New Jersey Fishing Reports

Ice fishing is probably coming to an end soon on Great Sacandaga Lake and local lakes including Mayfield Lake, said Hank from Fuel-n-Food in Mayfield. Temps reached the mid to upper 40s, and rains were forecast for later this week. The weekend could be the final opportunity for the fishing locally, but waters to the north will continue to be covered with enough ice for a little longer. Fuel-n-Food’s ice-fishing tournament on Sacandaga during the weekend was a great success. The biggest walleyes entered were 27 ½ inches to 23 inches. The biggest northern pike were 45-¾-inch to 40-inch monsters. The largest rainbow trout and brown trout were 25 to 22 inches. 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.

Salmon River

Steelheads concentrated in the pocket areas and the deeper pools in the river, because of a 285 CFS flow, said Jim at All Seasons Sports in Pulaski. Black stoneflies and egg sacks in chartreuse, orange or pink worked well to hook an average of three to five of the fish, 6- to 8-pounders, per angler. On Sandy Pond, the northern end held pretty solid ice, but this might be the last weekend when ice fishing is possible. Yellow perch and northern pike inhaled buckeyes and emerald minnows dropped down on tip-ups.

PENNSYLVANIA

The warm waters of the Delaware River at the Trenton power plant gave up action, said Bill from Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle in Philadelphia. Smaller striped bass were sometimes caught on Storm shads and Sebile jointed crank baits. A few walleyes were grabbed on nightcrawlers, minnows and smaller shad bodies. Walleyes also hit well up in New Hope and Lambertville on the river, and minnows, nightcrawlers and Rapala crank baits nailed the 2- to 4-pounders. The Stockton Bridge area was another solid spot to fish on the river, and an angler there picked up 11 walleyes that weighed 3 to 5 pounds, three yellow perch and a 4-pound smallmouth bass on shad bodies. Farther south on the river, catfish gobbled up bloodworms and stink baits off Station Avenue, Linden Avenue and Princeton Avenue. The ice disappeared at Dredge Harbor on the river, and anglers there tangled with largemouth bass around the dock pilings while tossing jigs, minnows and shiners.

NEW JERSEY

North Jersey

The season’s last ice anglers fished Lake Hopatcong during the weekend, pulling out pickerel and yellow perch, and that ice should be too thin by the weekend, said Kevin from Ramsey Outdoor in Succasunna. Trouters were out and about on the Pequest River and Rockaway River, cleaning up on catches on size-20 scuds and black stoneflies. Ken Lockwood Gorge was also hot for the catches, giving up trout, including on bead-headed nymphs.

The lake was un-ice-fishable, said Jim from Dow’s Boat Rentals in Lake Hopatcong. A little bit of open waters were located toward Brady Bridge, and anglers could try dropping in a fathead minnow for crappies or pickerel there. But otherwise, it’s going to be another week before the lake begins to open up to allow fishing.

Ice anglers had to trudge through lots of slushy slop at Lake Musconetcong, said Al from Meltzer’s Sporting Goods in Garfield. They were rewarded with yellow perch and pickerel, but that might’ve been all she wrote on ice fishing for the year. The Woodport section of Lake Hopatcong had held the last safe ice, but that might also be history. Trout fishers focused on the Paulinskill River, drifting pink shrimp-colored salmon eggs with a split shot on light line to nab rainbows. Fishing the faster waters at the ends of pools was key. Word had just come in about northern pike 7 to 9 pounds beginning to smack shiners in the Passaic River. Striped bass to 38 inches were also pulled in on Spro bucktails.

The trophy trout circus kept rolling on at Round Valley Reservoir, said Steve at Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop. An average of four big, 4- to 7-pound breeders a day were weighed in. Rangers Cove doled out 16- to 18-inch trout, and Tom Peck landed a 6-1/2-pound rainbow there on a Phoebe. The trout hung in 10-foot depths right close to shore, and boaters trolled very close to shore with Rapalas and orange streamer flies to connect. Throw anything orange at them, because that was the go-to color. Reports about large trout to 4 pounds also came from the South Branch of the Raritan River. Nightcrawlers drifted on the bottom banged them out. Spruce Run Reservoir’s anglers waited for the last of the ice to thaw so they could target northern pike and crappies.

The winter weather finally broke, and Skylands Angler from Clinton fished the streams for trout, and the fish cooperated, Bill Hoffman said. Waters were high and a little dirty because of snowmelt, but trout were definitely able to be plucked out. Streamers worked well, and darker colors seemed best, and Bill favored a black Wooly Bugger. Weight on the fly or line was needed to get the pattern down in the high waters. Bill’s also been enjoying some of Doug McKnight’s flies such as the Saskwatch that are meant for big rivers like the Yellowstone, because the flies will also get down and are innovative. The warmer weather should trigger bugs including blue-winged olives to hatch. If the weather holds, micro caddis hatches might begin. Lots of trout anglers filled the waters, and that was a good thing, showing that the fishing was picking up. The angling should keep improving. On other fronts, carp started to move around in the lakes and reservoirs, and Bill thinks they’re an excellent fish to target. Carp are big, strong and can be spooky. Northern pike are another big, strong fish on the menu. They can also be selective, a fun challenge to catch. In saltwater, bluefish should invade the surf in the ocean and bays in late April or early May, kicking off Bill’s surf angling trips. The cantankerous, aggressive fighters offer great sport yet can be relatively easier to entice to bite. That makes them an especially good fish for beginners. But even a veteran like Bill never grows tired of fighting a blue. Migrating striped bass should come through soon afterward in the surf. 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.

Big trout were claimed at Round Valley Reservoir, said Amy from Efinger Sporting Goods in Bound Brook. The fish to 7 pounds swiped Rapalas. The store’s annual Spring Festival runs Thursday to March 21, featuring zillions of great deals on everything in stock. That includes 40 percent off all fish-finders and GPS units, 30 percent off Rogue rods, 20 percent off Power Pro line and many more specials.

South Jersey

Ice was finally out at the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes, said Sean from Harry’s Army and Navy in Robbinsville. Largemouth bass could be targeted from shore with shiners and slow-moving crank baits. Crappie fishing should be picking up there, and hair jigs and fathead minnows will do the job. The Delaware River at the Trenton power plant produced a bit of action on walleyes and a few striped bass, and shiners will take both.

Waters were open at the Colliers Mills and Assunpink Wildlife Management Areas, said Carl from the Sportsmen’s Center in Bordentown. Pickerel chased down No. 2 Mepps Comet Spinners and shiners. Now that pickerel are on the bite big time, sign up for the shop’s pickerel tournament March 20 to 21, benefitting breast cancer research.

Fishing was finally opening up, said Steve from Blackwater Sports Center in Vineland. Parvin Lake’s largemouth bass were coming alive, and Lake Audrey’s smallmouth bass were hunting down soft plastics and drop-shotted Senkos. Get ready to fish the lakes for crappies that should jump all over fathead minnows any day now. Small striped bass were sometimes caught on bloodworms in the lower Delaware River, and white perch could be bagged on the Maurice River on grass shrimp.