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New Jersey Freshwater Fishing Report 11-30-11


<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

Fishing for the river’s steelheads “was a lot better this past week,” a report on <b>Salmon River Guide</b> from Pulaski’s Web site said. That was because the river’s flow “perked up,” the report said, or reached 500 CFS. Trips with Salmon River Guide scored best on egg sacks and trout beads under floats or strike indicators. Egg flies and nymphs bounced along the bottom also worked. Fishing with a 6-pound fluorocarbon leader was very important for strikes. Brown trout swam through the lower river recently. Previously the steelheading was so-so, giving up a few good days, a few okay days and a few slow days each week. Low waters made finding good spots to fish difficult, especially during weekend crowds. Lots of steelheads then held in the river, but the lack of flow and the fishing pressure made the fish finicky. Two-day package deals are available for trips on the river, and call Salmon River Guide for details. Looking for an awesome holiday gift? Gift certificates are available. 

The river was raised to 500 CFS in the past day, and its steelhead fishing was great on Tuesday, said Ben from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. However, the waters were slated to be raised to 1,000 CFS that evening, and that would be tough on the fishing. Ben was unaware about the reason the river would be raised, and rains fell lately, but not a lot. The river will apparently have to be dropped low soon afterward. A high flow apparently can’t be sustained, because, for example, word said that previously officials considered dropping the flow to 185 CFS. When steelheading was great Tuesday, catches were made throughout the river, and steelheads fresh from Lake Ontario swam the lower river. Brown trout were beaten on the upper river Tuesday.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Trout fishing was good, and anglers just had to fish between rainstorms and when stream levels were down, or had to fish downstream where flows were lower, said Greg from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Ledgewood. A few customers connected with the catches on the Pequest River at the hatchery. Others scored well on different local streams. Most fished with nymphs, bead-headed nymphs or midges. Nothing was heard in a long time about anyone fishing the Delaware River. On lakes like Lake Hopatcong walleyes were jigged this time of year, and yellow perch were plucked.

One-hundred-sixty trout were placed in Barbour’s Pond for the winter stocking, and good-sized ones were reportedly reeled in, said Nick from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. Many were supposedly taken on garden worms. Stream anglers banked trout on the Pequest River, including on meal worms. The Passaic River, running somewhat high, gave up northern pike and small striped bass for a few customers.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Round Valley Reservoir boaters trolled trout, good catches, said Burt from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Nothing was heard about fishing from shore at the reservoir, but trout were seen cruising along the shoreline there. One customer kept jigging walleyes at Swartswood Lake. Nobody talked about trout fishing on the streams, but Burt fished the South Branch of the Raritan River two weeks ago. He hooked no trout, but the river’s flow was somewhat up but very fishable.

A couple of customers geared up to hit Lake Shenandoah for the winter trout stocking, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River.  They bought nightcrawlers for the fishing, and nothing was heard about results, but the lake was slated to receive 220 trout last week on Monday. A few chain pickerel and a few largemouth bass were nabbed at the pond at Seacourt Pavilion on Hooper Avenue by customers. Pickerel and crappies are fish to hunt this season, in 50-degree waters that are ideal for them. Shiners and nightcrawlers are stocked, and killies will be restocked next week.

<b>South Jersey</b>

A customer talked about shoveling up good catches of walleyes from the Delaware River at times like night or during rains, “when you don’t want to be there,” said Eric from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Walleye fishing was good on the river at places including Trenton, Lambertville and Frenchtown on lures like Rapalas. Or anglers could fish for them with shiners, and smallmouth bass would also pounce on the shiners. Fishing for crappies had been good on the local lakes. But fluctuating water temps now hampered lake fishing. When nights dipped to the 30s, water temps dropped 10 degrees, and when daytimes rose close to the 70s, water temps rose 10 degrees. Trout fishing was hopping at streams in the northern state like the Pequest, Musconetcong and South Branch of the Raritan rivers.

Walleyes were wrestled from the Delaware River at Scudders Falls, on Rebel Countdown lures in perch color, said Carl from <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Healthy catches of crappies were copped at Rising Sun Lake and Stone Tavern Lake in the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area on shiners or fathead minnows. Many of the cranberry bogs turned out solid chain pickerel fishing on shiners.

Anglers honed in on all the lakes that received trout for the winter stocking last week, said Jim from <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. See the <a href=" http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2011/wntrtrt11.htm" target="_blank">trout stocking schedule</a>. Not a lot was heard about fishing, and that could be the case until spring. But chain pickerel and crappies, fish that thrive in cooler waters, will keep active at Wilson Lake.

Fluctuating water temps, because of days that kept changing between warm and cool, made fishing difficult on the lakes, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. The changes kept fish from biting, but largemouth bass would normally be on a good Rat-L-Trap bite now. Once water temps stabilize, largemouthing should be good. Anglers who traveled to Maryland’s Susquehanna River flats said largemouth catches were outstanding. In saltwater in New Jersey, striped bass fishing was excellent this fall. Delaware Bay put up plenty of stripers, especially in the southern bay. A few reports talked about good fishing for stripers slugged in the ocean off Sea Isle City and Cape May. Steve’s been fishing for stripers on the ocean farther north, from Barnegat Inlet, and that action was super.

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