<b>North Jersey</b>

Trout streams ran low by this time of summer, and not much ever happens with trouting then, though the Pequest River still gives up the catches, said Todd from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Ledgewood. Good reports were actually heard from there. The Delaware River’s level was reportedly better than on the trout streams, though Todd wondered whether the Delaware’s temperature might be too high. Still, smallmouth bass should bite on the river in the mornings and evenings. Small Rapala lures and jerk baits, or worms and shiners, should connect. On Lake Hopatcong, a bunch of catfish bit at night, and largemouth bass anglers worked Texas-rigged plastic baits, because of thick weeds.

The heat made for slow fishing on the lake, or caused not many anglers to head out, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. But the few who fished sometimes showed off good catches of hybrid striped bass and walleyes, both averaging 5 to 7 pounds, clobbered off the points of the main lake on livelined herring. John Wilson scored several hybrids and a 12-pound 15-ounce channel catfish. Good catches of crappies and smallmouth bass were made.

Not a lot was heard about fishing, because of the heat and vacationers, said Nick from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. But anglers pre-fished for a largemouth bass tournament on Lake Hopatcong, copping the fish along the weeds in 6 to 8 feet on drop shots. Trout anglers were scarce, but a few hit the Wanaque and Ramapo rivers, landing an occasional catch. The Passaic River ran very low, and some areas could probably be walked across. But a few northern pike were banked, and large shiners are the usual bait.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Fishing was practically a washout in last week’s heat, said Amy from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. But temperatures somewhat dropped this week, so smallmouth bass could surely probably be caught on the Raritan River. The fish should be a little more willing to move around, after last week’s boiling waters. But nobody really talked about fishing, because of the weather, except about fluke fishing in saltwater. Customers traveled to places like Raritan Bay for the fluking. They also surf fished for the flatties at places like Island Beach State Park. Sometimes the fishing was happening, and other times wasn’t, depending on conditions like winds. But in general fluke fishing sounded fairly good.

Angling for bluegills was some of the only news, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. The fish will remain plenty active in the heat, at places like the Ocean County College pond and Lake Riviera, and customers bought nightcrawlers, for bluegilling, more than any other freshwater supplies. A couple of customers kayaked chain pickerel on the Trilco stretch of the Toms River on spinners. Named for the building supply Trilco that closed down, the stretch is at the Parkway Bridge. Carp were hunted in the heat, and Dennis wasn’t asked where, but he mentioned lots of carp at Trilco in past reports. Customers who stayed at the Surf and Stream Campground, on the lower Toms, banked catfish. Killies and nightcrawlers are stocked. No shiners are stocked in the heat, and will probably be carried again starting in mid August.

Anglers were catching fish, said Eric from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. They socked largemouth bass at spots including the lakes at the Assunpink and Colliers Mills wildlife management areas, Gropp’s Lake and Prospertown Lake. The rubber frog bite was on for the bass during daylight, and buzz baits and Jitterbugs worked for them at night. Smallmouth bass were plucked from the Delaware River, “not insanely good,” Eric said. But they were caught, and Yozuri Pins Minnows and small poppers will connect. Catfish were clocked from the river.

Traffic became a little livelier at the shop Tuesday, after all the heat, said Dom from <b>Barracuda’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Riverside. The weather wasn’t even safe for being outdoors, really. But if anglers were going to try for a catch in high temps, catfish will bite in the Delaware River. That’s always a fallback in the height of summer, and the cats will chew throughout much of the year. But anglers tend to look for the whiskerfaces once other fisheries become difficult in summer. Largemouth bass might be able to be coaxed to hit along deep holes. Rubber worms like Senkos, that can be worked slowly, are probably a choice to use. The bass won’t move much, won’t chase anything much, and the worms probably need to “hit them on the head,” Dom said. Summer flounder fishing in saltwater had been popular. But even news about that mostly dried up in the weather.

<b>South Jersey</b>

A few largemouth bass were managed from the different lakes, and that’s about it, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>. Mostly minnows, nightcrawlers and shiners were used to hook them. But the heat shut down most freshwater fishing. However, lots of catfish 7 and 8 pounds milled around the Delaware River. Nothing was heard about crappies. In saltwater, Rick joined a trip Tuesday that returned with a 27-inch yellowfin tuna, barely a keeper, and a 35-inch bluefin tuna. So the fish weren’t’ big, but a couple of large tuna were lost. The trip fished anywhere from the Misty Blue to 19-Fathom Lump. Saltwater anglers boated a few fluke on the ocean, and little was heard about the summer flounder from Delaware Bay. Big Timber carries bait and tackle for fishing in all waters from freshwater to bays to offshore.

Big carp were tugged from Clementon Lake, said Tim from <b>Creek Keepers Bait & Tackle</b>. Dough balls or corn were used for bait. A few anglers talked about fishing private lakes or ponds for largemouth bass. They usually swam live bait: minnows, shiners or nightcrawlers. But some cast rubber frogs or lures like Hula Poppers. A customer nailed a 4- or 4-1/2-pound largemouth at Almonesson Lake. Sunnies and panfish were nightcrawlered at waters like Grenloch and Blackwood lakes. Kids buying worms and supplies like that made up lots of business.

Largemouth bass anglers were some of the only ones out and about, and they only fished in the early mornings and evenings, said Jim from <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. They favored rubber frogs, using dark colors at night, and natural-color in the early mornings. Many fished Victory Lakes, a private set of lakes that anglers can fish for $5 paid in drop-boxes around the property. But the usual array of crappie anglers were around, catching the fish. They plied Wilson and Iona lakes, usually dunking meal worms or red trout worms. The weather had kept many from fishing, but traffic at the shop began to pick up on Tuesday, as the heat backed off. Lots of customers bought worms and minnows.

Small largemouth bass were coaxed to bite on Texas-rigged Senko worms or other worms like Power Worms, fished very slowly, almost dead-sticked, at the different lakes, said Vince from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Let the worms sit a lot, and the slower they’re fished, the better. A rubber-frog bite was on at dusk and dawn for largemouths. Little other news was around because of the high temperatures. Sunnies and bluegills should be able to be reeled in, are always biting, on worms like nightcrawlers. In saltwater, a few summer flounder were boated on Delaware Bay and the back bays along the coast. Many people crabbed, and no great action was heard about, but crabbers caught.

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