<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

The Delaware River’s striped bass fishing was mostly about small ones now, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. He said the same for last week’s report, but was still fishing the local river for the linesiders at the time. But after a trip last week, he currently said that was probably his last outing for stripers on the river until next year. Two stripers 12 to 14 inches, 13 catfish 1 to 5 pounds and five eels, giants to 20 inches, were hooked on the trip. Lots of 12- to 21-inch stripers could be played on the river off the Philly airport. Bloodworms, chunks of eels, herring and strips of white perch were top baits. Off Fort Mifflin and the UPS building were some of the better spots, too. Other fish or catfish, eels, white perch and carp could be angled from the river at various places, including off the Frankford Arsenal, Linden Avenue and Station Avenue. More of some of those fish than others hit at the different place. The river along the Trenton bridges was the only area that gave up bigger stripers. Anglers there averaged three to five of the fish to 36 inches while fishing strictly at night with lures or eels. The lures included Bomber A’s, pencil poppers, Chug Bugs and rubber shads, and when the fish refused lures, the anglers livelined the eels. Largemouth bass fishing picked up a lot on the local Delaware, and the more sizeable bucketmouths bit in the main river, and smaller ones, but healthy numbers, chewed in the harbors. One angler fishing the main river drilled 12 to 20 largemouths per trip that weighed 1 to 4 pounds, while throwing Rat-L-Traps, crank baits, plastics on jigs and rubber worms along the old docks. Another found a few sizeable largemouths on the river off Poquessing Creek along the spadderdocks. Farther up the river, smallmouth fishing stayed about the same as before, Bill said. Previously he said much of the angling was slow, but good catches were made at the Delaware Water Gap, and a few came from areas like the river at Lambertville and off Tohickon Creek, though smallmouth fishing in the Tohickon itself was better. Small smallmouths, but a bunch, cooperated in the river toward Bristol for one angler at the time. Algae was sometimes a problem there, and then anglers should work weedless top-water lures and frogs. Otherwise minnows, rubber grubs and tubes are a few popular choices for smallmouth fishing. The Neshaminy River at Playwicki Park and Tyler State Park was one of the best places for smallmouth fishing, and all anglers there caught. The fish were small, but there was action. Smallie angling was improving on Perkiomen Creek from the prison to Green Lane. For lake anglers, productive fisheries for customers included Lake Nockamixon for largemouth bass fishing. One landed 14 largemouths to 2 pounds, smaller fish, on weedless lures along the edges of the lily pads. Another cleaned up on largemouths, mostly small, on spinners baits, buzz baits and rubber worms. Plenty of largemouths 12 inches to 3 pounds, sometimes three to eight of the fish per trip for anglers, were knocked around at the upper end of Lake Luxembourg at Core Creek Park. Bluegills, yellow perch and crappies were fought on the lower end toward the dam. The spillway was loaded with snapping turtles that made anglers avoid the waters. One angler fished for largemouth bass from shore at Levittown Lake, banking five small ones and a crappie, saying a load of bluegills messed with the line. Trout fishing slowed down on Pennypack Creek, because of the heat. The only report about catches came from a trouter who fished at night above Verree Road with bead-headed nymphs, scoring four of the fish on one trip and three on another. Olive or brown nymphs worked best. Carp to 18 pounds were waffled on every trip to the lower Pennypack at Rhawn Street on corn, bread or bagels. The only news from South Jersey’s Union Lake came from a couple of anglers who took a trip looking for largemouths along the weed lines with rubber worms and weedless frogs. But they caught a bunch of chain pickerel instead. However, they also landed an 8-pound hybrid striped bass later in the day on a twister tail. Customers who regularly fish Union said they would give the lake a break until fall.

<b>NORTH JERSEY</b>

A walleye trip fished overnight Friday to Saturday at Greenwood Lake with <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b> from Montvale, walloping great angling, Capt. Dave Vollenweider said. The fishing began slowly toward the rock ledges at Derek Jeter’s house, but a 4-1/2- to 5-pound walleye was nailed. The trip moved to another area, and herring began splashing around, and walleyes started blowing up on them. But none of the fish was hooked, and the abundant baitfish seemed the problem Sometimes when baitfish are too numerous, the chances of a walleye striking a hook among the forage drop considerably. Next the trip moved to an area where rocks fell off to deep waters, and five walleyes were axed. A 3-1/2-pounder was the smallest, and most were 4 to 5 pounds. A giant Sebile popper, a lure meant for saltwater striped bass and bluefish, was fished. Though the lure was meant for salt, Dave thought it looked perfect for walleyes, and was right. Lures that are larger than the 4-inch herring work best, and the fish notice a plug like a 6-inch Rapala. Dave has tried fishing with smaller lures without a touch. Then the trip fished an area that seemed a likely place for a musky to live. Suddenly a loud “whoosh!” was heard, and a fish was hooked. But the rod wasn’t bent as much as a muskie would pull, and a 7-pound walleye, a big one, was landed. A smallmouth bass, a small one, and a white perch were also hooked on the trip. Dave began his walleye trips early this year, and normally he starts in July. But the fish already bit well, and his trips already tackled large ones like the 7-pounder and an 8-pounder the previous week. The fishing has always lasted through July but could also go into August and September. He typically works the night shift on walleye trips, and sometimes the fish only begin eating late in the night like 1 to 3 a.m. The marble eyes move to the shallows in the dead of night, following baitfish that also move to the skinny waters to feed on zooplankton. He also fishes at night because the fish only turn on when boat traffic settles. Traffic is heavy during the middle of the day at waters like Greenwood, and boats on this trip were already whipping around by 5:30 or 6 a.m. Saturday. The trips are a cool experience, haunting the dark to wait for bait to come up, followed by the fish. Anglers will begin to hear small splashes all around the boat when the bait moves in. Then they’ll hear a big “whoosh!” when a fish crashes the bait. The walleyes corral the bait against the shore to eat them, and anglers with Dave toss top-water lures and poppers to catch them. Livelined bait like herring could also work, but Dave loves fishing with the artificials. The angling is active, or the anglers are always working the lures, actively trying to catch. Nighttime, when the bait and walleyes move to the shallows, is the time to connect with the surface lures. The bait and fish apparently move to the deep during the daytime, and the angling shuts off at the hint of light. Even bright, full moons, when the moon is directly above, turns them off. Walleyes are big fish, another reason the angling is great, and they’re delicious, a member of the perch family. Dave’s trips focus on them during summer and also on muskies then. Most trips in the past weeks targeted walleyes, because the fishing was so good, but Live to Fish will also hone in on muskies now. Dave has been fishing for muskies eight or nine years and has landed about 130 of the elusive predators. The warm months get them active and are the time to catch them. Dave, a biology teacher, gets off school for summer break this week, and will begin mixing up trips for different types of angling more often. Live to Fish Guide Service guides trips for trout, muskies, 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.

A few big striped bass remained in the local Delaware River, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. Fishing with eels at night in rough weather is best for them. Tons of small stripers gobbled chicken livers in the river during the daytime, but usually during low-light hours like dusk. Channel catfish were rarely hauled from the river, and that was the only surprising aspect of the Delaware’s fishing. That was probably because the weather was clear and hot, making the river run low. The channels are usually a by-catch when anglers fishing for big stripers ply the river during rough weather, churned up waters. Jon Grilly won a New Jersey Catch and Release Skillful Angler Award for a 46-inch muskie he whaled on the Delaware. Merrill Creek Reservoir’s fishing was turned on less than usual, and less than last year’s terrific season for big fish. That was probably because of hot weather. Lots of small brown trout 16 inches and small pickerel were the main catches heard about now. Crappies, including hefty ones 12 and 14 inches, swarmed all over Spruce Run Reservoir. Chris Bogoly earned a Catch and Release Skillful Angler Award for a 14-inch crappie from Spruce. A couple of big brown trout were seen from Saucon Creek: Barry DeRohn’s 7-pound 9-ouncer and Chris Lettich’s 5-pound 3-ouncer. Bill thought maybe the reason was that a fishing tournament was held at the creek. Fish checked in at the shop also included Kenneth Lesig’s 3-pound rainbow trout from the Musconetcong River and Mike Hinkle’s 21-pound Atlantic salmon from Lake Ontario.

Water levels on the trout streams had been in good shape last week, but the heat probably shut down the fishing by this week, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Ledgewood. Walleyes were swiped at Lake Hopatcong on livelined herring or top-water lures like Zara Spooks at the points. A buddy beat a healthy catch of several largemouth bass to 3 pounds at Greenwood Lake on Keitech plastic baits. Largemouth angling was on a roll at the local ponds and lesser-known impoundments, and the fish were off the spawn. Kevin was catching them best in the middle of the day along the lily pads, because the fish hid in the cooler waters, temps probably 5 degrees lower. The angling shut down by 5 or 6 p.m., and he whacked a bunch of 18- and 19-inchers. Work Slug-Go’s through the pads or Scum Frogs over them. The fish will be keeping an eye out for food like dragon flies, will be looking up, anyway. Kevin heard nothing recently about the Delaware River’s angling, but planned to fish the waters soon for smallmouth bass or whatever bites. The river’s a pleasant place to fish.

Catches picked up during the weekend on the lake, and anglers rounded up crappies,, pickerel, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass and walleyes, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Jerry Freeman put the brakes on a 3-pound 7-pound largemouth. Bill Condon wrenched in an 8-pound hybrid on a livelined herring. Hunter Good tied into a 6-pound 13-ounce walleye. For the hybrids and walleyes most anglers fished with live herring, but lures also worked. Chestnut and Elba points and off the yacht club were hopping locales. The Knee Deep Club’s Stew Lant Lake Hopatcong Challenge will take place Saturday and Sunday, and sign up is available until 8 a.m. Saturday. Anglers can call the shop for info: 973-663-3826. Dow’s is open 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Largemouth bass fishing was a little slow during a couple of tournaments on Lake Hopatcong this weekend, said Nick from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. But that was probably because most of the fishing was done during the heat in the middle of the bluebird day. The fish seemed somewhat stuck in post-spawn mode, reluctant to feed as aggressively as they will. But the bass that were hooked came from along the weeds on jigs tipped with plastics like Keitech Little Spiders. Other Keitech’s like 4-inch swim worms should also work. Nick in previous reports said the big females hold along the weeds after the spawn, and the smaller males hover around the docks then. One of the winners from the tournaments totaled only 11 pounds for his five bass entered. Customers who focus on trout seemed to stop fishing for them in the heat, waiting for better conditions for the angling once the weather cools. The Passaic River near the shop ran very low, and fishing for the river’s big northern pike was mostly on hold in the conditions. Early spring was the time to battle them.

<b>CENTRAL JERSEY</b>

Hybrid striped bass were cracked at Spruce Run Reservoir on livelined herring and top-water or surface lures with rattles, in the middle of the night, like from 12 to 2 o’clock, said Nick from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Catfish could be tugged from the reservoir on chicken livers, worms or herring. At Round Valley Reservoir lake trout were trolled on Sutton spoons or perch-colored Rapalas dragged deep. Good catches of largemouth and smallmouth bass were mopped up from the Valley. Solid fishing for smallmouth bass was slugged on the South Branch of the Raritan River on Zonker flies, Wooly Buggers or small plugs imitating baitfish. Trout-fishing participation dropped off, because of summer, but to catch trout, fish in the early mornings or late in the day or on cold streams like Ken Lockwood Gorge or cool waters like at waterfalls. 

A couple of customers during the weekend pounced on mostly crappies and largemouth bass but a few chain pickerel at Lake Riviera, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. They mostly fished shiners, but a few of the bass smacked Senko worms. Chain pickerel including big ones were pancaked in the Toms River at Trilco, usually on killies. Trilco used to be a lumber yard, and no sign says Trilco anymore, but locals call the stretch of the river there by that name. It’s located behind the post office in the southern part of the town of Toms River. Hybrid striped bass began to be trolled at Manasquan Reservoir down 12 feet on lures like Rapalas. Early in the mornings or at the end of the day was best, but the fish could be hooked during the middle of the day at those depths. Trout fishing became mostly kaput because of warmth from summer. But the last trout catches were checked in from the Manasquan River near I-195.

Anglers flocked to the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes to wrestle largemouth bass and chain pickerel on soft-plastic lures, said Frank from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. They jumped on a crappie bite there last week during cooler, stormy weather on small jigs. Then the heat bore down, turning off the slabs. Catfishing wasn’t bad on the Delaware River. Impale chicken livers, worms or hot dogs on a three-way rig with a weight, fishing the bottom.

<b>SOUTH JERSEY</b>

Lots of largemouth bass were clobbered in a bass tournament on the Delaware River that Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn held at the Gloucester City Marina, he said. Most participants limited out, and 12 pounds 12 ounces was the winning weight for the heaviest five fish combined. A 4-1/2-pounder was the biggest bucketmouth in the event. Rick holds the tournaments once a month, and 15 to 20 boats are usually entered. Anglers can call the shop for info: 856-456-6622. Largemouth fishing was going well on the river. Carp and big catfish also roamed up and down the river, the carp chewing on dough balls, the catfish munching on cut baits like fresh white perch or frozen mackerel, herring or bunker, but also nightcrawlers. The fish will concentrate more in some areas than others, like in all fishing. Newton Lake was a hangout for largemouths and crappies, and soft-plastic lures were often fished for the largemouths around all the lakes. But largemouth anglers tossed rubber frogs and top-water lures in the early mornings. Big crappies collected in the Cooper River near the Route 130 Bridge. Customers fishing in saltwater found lots of summer flounder in Delaware Bay, but only a few keepers, three to five a boat. Kingfish hung in the surf at Atlantic City and Brigantine. Sea bass fishing seemed better in deeper waters like 70 to 100 feet, produced more keepers than closer to shore. Big bluefish covered up the bluefin tuna grounds in 20 fathoms, almost giving anglers no chance to hook a tuna. Rick fished the waters Monday, and blues constantly knocked down all six rods in the trolling spread, and no tuna was hooked. Shark anglers seemed to have the same problem. The difficulty with the blues even seemed to keep boaters off the waters, and Rick saw five other boats in the area all day on the trip. Not much was heard about fishing for yellowfin tuna farther offshore at the canyons so far, except from southern waters like Washington Canyon. Most of the fish were yet to migrate within range. Big Timber carries a complete supply of bait and tackle for fishing on all waters from freshwater to bays to offshore.

Lots of largemouth bass were weighed in, now that the fish could be kept, after the catch-and-release season ended, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers Bait & Tackle</b> in Blackwood. A few other fish were also checked in. Anglers and their largemouths from Grenloch Lake included Ashley Moore’s 6.7-pounder, Curt Mitten’s 4.8-pounder, Tina Rodano’s 4.2 –pounder, Steve Stahl’s 3.9-pounder and Glen McLeary’s 3.2-pounder. Josh Morgan came through the door with a 2.7-pound brook trout, a holdover from spring stocking at Grenloch. Largemouths weighed in from Blackwood Lake included Ricky Acer’s 5.1-pounder, John Talsa’s 4.2-pounder and Ted Mauer’s 2.6-pounder, each hooked on shiners. Anglers often fish shiners for largemouths and minnows for pickerel. James Barnes brought in a 3.8-pound catfish from Blackwood Lake, and anglers do catch catfish from the waters. At Puppyland Pond, Bill Hurley turned up a 3.2-pound largemouth, and Lisa Fink socked a 2.2-pounder. At other waters, New Brooklyn Lake was always a place to tangle with chain pickerel. Wilson Lake was a spot that especially served up largemouths and pickerel.

Jim Phillips snatched largemouth bass and chain pickerel from Salem County’s Daretown Lake on Senko worms and jigs with Uncle Josh pork rinds, said Lou from <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Check out a description of the lake. Other customers plucked white perch and crappies from the Salem Canal on small minnows and small jigs. The canal is also known for largemouth bass fishing, and tournaments for the bigmouths are held there. But these anglers honed in on the perch and crappies. Another customer rapped largemouths and crappies from the waters at Salem County’s DOD Ponds Wildlife Management Area. Here’s a map of the area. On Delaware Bay, catching a keeper summer flounder was difficult. An angler might have to wade through 30 throwbacks for one legal flattie. One customer said he landed 10 including one keeper. Good catches were boxed last year, angling that peaked around the first and second weeks of July. Maybe the time for keepers will come.

Largemouth bass anglers avoided the heat of mid day, but mugged the fish, good catches, early in the mornings or late in the day, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Noteworthy waters for the angling included Union Lake and Parvin’s Lake, and reports spilled in about the Salem Canal’s largemouth fishing amping up. A largemouth tournament at Union was tough on Sunday, but that seemed because of fishing in the middle of the day. Use the right tactics, and Union should produce. Rubber frogs and buzz baits were popular for largemouth fishing early and late in the day on various waters. If anglers do fish for the bucketmouths in the heat of the day, hit cool waters like at creeks, flipping a jig or working a Senko worm. Smallmouth bass anglers at Lake Audrey had to fish deeper in the heat, but caught. Drop-shots or shaky-head jig got down to the depths. Resident striped bass could be angled from the Maurice River with fair consistency on lures like Rapalas and Bombers. Many anglers will hunt them right in Millville from the Union Lake dam to the municipal boat ramp at Fowser Road. In saltwater, Delaware Bay’s summer flounder fishing gave up a high ratio of throwbacks but was improving. Steve started to hear about better catches.

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