<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Adirondacks</b>

A few anglers began to fish from the ice in the bays at Lake George, especially Harris Bay, pulling on yellow perch, said Brian from <b>FISH307.com</b> in the village of Lake George. The main lake never freezes until January 15 to 20, and the ice on the bays was questionably fishable, so be careful. But the other lakes and ponds held lots of fishable ice, and many anglers fished from them. Glen Lake was one, giving up good catches of yellow perch, often on small panfish jigs in sizes 12 and 14. Healthy catches of brown trout were sometimes tugged through the ice at Brant Lake and Schroon Lake, though anglers complained about crowds on Brant. That’s unusual, but word must’ve spread about a bite. Swedish Pimple jigs in Kelly Green in sizes 2, 4 and 5 were popular at both lakes, and are stocked. The weather was in the low 20s during the day, and 6 inches of light, fluffy snow covered the ground. More snow was expected through this morning, but less than was predicted for farther south along the East Coast.

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river’s steelhead fishing slowed a little in cold weather and frequent snow, but good catches were hung on trips, said Capt. Shane Thomas from <b>Salmon River Guide</b> in Pulaski. Instead of hooking 20 per day, anglers with him hooked 12 to 15, landing 6 or 7. But catching that many steelheads, sizeable, strong fish, isn’t shabby by any standard. Trips with him drift-boated the catches, fishing with egg sacks a little more than before. But beads and pink worms worked. Fly fishing becomes difficult in the cold. The river flowed at 500 CFS, the same as in some time. That can make fishing a bit stale. But the angling was still good. “Good enough,” Shane said.

The weather was cold, but steelheads were still socked on the river, running at 500 CFS, said Eric from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. Mostly steelheads, not many trout, were reported caught. The upper river seemed best, and anglers would hit one or two steelheads per hole, then have to move. Customers fished mostly with egg sacks. Not a ton of snow covered the ground. Ice anglers fared decent on yellow perch at Sandy Pond. They walloped walleyes, not great catches, but some, at Oneida Lake. The shop stocks all the ice tackle and bait, as well as all the supplies for steelheading.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Ice became sketchy at Lake Luxembourg during the last warm spell, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. But afterward the weather turned cold again, and when the ice was last fishable, ice fishing at Luxembourg was some of the best. Bluegills, yellow perch, crappies and largemouth bass were copped, mostly on small jigs, meal worms, wax worms and minnows. When the ice wasn’t fishable, anglers bailed plenty of trout under the bridge at the upper end of the lake. One angler caught and released more than 20 on one day, releasing six to ten per trip on other outings. Good numbers of trout were tackled through the ice at Levittown Lake. At Lake Nockamixon ice anglers nabbed yellow perch, crappies and chain pickerel, great catches. One angler on one trip whacked eight walleyes to 3 pounds and a few largemouth bass and pickerel at the lake from the Rouge 563 Bridge on shiners. Farther north in Pennsylvania, Lake Shohola served up terrific catches of yellow perch and pickerel through the hard waters. One ice angler reported rustling up all the pickerel anyone could want at Peck’s Pond, saying he also fared well on yellow perch and bluegills at White Deer Lake. Closer to the shop, catfishing produced good angling on the Delaware River when floating ice wasn’t a problem. The ice had disappeared during the warm spell, and anglers banked one to three cats per trip from 1 to 3 pounds at places like off Linden Avenue, Princeton Avenue and the Frankford Arsenal. They fished with bagels, herring and shrimp. Big yellow perch were picked from the river at Dredge Harbor from the docks when the ice was clear. Anglers fished there from one particular dock, but permission is needed from the marina. One angler on the river at Tullytown Cove piled up a bunch of yellow perch and crappies and an occasional largemouth bass, even when there was ice. When ice formed, anglers had to fish when higher tides created open waters along the shoreline. Farther upstream on the river, fishing was slow at the Trenton power plant, because the plant wasn’t pumping warm waters into the Delaware. But a few catfish, yellow perch and smallmouth bass were pulled from the waters. Only a few anglers fished farther upstream on the river at the New Hope wing dam, but they scored fair on walleyes on minnows, shiners and rubber grubs, coming in with one to three per trip, measuring up to 20 inches, and occasional smallmouth bass. An angler on the river at the Stockton Bridge landed six walleyes to 4 pounds on sinking Rapala lures. Another on the river tackled eight smallmouth bass in deeper waters across from the Byram boat ramp on minnows. In South Jersey the lakes were frozen, but nothing was heard about anyone ice fishing on them yet. But anglers fished the ice-free fast waters at the outflows below the lakes for pickerel or yellow or white perch. Pickerel to 18 inches were caught at the fast waters in the outflow below Batso Lake on minnows. The outlow below Lake Lenape was another good spot, churning out the picks and perch on minnows, worms or rubber twister trails. Some anglers looked for ice at Collins Cove on the Mullica River, the popular spot for white perch fishing from the hard waters, but found the cove clear. Still, they fished the open waters anyway, plucking a few of the whities on shiners or squid strips.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Ice anglers picked up yellow perch, sometimes walleyes, at Lake Hopatcong, said Kevin at <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Ledgewood. Waters off the state park were popular to fish, and ice now formed across the whole lake, not just the coves. Lots was heard about good fishing for trout at Lake Aeroflex through the ice on jigs. Stream anglers rounded up trout from the Pequest River on small zebra midges and scuds. The stream ran low, despite snowfalls, but put up catches.

Plenty of ice, probably 4 to 10 inches, covered the lake in the cold weather, and the main lake, not just the coves, was frozen since about the middle of last week, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Yellow perch were jigged at Great Cove on spikes and wax worms. Chain pickerel, largemouth bass and yellow perch were taken off Woodport on tip ups or jigs, both with shiners. The lake off the state park also produced fish. The Knee Deep Club’s ice-fishing tournament is set for Sunday, and info is available at the club’s Web site or by calling the shop: 973-663-3826. Parking and ice-fishing bait and tackle are available at the store, open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. 

Everybody talked about ice fishing, said Nick from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. Nobody mentioned trout fishing on the streams, but ice fishing was popular. A buddy did a job on yellow perch and northern pike at Budd Lake. Another put a beating on crappies and yellow perch at Pompton Lakes, fishing with mousies and tip ups. But most customers bought tackle for jigging, like Rapala and Kastmaster jigs. Monksville Reservoir doled out plenty of yellow perch and crappies. Those three waters – Budd Lake, Pompton Lakes and Monksville – were some of the most talked about ice locales. But Lake Hopatcong dished up ice fishing, especially off the state park, and the main lake, not just the coves, was frozen now. Some anglers tried the deep for bigger fish like muskies. Nothing was heard about Greenwood Lake. This season already shaped up to be a good one for ice fishing, and ice anglers already fished for a month. During recent years anglers couldn’t be sure whether enough ice would form. But enough froze this year and last. A ton of ice-fishing gear, from tip ups, to rod-and-reel combos, to all the jigs, to power augers, is stocked.

Lake Hopatcong’s ice anglers did a fair number on yellow perch, said Mark from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Just about all species were angled through the ice there, and the whole lake was apparently frozen across, but most anglers fished the coves. Snow covering the ice hid how thick the ice might be. Mousies became scarce for ice-fishing bait, running out at the shop. But spikes and meal worms are on hand. A friend trout fished on the Pequest River, fly-angling two 12- and 13-inch rainbows on Gold Ribbed Hares Ears in size 18. Catch the shop’s annual sale on all fly-tying supplies, lasting the whole month, featuring a 20-percent discount, and a 30-percent discount for Trout Unlimited members.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Ice fishing was under way around <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville, Eric said. Panfish, chain pickerel and largemouth bass were clobbered through the holes at the lakes at spots like the Colliers Mill and Assunpink Wildlife Management Areas. Ice fishing was hot at Prospertown Lake, and Eric saw a photo of a big pickerel heaved in there this week. On the Delaware River, the Trenton Power plant was turned off since before Christmas. So no warm waters were pumped out, and nobody fished there, like they do when the warm waters attract fish including catfish, striped bass, smallmouth bass and walleyes. Shiners, mousies, meal worms and a full selection of ice-fishing tackle is stocked. Heads up: Eric, a charter captain and guide with his company On a Mission Fishing Adventures, will give a seminar Friday, March 4, on spring surf fishing at the Hemlock Rod and Gun Club in Fairless Hills, Pa. Angling for stripers and blues with both bait and artificials will be covered. The club has no Web site, but info will be posted at On a Mission’s site. Eric runs charters on the ocean and guides trips in the surf and on the Delaware River. Check out the site about his fishing.

 Ice covered the lakes, and a few kids were seen playing on them, but no anglers were seen fishing there, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. The ice put a halt to most angling, and if anyone wanted to try to wet a line, the ice-free spillways could probably be fished for whatever species shows up. Live bait like minnows is probably best. Small jigs might be used, if anglers want to fish with artificials. Anglers stopped by to purchase fishing licenses for the new year. The store is really getting stocked up with fishing tackle for the impending season.

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