<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

A few steelheads remained in the river, but the fishing was mostly finished for the season, said Capt. Shane Thomas from <b>Salmon River Guide Service</b> from Pulaski. Steelheads each year swim up the river from Lake Ontario beginning in autumn, live in the river through winter, spawn there in spring, and return to the lake for summer. Shane’s trips will now fish for brown trout on Lake Ontario and walleyes in various lakes, including Ontario. Fishing for the browns was super, with lots of the trout swimming the shallows close to shore in 8 to 25 feet. The fish swam shallower in mornings and evenings and deeper at mid day. Stick baits will catch them in the mornings and evenings, and spoons will clock them during the day. Walleye fishing was slow, was apparently just beginning. Cold waters this spring, and lots of rains and dirty waters from rains, probably kept the bite from turning on. The fishing was good farther north in the bays like Henderson Harbor. Walleye catches at Oneida Lake were okay, not good. But local walleye fishing should kick in as waters warm.

Steelhead season was on the verge of ending on the river, said Ben from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. Some smaller steelheads remained, and many of the larger, spawning ones departed for Lake Ontario. A few fresh steelheads, fish that moved into the river from the lake, still pushed up the river, though that was unusual. A few Atlantic salmon and brown trout were claimed on the river. More fish swam the river than normal at this time of year, and usually the angling is almost dead around now. The timing of the fish runs has been unusual all along this past year, including last fall. Brown trout fishing was good toward the 20-foot shallows on Lake Ontario. Walleye fishing was off to a slow start, and cold waters certainly had something to do with that. Walleye fishing was okay at Oneida Lake and on some of the smaller lakes to the south, like Owasko Lake.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Capt. Dave Vollenweider from <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b> from Montvale, on basically an experimental trip, he said, on Saturday to fish with trolled planers, axed a 6-pound walleye. The fish, a spawned-out female that probably would’ve topped 7 pounds with eggs, clobbered a Reef Runner crank bait in 35 feet of water. A small smallmouth bass and a yellow perch also jumped on the lines. Lots of fish were marked in 35 to 55 feet, and the walleyes were probably recuperating from spawning. Dave usually fishes for walleyes at night, but the day was overcast and sometimes rainy, conducive to catching walleyes that are sensitive to light, shunning the sun. He normally fishes for them at night – trips that haunt the waters in the middle of the night, including literally the first hours of the day – both because the fish then move to the shallows, and multi-use lakes like Greenwood are quiet then from no traffic like pleasure boaters, water skiers and jet skiers. Walleyes in the dark move into the skinny waters to feed on baitfish, crashing on them on the surface, great for exciting fishing with top-water lures that Dave specializes in. He likes to cast big lures like the Rapala F-18, the company’s biggest floater, to the fish at night. The large size seems to stand out from the thousands of baitfish like 4-inchers, attracting strikes. The lake was 61 to 62 degrees, and Dave is about ready to begin his walleye trips, quite a unique experience, fishing on the lonely lakes during the graveyard shifts, using equipment like head lamps. The fishing is already happening, because Dave’s seen reports about the catches, but will probably become a little better late in May and in June. If someone wants to go, he’ll go now. But this was his first trip of the season for the marble eyes, and he’s wrapping up his springtime trout fishing. He’s been nailing trout, including sizeable ones, on rivers like the Paulinskill and Pequest on lures, another specialty for Live to Fish. Dave often fishes for trout with the Rapala CountDown lure in size CD3. He’s found that lure fishing is simply deadly on trout, and also grabs the bigger fish that mostly hone in on small fish or minnows. The lure fishing is still happening, but the stream water levels are beginning to drop as summer approaches, and trout stocking will end after May, and his trout trips mostly end by then. The lures become difficult to fish in low waters, and most anglers fish for trout with bait and flies by then. So, though he’ll guide trips with bait or flies if anglers want, mostly another couple of weeks are probably left for his trouting. A friend on Saturday banked nine trout. Another picked up a 17-inch Palomino trout, a cross between a rainbow and a golden trout, on the Walkill River. That was unusual, because the state no longer stocks Palominos. A friend from New Jersey fisheries figured the trout probably came from a private stocking, like from a club. 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.

Water levels were down a bit on the Rockaway River when Don from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Ledgewood saw the river before this week’s rains, he said. The Delaware River’s level was also okay when he saw the Big D before the storms. But this week’s rainfalls will definitely raise the waters on the trout streams. Downpouring rains flooded the local area Tuesday night, for example. But previously all the customers who trout fished seemed to catch. One talked about landing the fish on the Musconetcong, and another mentioned catching on the Pequest. One showed a photo of a 30-inch breeder he angled from the Pequest. Another customer targeted crappies at Split Rock Reservoir, but seemed to land everything else: panfish like bluegills and some largemouth bass. Largemouths must be released through June 15, because of spawning.

Sixty-three trout were entered in the Knee Deep Club’s trout tournament on the lake this weekend, despite rough weather, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Winners in the contest, dedicated to Harold Mabee who passed away this year, were: 1st place, Dominic Sarinelli, 3-pound 11-ounce rainbow, $604, including $100 that the Mabee family donated; 2nd place, Albert Yannarelli, 3-pound 1-ounce rainbow, $303; and 3rd place, Gary Bruzaud, 1-pound 5-ounce brown, $202. Each also won a rod-and-reel combo that some of the club members donated. Frank Schweiger, Jason Cummins and Hunter Good each won a $20 gift certificate that Lake’s End Marine donated. Some of the other good-sized fish weighed in through the week were Dennis Beam’s 9-pound 8-ounce hybrid striped bass that pounced on herring, a 7-pound 13-ounce hybrid that Dave Smith claimed, an 8-pound 9-ounce hybrid that Jack Dziduch walloped, and Kenny Stelmack’s 6-pound 15-ounce hybrid that swiped herring. Hunter Good on a couple of good trips clocked a 6-pound 6-ounce smallmouth bass, released per regulations, and a 4-pound 13-ounce hybrid. Smallmouth fishing is catch and release through June 15 for spawning.

Trout catches were good all around the different streams, said Chris from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. He scored well on the Big Flatbrook on fathead minnows and gold spinners. The Flatbrook was somewhat high because of rains but fishable, and anglers will just have to watch the water levels from the storms this week. Largemouth bass fishing, restricted to catch and release through June 15, began to pick up. Waters were cool for the fishing this season. Northern pike were punched throughout the Passaic River on large shiners, sold at the shop. The waters were a little up, but that can be good for the pike fishing. Again, anglers will see how this week’s rains affect the level.

Twenty-two rainbow and brown trout and 44 lake trout were entered in the Round Valley Trout Association’s tournament on the reservoir Saturday, an e-mail from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport</b> said. The rainbows ranged from a 2.46-pounder to a 1.36-pounder, and the browns ranged from a 2.14-pounder to a 1.38-pounder. The lakers ranged from a 2.88-pounder to a 1.18-pounder. In other news, one catch of six lakers 17 to 22 inches was reported caught from the Valley, on a trip from 5 p.m. Thursday to 8 a.m. Friday at the north dam, on live herring swum along the bottom, in 75 feet. Cory Dick checked in a 7-1/2-pound 24-inch rainbow trout from the Musconetcong River. Finally, here were the anglers and their rainbow and brown trout from the tournament, listed from largest to smallest fish: 1.) Roger Drew,  rainbow, 2.46 pounds 17 ½ inches, 2.) Ron Degraff,  rainbow, 2.16 18, 3.) Ryan Lipot, brown 2.14 17 ¾, 4.) Mike Roman, rainbow, 2.06 17 ½, 5.) Mike Roman brown, 2.02 17 ½, 6). Joe Lewicki, rainbow, 1.96 16 ½, 7.) Ron Degraff Rainbow 1.92 17 ¼, 8.) John Yenshaw, brown, 1.84 17 ¾, 9.) John Yenshaw, rainbow, 1.82 16 3/8, 10). Matt Davis, brown, 1.76 16 1/4 28, 11.) Roger Drew, brown, 1.76 16 ¾, 12.) Steve Herasymchuck, rainbow, 1.76 16 ¼, 13.) Jeff Simpson, rainbow, 1.74 16 ½, 14.) Steve Herasymchuck, rainbow, 1.7 16 ½, 15.) Scott Moskwa, rainbow, 1.7 17, 16.) Mike Pitoscia, rainbow, 1.64 16 ¼, 17.) Ryan Lipot, rainbow, 1.62 15 ¾, 18.) Scott Moskwa, rainbow, 1.62 16 ¾, 19.) Mike Pitoscia, rainbow, 1.54 15 ½, 20.) Joe Satkowski, brown, 1.4 15 ¾, 21.) Mark Quartararo, brown, 1.38 16 ¼, and 22.) Joe Satkowski, rainbow, 1.36 15 ½. Lakers from the tournament, listed from largest to smallest, were: 1.) Rocco Catania, 2.88 pounds 19 ½ inches,  2.) Bob Glasso, l2.74 19 7/8, 3.) Bob Glasso, 2.68 19 ½, 4.) Mark Quartararo, 2.68 19 ¾, 5.) Dave Voorhees, 2.64 19 ¾, 6.) Ryan Lipot, 2.6 20, 7.) Jeff Simpson, 2.58 18 ¾, 8.) Ryan Lipot, 2.54 19 ½, 9.) Mike Roman, 2.52 19 ¾, 10.) Dave Voorhees, 2.48 19 ¾, 11.) Mark Quartararo, 2.48 19, 12.) Joe Satkowski, 2.44 19 ¾, 13.) Roger Drew, 2.38 18 ¾, 14.) Barry Simpson, 2.38 19 3/8, 15.) Dave Plitcha, 2.38 19 ½, 16.) Roger Drew, 2.36 19 ½, 17.) Joe Taylor, 2.32 18 ¾, 18.) Dave Voorhees, 2.3 19, 19.) Joe Satkowski, 2.3 19, 20.) Rocco Catania, 2.3 18 ½, 21.) Jay Borawski, 2.3 19 ¼, 22.) Barry Simpson, 2.22 19 1/8, 23.) Dave Plitcha, 2.22 18 ¾, 24.) Joe Lewicki, 2.2 17 ½, 25.) Jeff Simpson, 2.18 18 ½, 26.) Barry Simpson, 2.18 19 1/8, 27.) Joe Satkowski, 2.16 18 ¾, 28.) Jeff Simpson, 2.1 18 ½, 29.) Mike Roman, 2.06 18 ¾, 30.) Ron Degraff, 1.98 18 ½, 31.) Joe Taylor, 1.96 18 ¼, and 32.) Bob Glasso, 1.94 18 1/4 31.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

One customer weighed in a 4.8-pound brown trout from the South Branch of the Raritan River, said Burt from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Burt fished on the Black River on Friday, fly-rodding a 14-inch, wild brown and 12-inch brook trout, losing another fish, on a hellgrammite. Water levels were good on the river, and trout stream levels this season seem like they’d hold up a while, especially with this week’s rain to replenish them. Burt heard that the Delaware River ran at a perfect level before the week’s rains.

Crappie fishing at the ponds and lakes was okay, and chain pickerel fishing was good, and largemouth bass fishing, catch and release through June 15, was yet to jump start, and warmer weather was needed, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. But a few largemouths, a slow bite in cold waters, were picked at Manasquan Reservoir around the trees in 6-foot depths, on jig-and-pigs and spinner baits. The deep reservoir is slow to warm. Trout fishing turned on and off in the weather like rains and winds, but overall was healthy this year, on waters like the Metedeconk, Manasquan and Toms rivers. Baits like Power Baits were more productive than artificials like spinners or small Rapala lures. Trouting was probably slower but more consistent in the Metedeconk’s clear, cool waters because of the sand bottom, compared with the Manasquan’s muddy bottom. Shiners, killies, nightcrawlers, trout worms and all the baits are stocked.    

Striped bass were still stocked on the local Delaware River, said Eric from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. He was on a trip that plowed 19 or 20 of the stripers, including a couple of sizeable ones 18 or 19 pounds, on live herring, herring chunks and herring heads. Lots of catfish, including a couple of big ones to 17 pounds, also scarfed up the baits. One customer reported catching stripers all the way up at Upper Black Eddie, so stripers still seemed to swim from there all the way downstream to Philly. On the lakes, fishing for crappies and chain pickerel sounded solid, and a few largemouth bass, fish that must be let go through June 15, were fought. Some of the largemouths were spawning, so anglers caught them “that way,” Eric said. Presumably, he meant the anglers tried for a reaction strike, making the fish either bite out of instinct or to remove a threat from the spawning bed, because the bass should be reluctant to feed while spawning. Trout fishing was reportedly productive to the north at waters like the Musconetcong, South Branch of the Raritan and Pequest rivers.

Fishing for striped bass seemed spotty, not too consistent, on the Delaware River in the season’s cold waters, but customers still fished for them, said Dom from <b>Barracuda’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Riverside. Reports about catches from all different stretches of the river, instead of particular spots like most years, tended to roll in. Lots of white perch that grabbed bloodworms meant for the bass could be difficult to fish through. The river’s herring migration likely peaked, and its shad run might’ve peaked. Nothing was heard about shad in the past days. Catfish can always be angled from the river, and many anglers wait to fish for them after other fishing, like for stripers and shad, ends. Catfish to 5 and 7 pounds, including channel cats, bullheads and flatheads, are common. Lake anglers concentrated on panfish from crappies to bluegills, because largemouth bass fishing was restricted to catch and release for spawning through June 15. But the largemouth fishing began to improve, so the fish probably started to come out of the spawn. Crappie fishing is always one of the more productive bets in the area. Lots of crappies, and big ones, fill many of the lakes. Olympia Lakes is a great spot for panfishing. Lake Lonnie and Lake Sooy in Delran harbor lots of panfish. All the lakes hold the largemouths, and fishing for them will become better as the spawn ends. For the panfish, grubs like Trout Magnets are popular. Beetle Spins are big. Most breeder trout were caught by this point in the season, but sizeable trout still turned out tugs at Crystal and Sylvan lakes. Fathead minnows or Power Bait combined with a meal worm or a wax worm drew bites. All the baits including minnows, nightcrawlers, wax worms and butterworms are stocked.

<b>South Jersey</b>

The shop’s annual catfish tournament went well during the weekend, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers Bait & Tackle</b> in Blackwood. Bill Emerson won first place with a total weight of 36.1 pounds for four fish, including a 12.14-pounder, and <a href="http://www.creekkeepers.com/id2.html" target="_blank">click here</a> for the tournament’s complete results. Most of the catfishers headed to the Delaware River, Old Man’s Creek or Raccoon Creek. Trout were belted at Rowands Pond on minnows and Oak Pond on meal works. Chain pickerel were tackled at New Brooklyn Lake, always a spot for the water wolves. Little was heard about largemouth bass, probably because they were spawning and had to be released through June 15. Sunnies and other panfish were yanked from nearly all the lakes, including Grenloch Lake and Blackwood Lake, on meal worms. All the baits are stocked.

Union Lake’s fishing turned red hot for largemouth and smallmouth bass, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Both fish must be released through June 15 for spawning, and a mix of pre-spawners, spawners and post-spawners were probably around. Jig-and-pigs and spinner baits could be fished for the largemouths, and tubes, drop-shots and Senko worms could be tossed for the smallmouths. Big crappies were on a tear at Union, mostly slapping minnows or small jigs. Smallie fishing at Lake Audrey, one of two lakes, along with Union, in South Jersey that hold the fish, finally turned on, and was great. Almost seemed the smallies got fished out from Audrey, because they had been scarcely caught this year, after lots were mauled last year. But now the take was on, and tubes, drop shots, any soft-plastic lures, minnows or nearly anything copped the strikes. A few diehards picked away at trout, drilling good catches, but not many fished for them anymore, after the novelty wore off, after the waters were stocked. In saltwater, striped bass were knuckled in from the Delaware River and from the shore of Delaware Bay at Fortescue. The season for stripers was wearing on, but wasn’t too late to catch yet. Not much was heard about summer flounder, and the season for them was probably early. Tons of blues supposedly stormed all the inlets along the shore.

Back to Top