New Jersey Fishing Reports

Steelhead fishing slowed down on the river, said Suzanne from All Seasons Sports in Pulaski. The steelies returned to Lake Ontario for the season, and the river flowed at 185 CFS, too low for drift-boating, even. Rainfall hardly fell, and snow fell infrequently during winter, and the reservoir was too low to let out more flow. Trolling for brown trout on the lake close to shore was on. The boaters dragged spoons like Michigan Stingers and Dreamweavers, and later in the season they’ll troll for the browns farther offshore and deeper, down to 100 feet, because the fish will seek cooler waters. A few Atlantic salmon were reported caught close to shore, and previously they were angled from the lower river, but no reports rolled in about them from the river lately, and practically nobody fished the shallow waters. Walleye season opened, and anglers nabbed them from places including the lake, Lake Oneida and Sandy Pond, usually on smaller spoons like Michigan Scorpions.

PENNSYLVANIA

Herring fishing tapered off on the Delaware River by early last week, and Bill from Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle in Philadelphia tried for them that Tuesday at Trenton, only picking up two for striped bass bait, he said. But striper fishing was great on the river last week, and the bigger bass swam from the Turnpike Bridge to Center City, Philadelphia. Bill creamed a 40-plus-pounder, one of the biggest fish he ever hauled from the river, off Linden Avenue that Wednesday. A 50-pounder was the largest he heard about, and was taken two Saturdays ago off Station Avenue. Some of the better places for shore anglers to hook up included the river off Camer Street, Station Avenue, Princeton Avenue, the Frankford Arsenal, the nature center downstream from the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, the UPS building and Fort Mifland. Boaters found some of the better luck around the Turnpike Bridge, the Tacony, Rancocas Creek and Petty’s Island. Stripers were reeled in farther upstream at Trenton but were smaller, 20- to 30-inchers. Shad fishing became best on the upper river, and most reports about catches came from the Delaware Water Gap and farther upstream. One customer last week fought good numbers downstream from the Interstate 80 Bridge on small shad darts and small spoons, and small seemed key. The same held true farther upriver at Narrowsburg. Shad anglers there often fished size-0 shad spoons in chartreuse, orange or pink, and dead-sticking worked best. Largemouth bass fishing amped up farther downstream, toward the shop. Bigmouth anglers connected at Dredge Harbor, several landing 10 per trip, on plastic baits. The fish held in 8 to 15 feet off the creek. Some gathered at the pipes and preferred nightcrawlers, rubber worms and crank baits. The bucketmouths were also beaten at Tullytown Cove on rubber worms, Rat-L-Traps and crank baits, and crappies and white perch also stacked up there. Salem Harbor also attracted largemouths, and one angler there pulled in seven of the fish to 3 pounds that grabbed plastic lizards. He worked them along the shoreline and between the dock pilings and in the spaces between rocks. Smallmouth bass fishing started to improve on the river, and walleyes were also whacked. One customer said he banged out fantastic fishing for both from the Stockton Bridge down to the first rip. He cast crank baits to the shore for the smallies and trolled crank baits upstream for the walleyes. Rapala and Yozuri crank baits copped the best. Smallies also gathered at the mouth of Tohickon Creek and up the creek. Though the Big D’s striper fishing was the best angling at the time, trout fishing was second best. Pennypack Creek was re-stocked with trout Saturday and should fish well. The waters at Lumpur Park not only put out lots of trout but some big ones. Plenty of trout chomped at Levittown Lake, and Wissahickon Creek is slated to be re-stocked with trout on Thursday. Anglers at Lake Luxembourg at Core Creek Park reeled in a few trout but more a mix of crappies, largemouth bass, yellow perch and bluegills. In South Jersey, Union Lake in Millville’s fishing became the best in years this season, several customers said. Lots of crappies swam there, and one customer hung a mess of 14- to 16-inchers on minnows. He also drilled largemouth bass to 4 pounds, catfish to 8 pounds and even a large brown trout more than 2 pounds. Another clobbered Union Lake’s largemouth bass. One trip for him gave up 25 largemouths, including some that weighed more than 5 pounds, on rubber worms and spinner baits. Lots of pickerel also attacked the artificials, and they were all good sized, up to 21 inches.

NORTH JERSEY

A trip on the Paulinskill River on Friday turned out to be a great day for big trout, said Capt. Dave Vollenweider from Live to Fish Guide Service. He fished the river with two friends, mostly at Blairstown. Dave smoked a 21-1/2-inch brown trout, bailing 17 trout total. One of the friends totaled 19 trout, including two rainbows 18 and 17 inches. He saw another angler bank two 18-inch rainbows. Rapala Countdown minnows in size CD3, a 1-1/2-inch, 1/8-ounce lure, slammed the catches. Dave used one in rainbow trout with a white belly that really flashed when worked through the waters. He and friends tried fishing the river at Hainsburg afterward and caught a couple of trout, but Blairstown was much better. Dave read a report online that said 70 trout to 10 pounds were stocked in the Paulinskill and the Flatbrook, but heard about none caught yet. Live to Fish Guide Service guides trips for trophy muskies, trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleyes, crappies, chain pickerel, panfish, yellow perch, white perch, carp and more. Lakes fished include Greenwood Lake, Lake Hopatcong, Monksville Reservoir, Echo Lake, Mountain Lake and Furnace Lake. Rivers fished include the Flatbrook, Pequest, Paulinskill and Ramapo.

Trout streams ran high on Monday because of rains, but the fishing went well during the weekend, said Kevin from Ramsey Outdoor in Ledgewood. Some customers said the Rockaway River served up lots of the fish. Caddis hatched, and sometimes Hendricksons did. Anglers from the shop fought plenty of pickerel at Lake Hopatcong at Henderson’s Cove and off the state park on Phoebes and spinners. They also locked up on largemouth bass at Hopatcong, Greenwood Lake and many of the small ponds. Keitech swim baits punched out the catches, were popular. The Delaware River at Dingman’s Ferry in the Delaware Water Gap gave up shad for one customer.

Fishing picked up on the lake because of the warm weekend, after cold weather and strong winds slowed the angling last week, said Laurie from Dow’s Boat Rentals in Lake Hopatcong. Hybrid striped bass could be cornered in the shallows on livlined herring or top-water lures, and the fish will move deeper as waters warm. Krzystof Belzek socked an 8-pound 12-ouncer on a live herring. Walleye season opened on Saturday, and they also favored the warmer shallows for now, and 3- to 5-pounders were weighed in. Roman Pera muscled up a 5-pounder. Pickerel slugged top-waters and live herring, and a couple of big brown trout were checked in: Tom Facciola’s 3-pound 7-ouncer that he trolled and Jack Dziduch’s 3-pound 4-ouncer that he trolled on a Phoebe.

Almost all customers who trout fished limited out at places like the Ramapo and Paulinskill rivers, said Al from Meltzer’s Sporting Goods in Garfield. They walloped a ton at Dahnerts Lake in Garfield, waters packed with the fish, too, and the trouters at all locations usually fished with PowerBaits. Largemouth bass season was closed, but catch-and-release fishing for them pounded out excellent action. Lots of largemouths were landed in a tournament at Greenwood Lake on Sunday, and entrants angled up 20 or more apiece, most of the fish not big, but up to 7 pounds. Keitech jigs were the hot lure, and many fished Senko worms. Decent fishing for largemouths came from Lake Hopatcong, and the fish were beginning to settle on the spawning beds. Gobs of crappies were claimed from Hopatcong in the shallows on jigs or fathead minnows, and so were plenty of trout in the coves on different spinners.

The state stocked 6,500 trout at Round Valley Reservoir on Monday, and the Round Valley Trout Association stocked probably a couple of hundred bigger, 15- to 18-inch trout in the waters Sunday, said Steve from Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop. So shoreline angling for the fish should be great. The stockers are never wary, should nip any usual baits such as PowerBaits, meal worms or nightcrawlers. Very, very good catches of lake trout were axed at the Valley. One customer simply found the lakers on the fish finder, drifted herring through the fish, and whaled away. That’s all anglers needed to do. The best rig is probably a herring on a size-6 Gamakatsu Octopus hook on a fluorocarbon leader on a swivel with an egg sinker above. Live herring are stocked. At Spruce Run Reservoir hybrid striped bass got on a tear just before dark. Many were tackled on top-water plugs or curly tails on jigs. Most anglers used artificials, but herring would do the job, if anglers wanted to use bait. Largemouth bass fishing was on the upswing at Spruce Run, strictly catch and release for now. Northern pike fishing was okay on the waters, and crappie fishing was the only action that substantially began to slow down there. The crappies were spawning and will move deeper, and anglers stop fishing for them then. Rains like early this week will raise trout stream levels but were no problem, and the waters probably became normal again in a day. Amwell Lake dished up all kinds of trout. If trouters go there, they will catch.

Trips with Skylands Angler from Clinton focused on surf fishing at Sandy Hook, Bill Hoffman said. But in freshwater, the trout streams probably ran high from rains at the beginning of the week and would probably need a day or two to settle down. Bug life was plenty active on the streams. Caddis hatched, and Hendrickson’s probably came off. But streamers like Wooley Buggers probably still worked, and nymphs will always draw a tug. Good fishing for hybrid striped bass and largemouth bass was also happening. At this time of year, choosing the fish to pursue is the difficult part. Spring offers great angling for many species. In the surf Bill’s trips lambasted big bluefish, lots of them, and now was the time to take advantage. The spring migration was under way, and striped bass could also be found in the suds, but more swam deeper, better accessible to boaters, so blues were more abundant in the surf, and a blast to fight. At one point a blue was hooked on every cast for an hour or so, and every angler on the beach seemed to catch. Big flies that imitated bunker caused them to strike for Bill and his anglers. Smaller baitfish or rainfish began to be around, so the blues could start to pay attention to them, and smaller flies might begin to get the nod. But Bill tried smaller patterns, and only the big flies produced. He ties the flies on a 38-pound, wire tippet connected to a striper leader. The wire prevents bite-offs from the toothy blues. Long, skinny lures also got smacked, and Bill had luck on a yellow 17A Bomber. The blues weighed 9 to 12 pounds, more than in recent years. If anglers want to fish the surf, they should go right away. 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.

CENTRAL JERSEY

Customers checked in trout from the South Branch of the Raritan River and the Pequest River, said Bert from Efinger Sporting Goods in Bound Brook. Many bought butter worms, meal worms and nightcrawlers for the fishing. Fly-rodders mostly bought bead-headed nymphs including Pheasantails, Hare’s Ears and Prince’s. One angler kept buying Hendricksons, so maybe Hendricksons hatched. Bert knew that caddis hatched. Lots of shiners were bought for walleye fishing in the D&R Canal and for largemouth bass fishing at the canal, the Raritan River and the Millstone River. Catches included: Paul Kuzio’s 6-pound 6-ounce brown trout, South Branch, Rapala; Kuzio’s identical 6-pound 6-ounce brown, Pequest River, Mepp’s spinner; Brett Carmen’s 5-pound 10-ounce brown, South Branch, Yozuri Pins Minnow; and Chris Hodges’ 7-pound 4-ounce brown, South Branch, nightcrawler.

Two different customers limited out on trout on the South Branch of the Metedeconk River this week, said Dennis from Murphy’s Hook House in Toms River. One fished with pink PowerBait with a split shot and the other with a white Roostertail. Trouting seemed good there, and high, dirty waters made trout catches slower on the Toms and Manasquan rivers, though both sometimes shoveled out the fish. Dennis heard about no limits landed from the Toms, for example, and only one or two trout per trip instead. Largemouth bass fishing was slow on Manasquan Reservoir, and the impoundment takes time to warm. But crappie anglers on the reservoir beat up catches around the trees. More and more largemouths responded at Lake Riviera, getting caught on shiners, and those waters somewhat warmed. A few catfish were dredged from the lake. Bluegills and crappies were wormed, sometimes taken on killies, at the Ocean County College ponds, a fun place to take kids. Shiners, killies, nightcrawlers, garden worms, PowerBaits and salmon eggs are stocked.

Okay striped bass fishing went down on the local Delaware River, and rains probably dropped off the bite somewhat, said Sean from Harry’s Army and Navy in Robbinsville. The river’s herring fishing also slowed, but should come back on. Fishing the herring for bait was the only way to go for the stripers. Shad migrated well north of Trenton in the river. Few talked about largemouth bass fishing because of the closed season and the spawn. But crappie fishing put up good catches at waters including Stone Tavern Lake, Assunpink Lake and Rising Sun Lake, all in the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area. Small jigs like Trout Magnets, Crappie Magnets and any marabou jigs got nibbled.

SOUTH JERSEY

Big trout, browns, kept biting at Grenloch Lake, said Ed from Creek Keepers Bait & Tackle. The lake was stocked last week on Tuesday for the final time this season, so take advantage soon. Largemouth bass fishing is catch and release from April 15 to June 15 for spawning, and the fish will spawn at different times, not all at once. But customers reported few of the fish caught, so the spawn, when the bass usually avoid feeding, was probably common. New Brooklyn Lake was the place to pluck chain pickerel. Small largemouth bass could also be found there, but bigger ones were around. Large and small shiners, minnows, nightcrawlers, Nitro Worms died green and meal worms are stocked.

Harrisonville Lake, Oak Pond and Iona Lake cranked out good fishing for trout, said Lou from Sportsman’s Outpost in Williamstown. Last week he reported particularly large trout coming from Harrisonville and Oak, but heard about no big ones this week. Most trout anglers said they landed three or four per trip, usually fishing with PowerBaits, meal worms or Roostertails. A few anglers let go respectable catches of largemouth bass while targeting them during the current catch-and-release season. Parvin Lake was a place to try, and rubber lizards or other plastic baits are a choice at this time of year. Striped bass in the Delaware River seemed to move upstream to spawn. But some apparently dropped back down already, because 36- and 38-inchers were reported caught, and were spawned out, on the lower river during the weekend. Two stripers were boated on a trip a boy who stopped in said he took to the 34 buoy on Delaware Bay. The bass in the bay seemed to hover in the upper part like there and Ship John. Lou heard about a few drum, not many, boated on the bay so far this season. Baits stocked include minnows, nightcrawlers and meal worms. A selection of frozen baits for saltwater is on hand.

Anglers fishing for trout picked away, and Iona Lake was the best spot this season by far, said Steve from Blackwater Sports Center in Vineland. PowerBaits, meal worms and Roostertails wrangled them in, and the season’s last stocking at the lake took place Thursday. Trout fishers caught on the Maurice River, but not outstanding, mostly because of high waters. PowerBaits and spinners were fished there. Two final stockings will take place on the Maurice this Thursday and the following one. Many largemouth bass sat on the spawning beds, but quality reports tumbled in about catch and release fishing for them at Union Lake. Parvin Lake also served up the fish. Rubber worms like Senkos and creature baits coaxed the bites. Customers also talked about jabbing healthy catches of smallmouth bass at Union. Lake Audrey’s been a top spot for smallmouths all season, and the bronzebacks are larger on average. But a few 4-1/2- to 5-pound smallies were nailed at Union this year. Senkos, shaky heads and tubes will mug the smallmouths. A few striped bass could be located in the Maurice River estuary, not terrific fishing, but fish to be had. The stripers will snap on bloodworms or herring, and a handful of herring were jigged from the Maurice, but the migration never grew heavy this year. One kid said he plowed a 42- or 43-inch striper at Menantico Creek the other night. Stripers were pulled from the Delaware River, but striper fishing slowed down farther south in Delaware Bay toward Fortescue. Somebody who stopped by the shop to buy bunker for crabbing said a friend busheled out on the blueclaws. No further details were heard, but that seemed a good sign for early season crabbing.