loaded with ice-fishing gear. Anglers are hoping for fishable ice. Ice angling last year began around Christmas, lasting some weeks.

One customer fished for trout, first at Ken Lockwood Gorge, with no luck, said Burt from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Then he tried the Pequest River, losing a big rainbow, releasing a few other trout. Success. He worked a Rapala lure on light-spinning tackle. Another trouter banked a 15-inch rainbow, a 14-inch brown and a 12-inch brook at the Big Flatbrook on bead-headed nymphs. Fly rodders fishing for trout could probably also connect with scuds and streamers. Fly anglers now usually also buy Little Dees, Ausable Wulffs and lime trudes. Size 14 should work. Catch the shop’s Orvis sale offering 40 percent off waders and wading boots, 30 percent off rods and 20 percent off reels. A fly-tying sale with 20 percent off, including on materials and vices, will begin in January.

Thin ice formed on a few ponds that Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River saw, he said. Customers who actually fished freshwater were last seen Thursday, preparing to trout fish. Nothing was heard back from them, and the last reports about catches came a bit earlier, about a few trout lifted from Spring Lake. Ice probably began to form there. Trout will keep biting there and at other stocked waters. Crappies and chain pickerel will swipe hooks no matter the low temps. Shiners, killies and nightcrawlers are stocked. Nightcrawlers will be carried through the year. Dennis will try to keep killies on hand all year. When shiners run out, no more will be stocked until fishing picks up.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Trouting served up great catches on North Jersey streams like the Musconetcong River, Ken Lockwood Gorge and the Pequest River, said Eric from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Closer to the shop, a few walleyes were pulled from the Delaware River from Trenton to the north. But the walleye fishing, angling that improves in cold waters, was yet to turn on like it probably will. Eric, a charter captain from his company On a Mission Fishing Adventures from Belmar, was still catching striped bass on the ocean for his customers at least through Friday, when a trip with four anglers limited out on jigs 2 miles from the coast. His trips also pummeled blackfish, catching lots of limits, on the ocean when conditions were right. That fishing was in prime time for the cold-water tog. He also guides trips in the surf and freshwater when the seasons for that angling are under way. He runs lots of smallmouth bass trips on the Delaware when the fishing is on. 

Fishing was slowing down in cold waters, but a few anglers landed trout stocked at the lakes, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. That was about the only news in windy, cold weather, and Haddon Lake and Audubon Lake produced well. Power Bait nuggets and Gulp bait in a jar attracted nibbles. Crappies bit in different waters, and white perch could be chased at places like the brackish rivers. Both stay active in the cold. Most customers stopped by for holiday shopping or rod and reel repairs. Looking for the perfect gift? Pick up a gift certificate. The shop will be open through December 23, closing for a break afterward, reopening probably on January 15. The doors will be open full time for the season on February 1. Big Timber stocks tackle and bait for fishing in all waters from freshwater to bays to offshore.

<b>Creek Keepers Bait & Tackle</b> in Blackwood closed for the season after the weekend, and will reopen March 1, Ed said. He thanks customers for a good year. The only news at the shop was that anglers headed to Rowan Pond for trout fishing, but no results were heard.

Winds blew, and the days were cold, and that shut down any effort to fish, said Jeff from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. The lakes held a little skim ice. But the shop is open full time through the year, and minnows and nightcrawlers are stocked, and the weather will break, and anglers will get back out through winter. Customers grabbed gift certificates and tackle for the holidays.

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