<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Adirondacks</b>

Ice-fishing conditions in the northern Adirondacks were okay, said Jeff from <b>FISH307.com</b> in Lake George. Rains failed to affect the ice much in the north, but not so much ice was left on Lake George. Harris Bay on Lake George had frozen over enough for considerable ice fishing, but now offered less ice. A few, not many, fished from the hard waters there. But plenty of ice fishing happened in the northern mountains, including at Raquette Lake, Loon Lake, Piseco Lake, the northern end of Schroon Lake and South Bay on Lake Champlain. Panfishing was good for yellow perch and crappies, and a few lake trout caught were heard about. A few landlocked salmon came from Schroon Lake. Sizeable northern pike were sometimes pulled from the northern lakes. Ice baits, currently including mousies that are scarce this year, are fully stocked. That includes grubs, all sizes of shiners, hunts, suckers and icicles. The shop is open 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

<b>Salmon River</b>

Steelheads, very good catches, were drift-boated from the river with <b>Salmon River Guide</b> from Pulaski, Capt. Shane Thomas said. The river ran high at 1,200 CFS, but lots of steelheads flooded the waters. A bunch of fresh ones from Lake Ontario swam the lower river, and plenty of dark ones getting ready to spawn held throughout the waters. Shane’s trips fished the upper river, because of the high waters, along an 8-mile stretch from Altmar to Pulaski, “just being selective about where,” Shane said. The fishing was best in the deeper holes, because waters were cold. Anglers aboard cast trout beads and egg sacks. Sometimes trips back-trolled plugs. Lots of anglers lined the banks on weekends, but fewer did on weekdays. A foot of snow fell on Monday, but rains were supposed to fall the following days. A couple of feet of snow had covered the ground previously but melted.

Few customers fished the river the past couple of days, making it difficult to say how the steelheading was, said Ben from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. But the angling hooked decent catches previously. Plenty of steelheads filled the river, and plenty of fresh ones entered from Lake Ontario. The weather now turned warm, and that should help the fishing, after colder, snowier weather. The river’s flow fluctuated a lot. The flow was at 1,200 CFS on Tuesday, and nothing then was yet posted about whether the flow would be changed. Previously the flow was at 1,500. Customers mostly caught the steelheads on trout beads and egg sacks. A few fished flies. Ice fishing was difficult so far this year. Ice would form, then would melt. Currently the ice was questionable, and anglers fell through North Pond’s ice in the past week. Ben ice fished during the weekend, and had to work through 6 to 8 feet of waters on the edges to get to the ice.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

No fishable ice was reported, and customers began looking to hit the open waters for yellow perch fishing on the lakes, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Ledgewood. Perch usually move to the shallows by the first or second week of March. But with the warm weather, they might move early. A few customers trout fished on the streams. One of the staff from the shop banked trout on the Pequest River on small copper midges. San Juan worms and micro egg patterns should also work on the streams this time of year.

A couple of customers braved 2 ½ inches of ice at Pompton Lake, tying themselves to trees, fishing a couple of hours, until becoming nervous and leaving, said Nick from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. But they jigged a load of yellow perch. A friend kept boating the perch on Lake Hopatcong, and no ice formed there. A few customers began to wrangle northern pike from the Passaic River, and some landed a few striped bass, not a lot, from the river at Rutherford. The stripers chomped bloodworms, though bloods are difficult to find at stores this time of year. Nick banked six or seven largemouth bass, small ones 6 or 7 inches, in two days at a local pond in Garfield. He fished with small, 3-inch Keitechs, “just letting it sit there, letting them pick it up,” he said.

A few reports rolled in about anglers beating brown trout at Round Valley Reservoir from shore at the boat launches on shiners, said Josh from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Winter trout fishing went alright at the Pequest and South Branch of the Raritan rivers when they weren’t “blown out,” Josh said. Nymphs, scuds and eggs caught. Nothing was heard about ice fishing, and the weather was probably much too warm.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Shiners and worms were sold like crazy in the warm weather, said Chris from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Crappie fishing was phenomenal at nearly all the lakes. Nothing was heard about largemouth bass, but anglers will probably fish for them in the warmth. Smallmouth bass were angled just about anyplace on the Delaware River, if anglers knew what they were doing. A customer bought minnows to head to Round Valley Reservoir for brown trout fishing that was supposed to be super from shore. Trout fishing was good on the Pequest and Musconetcong rivers. Fishing was going very well in this warm winter.

Chain pickerel were whaled everywhere, mostly on shiners, said Steve from <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. “They seemed to be the hot fish,” he said. Anglers who fished for largemouth bass with artificials caught on suspended baits, fishing over grass bottom in 5- to 7-foot shallows. Once the suspended lures are twitched a little, they stay at the depth where twitched. Walleyes were sometimes nightcrawlered on the Delaware River at the wing dams. Small striped bass were caught and released on the river in the Bordentown area, like at the docks at the yacht club. Small white perch could be located on the river. Good trout fishing was creamed on the streams when water levels were right. Saltwater anglers found that striped bass never left the ocean this season, mostly in the northern state or from Shark River to the north. Both surf anglers and boaters caught. The surf casting was hopping at Deal and Asbury Park. A couple of good days were scored at Long Branch. Some of the best surf angling came from off the ends of the jetties at night. Fishing for blackfish, ling and a few cod was holding up well on the party boats. None of the cod was big.

Anglers actually started to catch, because of the warm weather, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. A few copped chain pickerel and largemouth bass at South Vineland Park Pond. A few caught both of those and yellow perch at Rainbow Lake. A mix of fish like that came from Malaga Lake. “Not too much from Union (Lake) right now,” Steve said. Minnows worked great for bait. Jerk baits did a number on the picks and bass.

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