<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Adirondacks</b>

Ice fishing started to be possible at a few places, said Jeff from <b>FISH307.com</b> in the village of Lake George. The fishing had only just begun, though ice angling this time last year was “rocking and rolling,” he said. This year was warm, but “it’s coming,” Jeff said. Temps in the next days are supposed to dip into single digits at night and hover around freezing during the day. So that will help. Currently, shallower areas in shallower bodies of water offered fishable ice. Lake Eaton and Lake Durant held fishable ice. Two inches covered Raquette Lake. Rumors said Blue Lake might’ve held ice in shallower areas. Ice-fishing baits that will begin to be stocked next week will include emerald shiners, spikes and a limited supply of mousies. Mousies are scarce everywhere this year, and will be more expensive than usual.

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river ran at 900 CFS, the lowest in a week, and the flow fluctuated up and down a lot, reaching 1,800 at the peak, said Johnnie from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. Big, male steelheads came in from Lake Ontario, bunching up in the lower river, during high waters last week. Though waters were often high, steelheading was good. Crowds weren’t bad, either, and both drift-boaters and shore anglers caught. Blue egg sacks and trout beads worked well. Rains were falling, so the 900 CFS flow might go up.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Trout were angled in the streams, a slow pick, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Ledgewood. That included on the Pequest River and the South Branch of the Raritan River, and small egg flies and midges caught them. Disco midges and brassies score well this time of year. Fish slowly in deep holes with slow waters. Ice was yet to form for ice fishing on the lakes.

Yellow perch and crappies were targeted on Lake Hopatcong with Rapala ice-fishing jigs, said Nick from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. Calm days, not windy ones, produced, according to anglers. Windy days made staying on the right spots difficult. Nothing was heard about walleyes from the lake. Northern pike, fewer than previously, but some, were plucked from the Passaic River on shiners. A few anglers banked trout on the Pequannock River, and one reported landing a limit, but always releases them. Two weeks of cold are usually needed for ice fishing to begin, so if the cold began today, that would create ice fishing by mid January. That almost made Nick wonder whether ice fishing would happen this year.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Fishing for trout had been good, but streams now rain high from rains, said Amy from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Not a lot happened with anglers, except holiday shopping. Some picked up new fishing licenses for the year. No new ice-fishing gear is ever stocked until cold weather begins. Ice gear from last year is on hand.

Chain pickerel fishing will be most consistent now, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. The picks thrive in cold waters, and the Toms River at Trilco is always a place to fight them. Trilco is a building supply that closed down, and no sign identifies the building, but the stretch of river at the Parkway is known by the name. Yellow perch were sometimes yanked from the river there. Crappies will keep biting in the cold, and a few largemouth bass should be able to be managed. Winter-stocked trout swam Lake Shenandoah, though nothing was heard about the fishing. Nightcrawlers and a few packs of garden worms are stocked. The shop is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. this week, and might be open Saturday, New Year’s Eve Day. Next week’s hours will be determined, depending on weather and fishing.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Walleyes swam the Delaware River upstream from Trenton or at Lambertville and Frenchtown, said Frank from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Deep-swimming plugs like deep-running Rapalas and shiners caught them. Crappies swiped crappie jigs at waters like Lake Mercer and most local ponds. Water temps were right, but rains were probably “blowing away” fishing, Frank said. Ice-fishing gear is all stocked up, if fishable ice ever forms this winter.

The Delaware River ran high, really wasn’t fishable, but walleyes were heard about that bit in the river at the Lambertville wing dam and the Bull’s Island wing dam, said Bob from <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Anglers usually hooked them on shiners or nightcrawlers, sometimes on Gulp artificial worms. All other fishing was pretty much blown out from high waters from rains.

The shop wasn’t open during the holiday weekend, so nothing much was heard about fishing, said Jeff Sr. from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Fishing for chain pickerel was probably the best bet in cold waters at local lakes. The picks will stay active, and minnows are a best bet to get them to swipe. Minnows will be stocked until waters freeze this season. In saltwater, a few customers still fished for striped bass before the holiday, but no results were heard.

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