<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river’s steelheads began to drop back to Lake Ontario, but plenty continued to be banked from the river’s upper to middle stretches, said Suzanne from <b>All Season’s Sports</b> in Pulaski. She heard about few taken from the lower river. The hatchery finally released back into the river the ones they used for eggs. Egg sacks, imitation eggs, nightcrawlers and imitation worms drew bites, and so did egg flies, stoneflies and Comets. The river flowed at a low 285 CFS for some time now, and rains were scarce, and snowfall was light during the winter, so runoff had minimal effect. Atlantic salmon were fought on the lower river and in the lake, and excellent brown trout catches were boated on the lake close to shore, such as at Oswego.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Striped bass fishing on the Delaware River offered some of the best catches going, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. He and wife Helen fished the river starting at Rancocas Creek early last week, picking up six bass from 20 inches to a 30-pounder, and a 6-pound catfish, all on chunks of fresh herring. On the next day Bill and another angler took a trip on the river, first catching herring for bait at Trenton. The number of herring in the waters was as low as Bill ever saw during the run, and they caught only 12 in 2 hours on Sabiki rigs. Two shad were also hooked on the Sabikis, and a few were lost. Then they headed to Trenton’s bridges with the baits, but small, 15- to 20-inch stripers beat up the herring. They did more fishing, including filling their limits of 20 herring apiece in 2 hours, but the trip was mostly uneventful. But Bill headed back out by himself later in the day, scoring a 36-inch striper and a good run-off that pulled the hook after a fight. Customers made out well on stripers at lots of different places on the river, including from the banks under the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge on most afternoons and evenings on bloodworms, herring chunks and fresh clams. Other productive spots included the river at Princeton, Station and Linden avenues. Plenty of stripers, but mostly small, were landed under the Burlington Bristol Bridge on live or chunked herring or bloodworms. Under the Trenton bridges striper anglers connected on dark lures at night. One angler in the early mornings grabbed the fish on poppers, black crank baits and dark-colored twister tails or rubber shads. But the fish switched to chasing live herring as soon as light hit the waters. Catfish, including big ones, were also on tap throughout the river. Everybody was fighting shad at Trenton last week, and one angler on the river at Yardley beat 11. Some at Washington’s Crossing whaled up to 25 per day. Another bailed the fish at the Water Gap. Largemouth bass fishing was solid farther down the river at Dredge Harbor, and one angler had luck on rubber lizards, Senko worms and Rat-L-Traps, totaling 14 along with a yellow perch and four channel catfish. Another whacked 17 largemouths through the week up- and downstream from the Tacony-Palmyra on poppers, small Rat-L-Traps, silver-sided Storm Shads and Rapalas. A few customers landed a few smallmouth bass on the river. One picked up only two, but one an 18-1/2-incher, on a trip at Yardley. Another caught five on a trip at Portland on minnows. For good fishing for smallies, run to Perkiomen and Tohickon creeks. Healthy catches of trout came from the cold-water streams, and most trouters focused on Pennypack Creek, doing well, no big fish, but numbers. Pennypack will be stocked again on Saturday. Among other streams Bill mentioned, Wissahickon Creek served up great catches of trout for two anglers who said the reason was because hardly any anglers fished there. The trout weren’t big, but there were numbers.

<b>NORTH JERSEY </b>

Though the trout streams flowed higher than preferred because of the storms, this wasn’t like the deluge 1 ½ months ago when anglers would be scared to stick a toe in the waters, said Don from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Ledgewood. The waters should clean up fine, and he saw trouters fishing in the rains. Rivers like the Rockaway, Pequest and Big Flatbrook have been stocked for so long, and contain so many trout, that the fish will certainly be taken. When he asked customers what they fished for the trout, he kept getting different answers, instead of the anglers focusing on one or two flies like normal. Don thinks that’s because a combo of native trout or holdovers stocked in fall were mixed with the recently stocked ones. The natives might zero in on specific bugs, but the newly stocked trout can swipe at nearly anything. Anglers still used the old trick of throwing pea gravel in the waters to fool the newly stocked fish into thinking they were being fed pellets at the hatchery. Once the pea gravel excited the fish, anglers fished any usual baits to hook them. On other fronts, the boss from the shop fished for crappies at Split Rock Reservoir and caught and released out-of-season largemouth bass at Swartswood Lake. The boss likes to fish with artificials, so he used small Husky Jerks or swim baits for the crappies. If anglers want to fish bait for the crappies, Don prefers golden fatheads. If the slabs will sock the goldens, they’ll also punch a gold Phoebe. For the largemouths, the boss fished small Husky Jerks.

The lake’s anglers hit trout either in the shallows or near the water surface, mostly on metal, Phoebes or spinners, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. John O’Neil trolled a 3-pound 3-ounce brown trout at Great Cove. Tom Williamson stuck a 3-pound 7-ounce brown, and Jack Dziduch axed a 3-pound 4-ouncer. Hybrid striped bass to 8 pounds roamed the shallows, hunting down herring or stick baits. Remember that walleye season opens Saturday. The Knee Deep Club’s chain pickerel tournament was held Sunday on the lake, despite miserable, wet weather. The winners were: 1st place, $376 pay-out, Pete Peligrino, 3-pound 10-ounce pickerel; 2nd place, $226, John Fernandez, 3-pound 5-ouncer; and 3rd place, $150, Mike Truglio, 2-pound 11-ouncer.

The trout streams were high and somewhat off-color because of the rains, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. But streamers are a fly to cast in high waters, and white marabou is a good choice, especially when waters are cloudy. A Wooly Bugger could also be cast. Otherwise, when water levels were normal, early season patterns such as bead-headed nymphs remained popular. Lots of talk mentioned the Paulinskill and Musconetcong rivers as fishing well. Anglers said the Ramapo had been hopping, but the river’s trouting turned off after the stocking last week, for some reason. Largemouth bass season is closed, but anglers caught and released lots, good fishing. Lake Hopatcong seemed the best locale, though waters were cool, and rains like this week’s can shut off the bite in an instant. Catches were boated on rubber worms including Senkos, rubber jerk baits and Rapala lures. Two different customers kept reporting catching five or six largemouth bass per trip at the Pompton Lakes. That’s a quality pull, healthy action, on largemouths. A few customers tore up crappies, loads of them, at Hopatcong and Greenwood Lake on small fathead minnows or small jigs, both fished under bobbers. Chain pickerel and trout packed the waters at Green Turtle Pond. Pickerel could also be pounded at Hopatcong.

Fishing on Round Valley Reservoir was tough, because of the week’s rough weather, said Steve from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. But 15- to 20-inch lake trout, none big, but lots, schooled the 65- to 85-foot depths. Trolled herring on pre-rigged Meat Heads from Big Weenie will light up the catches, and live herring are stocked. Or anglers can drop down a shiner on a size-6 hook on a 3-foot leader tied to the line with a swivel with a barrel weight above the swivel. Trout fishing from the impoundment’s shore started to slow down. But that will change, because the Round Valley Trout Association will stock something like 130 or 140 big, breeder trout, lots of 15- to 18-inchers, on Saturday, and the state will stock a couple of thousand smaller trout on Sunday. Then the trouting will go nuts. Small baitfish, Power Baits, M&M combos or meal worms and marshmallows, and nearly any baits will work. At Spruce Run Reservoir one or two customers consistently nabbed hybrid striped bass near the dam, but they were experienced and worked at the angling. The fishing wasn’t turned on like in the warmer season, when everyone catches. Bait gathers near the dam, attracting the fish, but anglers must stay 200 feet away from the dam. The state will stock 6,400 trout at Spruce on Sunday. Channel catfish chomped in the waters, and largemouth bass fishing was picking up there. The reservoir’s northern pike fishing was on the downturn, was okay. Rains made the water levels on the trout streams difficult to fish. But all the major trout streams produced well when conditions were workable.

Water levels had come down on the trout streams during trips through the weekend, but rains this week probably caused the waters to rise and become dirty, said Bill Hoffman from <b>Skylands Angler</b> from Clinton. With any luck, they’ll calm down by this weekend. He saw lots of bug activity on the streams, and the caddis hatch was a main target. A few other dry fly hatches will develop here and there, and the different streams will offer up their own unique hatches. But Bill tends to key in on the major, general hatches like caddis and also use the flies that are proven to work throughout the waters. Dries, emergers, nymphs and streamers, a little of everything, copped bites. Unless an angler is familiar with one of the streams, knowing the unique hatches, one might be on the waters and not even realize the bugs the fish are rising to at the moment. But fishing with the tried and true patterns will hook trout. Bill also found hybrid striped bass willing to strike at the reservoirs. Livelining or trolling herring, of course, will gain the most attention from them. But shiners, a hardier baitfish, can work, and so will top-water lures. Bill also surf fished in the Sandy Hook area, and striped bass and bluefish keyed in on bait. But he looked forward to the fish beginning to smack lures and flies. Waters apparently needed to warm, but that should happen soon. Clams were the top bait for the stripers. 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.

<b>CENTRAL JERSEY </b>

The North Branch of the Raritan River flowed at a normal level when Amy from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook fished there Saturday, she said. But the different streams probably became high from rains this week. On the North Branch she got into a large hatch of Hendricksons, fishing a dry-fly imitation of the bug. She saw a few black stoneflies in the waters. A friend fished a nymph Hendrickson on the North Branch and also caught. But trouters should be able to use generic nymphs such as Hares Ears with success if they wanted. Paul Kuzio checked in a big, 6-pound, 6-ounce brown trout he pelted on the Pequest River on a Mepps spinner. Joe Sadukas stopped by with a large, 1.8-pound, 15-inch yellow perch he clocked at Round Valley Reservoir on a herring. Many customers traveled to saltwater for striped bass and bluefish along the coast.

Crappies and a few largemouth bass were plucked from Lake Riviera on shiners on trips that a few customers took, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Others honed in on trout at Lake Shenandoah back at the dock at the dam on Power Bait. Trout fishing was a slow pick on the Toms River, and the waters were up because of the rains. Trouting was similar on the Manasquan River, but a friend last week managed a few trout there on baby nightcrawlers. Baby nights cleaned up on trout lately. But Power Baits were most popular, and Dennis likes to fish a white Roostertail for trout. A couple of anglers canoed for chain pickerel in the warm shallows on the Toms at Trilco. Trilco is a known location to locals. But for those unfamiliar, the location is behind the post office, and Trilco used to be a lumber yard. But there is no sign or anything that says Trilco anymore. Little was heard about Manasquan Reservoir, but some anglers practiced for a crappie tournament set for the waters this weekend, mopping up the slabs around the trees on killies or Mister Twisters under bobbers.

Non-stop striped bass catches were creamed from the Delaware River, said Sean from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Herring were the baits to dunk. “Liveline them bad boys!” he said. Fish the channel edges or around the bridges at Trenton. The river’s anglers wrestled with strong numbers of shad. Fling out shad darts or spinners on a weight to get them down. Though largemouth bass fishing was closed, catch-and-release action picked up on them at the Assunpink Wildlife Management area lakes, the Colliers Mills Management Area lakes and Carnegie Lake. Minnows or shiners will hook them, but artificials such as Rat-L-Traps or spinners will also honk them. Crappie fishing sounded slow.

<b>SOUTH JERSEY </b>

Delaware River anglers tugged in striped bass all around, and the river at National Park gave up a fair show, but catches were heard about anywhere from Salem and Elsinboro Point to the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. From shore, bloodworms were the bait, and from boats, bloods or clams worked equally. Sizeable catfish were sometimes dragged in from the river or at places such as Raccoon Creek and Mantua Creek  Catch-and-release largemouth bass fishing, because the season is closed, turned out a mess of the fish at many different areas. Wilson Lake and some of the private ponds at Medford produced. Union Lake dished up heaps, and Malaga Lake gave up a few sizeable ones. Customers mostly swam crank baits or Senko worms for the bass. Crappies could also be claimed at Union as well as the Cooper River and Stewart Lake in Woodbury. They’ll gobble up small jigs, meal worms or small minnows. Big Timber carries a large selection of baits and tackle for all waters from freshwater to bays to offshore.    

Trouting put up lots of fish at Grenloch Lake and Oak Pond, and more stockings are scheduled, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers Bait & Tackle</b> in Blackwood. Meal worms, Power Baits and lures like Roostertails were some choices to wing out. Largemouth bass season is closed, so news about them was thin, but anglers could catch and release the bucketmouths. Small largemouths and lots of pickerel will pounce at New Brooklyn Lake on minnows. Large and small shiners, minnows, meal worms, nightcrawlers and Nitro Worms, green nightcrawlers because they’re fed green food, are stocked. Ed in a past report said Nitro’s will clobber largemouths at Hammonton Lake. Some of the bass might be reluctant to feed at the moment because of the spawn, the reason bass season is closed. But that’s something to keep in mind for afterward.

Customers talked about creeling bigger trout at Harrison Lake during the weekend, said Lou from <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. They also mentioned Oak Pond as a source for larger ones. Trout were hung from Iona Lake, but big breeders must’ve been stocked at Harrison and Oak. Harrison and Iona are set for another stocking this Thursday, and Oak is scheduled for one next week on Friday. Power Baits, small worms and meal worms were popular baits for trout. Hardly anyone fished for largemouth bass, because the season is closed. Wilson Lake was a place to battle pickerel. Two customers fished there two or three times a week, banging away at the water wolves and yellow perch, both on minnows. Nobody mentioned fishing for herring on rivers like the Maurice or the Mullica, and the herring run seemed slow this year. Striped bass were reeled in from the Delaware River, and the areas farther up the river seemed better, as the fish moved up to spawn. On Delaware Bay stripers were boated at Ship John. Even the Cape May boats sailed 30 miles north to reach the spot. Baits stocked at the shop include minnows, nightcrawlers and meal worms. A selection of frozen baits for saltwater is on hand.

On the Delaware River striped bass fishing seemed off because of the storms since Sunday night, but a few customers landed the fish on Saturday, said Matt from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Pennsville. Lots more began to fish the river from boats, now that the season progressed, usually heading below the Salem River, because the fish could be kept there. Bloodworms are the popular bait from the banks, and boaters probably used bunker, sometimes clams. Boaters also caught the fish at Ship John, and the store’s owner began commercially crabbing in that area, seeing even the Cape May party boats there, a long run. The Delaware Side of the river near the C&D Canal was another spot where lots of boaters hooked up. Hordes of white perch swam the river, and Matt hooked them more than stripers last week. When anglers try to keep the perch from nibbling away bloodworms meant for stripers, they use Atlas Spawn Net, stocked at the shop, to create sacks to hold pieces of the worms, like how salmon anglers fish with sacks of salmon eggs. Bloodworms are stocked, and fresh bunker is carried almost daily. 

A group of anglers who fished Union Lake pancaked smallmouth bass, red-hot fishing, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Senkos, tubes or drop-shots will dust them up. Lots of smallies also crammed Lake Audrey, and some were big. Not much was heard about largemouth bass and pickerel, and the weather was lousy. Trout fishing was strong at all the stocked waters, and the Maurice River was one of the best places to be. Access the river at Garden or Almond roads. Roostertails and Power Baits were flying off the shelves for trout bait. Steve heard about some sizeable trout angled from Iona Lake, and Power Baits were more popular there. Fair catches of striped bass were tied into along the Delaware River on bloodworms, and Elsinboro Point is always a favorite spot for shore casters. Striper fishing seemed spotty on the Maurice River, maybe because the herring migration was slow. But a few of the linesiders came from the Maurice. Herring is the bait to use, if anglers can find herring. Otherwise soak a bloodworm.

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