<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Adirondacks</b>

Entrants in the region’s biggest ice-fishing tournament, the Walleye Challenge on Lake Sacandaga on Saturday, checked in 104 walleyes, said Hank from <b>Fuel-n-Food</b> in Mayfield. That was fewer than last year, and walleyes were tougher to wrangle up from the lake lately for unknown reasons. But some periods are better than others, and that’s fishing. Northern pike angling was really the thing on Sacandaga. Competitors in the tournament showed off monster northerns, including a 44-incher, a 42-incher and a 40-incher, that attacked shiners on tip ups meant for walleyes. Fishing was hopping like usual through the ice on Mayfield Lake for yellow perch, pickerel, a few crappies and a few northerns. Shiners, usually medium-sized, on tip ups are the popular choice, and Mayfield is always a safe bet to load up. Shiners and large icicles on tip ups are actually the most common for catches on all the local lakes. Splake fishing was on the downturn at Caroga Lake, but that’s typical: the catches are normally best in the early ice-fishing season. Lake trout fishing was probably slower than before on Piseco Lake, but the waters are a place to find them. So is Ostego Lake at Cooperstown. Hank’s dad’s shop, Ross’s Bait and Tackle, will hold an ice-angling contest February 20. Fuel-n-Food’s 11th Annual Weekend Long Ice Fishing Tournament is set for March 5 to 7. Baits stocked at Fuel-n-Food include shiners, suckers, fatheads and icicles, and the store carries a full supply of ice-fishing tackle and gear, probably the largest selection in the area. Plus the shop is a convenience store, serves breakfast and lunch and sells all types of fuel, and is located near plenty of accommodations, not to mention fishing.

<b>Salmon River</b>

Frigid cold made for difficult fishing conditions on the river in the past week, said Ritchie at <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. But those who did get out pulled on 5- to 10-pound steelheads in areas such as the Trestle, the Wire Hole and the Schoolhouse Pool. Blue and pink egg sacks and pink Power Worms worked well, and the river ran at 750 CFS. Ice anglers reeled up northern pike and yellow perch through the 12 inches on Sandy Pond, and the pike favored shiners, while the perch were often hooked on small hair jigs tipped with mousies or spikes.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

The warm waters at the Trenton power plant on the Delaware River churned out fair fishing, said Bruce from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. One customer banged out striped bass to 29 inches on Rebel plugs, and others claimed smallmouth bass and walleyes on shiners and fathead minnows. Yellow perch and crappies should be able to be angled from the coves on the river such as at Dredge Harbor and Tullytown, now that the ice disappeared. Fathead minnows under a bobber should do the job well.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

The edges of Lake Hopatcong re-froze, forming 6 to 8 inches, said Don from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. Yellow perch and pickerel swam hot and heavy in the lake near the River Styx and the state park, and shiners took both. Trouters honed in on the Rockaway River, casting wooly buggers to holdover rainbows and browns.

Freezing temperatures at night locked up the lake once again, and most areas held 7 to 8 inches, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Pete Cusick limited out on crappies at the shallower waters off the Windlass at Nolan’s Point. Yellow perch were plucked off the point at the Jefferson House. Stanley Malinowski landed two muskies in two days, one at 43-1/2 inches and the other at 39 inches, in the deeper waters. They were hammered on a Rapala ice-fishing jig and a Northland Puppet Minnow. The Knee Deep Club’s second ice-fishing contest of the season will be held 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, February 21. The entry fee is $20 for club members and $25 for non-members. Anglers can call the shop at 973-663-3826 for more info.

Ice fishing was going strong all over, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. He fished at the Highland Lakes, tugging out plenty of pickerel and yellow perch on blue and chrome Kastmasters. Crappies and perch ran thick at Lake Musconetcong, and one customer totaled 10 crappies and a mess of perch while jigging there. On Lake Hopatcong hybrid striped bass to 24 inches and walleyes to 4 pounds were sometimes mongered from the deeper waters off Chestnut Point. Split Rock Reservoir and Green Turtle Pond dished up good action on perch, pickerel and panfish on small to medium shiners.

Some ice anglers fished at the boat launch area at Spruce Run Reservoir, said Steve from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. But that ice was only around 4 inches thick, pretty unsafe. Chris Lido and Nick Niles trekked up to Lake Musconetcong, amassing a total of 16 yellow perch, eight pickerel and a bunch of bluegills on shiners. At Round Valley Reservoir, shoreline anglers mopped up on rainbow trout and brown trout, especially at Ranger’s Cove, and shiners scored best.

Brutal cold put trout trips on hold, said Bill Hoffman from <b>Skylands Angler</b> from Clinton. But if anglers fish the trout streams in the chill, nymphs fished slowly could connect. If the weather warms a little, wooly buggers could do the work, and if the days warm a lot, midges could imitate a hatch. 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 fly trips for other freshwater fish, like pike, hybrid striped bass, carp and largemouth bass. Plus he guides trips in the ocean and bay surf during the spring and fall migrations at Sandy Hook and Island Beach State Park with both conventional and fly tackle.

Bone-chilling nighttimes re-froze many of the edges of local lakes, said Mark from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Lake Hopatcong should be No. 1 on any ice hound’s hit list. Trout anglers bundled up and headed to the Long Valley stretch of the South Branch of the Raritan River for big browns caught on a variety of flies, including large streamers, such as Grey Ghosts, Muddler Minnows and Black Nosed Daces.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Ice formed again on the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes, but none was fishable yet, said Sean from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Action was copped on the Delaware River at the Trenton power plant on walleyes and smallmouth bass that pounced on crank baits and shiners.

Chain pickerel were pounded at the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area lakes on crank baits, said Bob from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. On the Delaware River at the Trenton power plant fishing for walleyes and smallmouth bass was a little tough because of chunks of ice coming down. Many customers traveled north to the South Branch of the Raritan River, the Pequest River and Ken Lockwood Gorge to tangle with trout on midges, wooly buggers and egg patterns.

The cold put a 1-inch layer of ice on local lakes, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. So that put the kibosh on fishing there, except at open waters at the spillways. But the ice probably won’t last long, and fishing was previously hot at the lakes. Anglers wailed on yellow perch at Sunset Lake on white or chartreuse twister tails. A good show of crappies at Lake Lenape chased down small, rubber grubs. Hefty-sized pickerel and some largemouth bass cooperated at Wilson Lake for anglers working Rat-L-Traps in chrome sexy shad color. Smallmouth bass to 3 ½ pounds were on tap at Lake Audrey, swiping crank baits and drop-shotted, rubber grubs. Check out that newly opened lake near the Mauricetown Bridge over the Maurice River. It was stocked with fish, especially smallmouths, one of only two lakes in South Jersey that are home to the bronzebacks. Union Lake is the other.

Back to Top