<b>North Jersey</b>

Ten walleyes to 7 pounds were tackled on one of the overnight trips for the fish Thursday to Friday on a lake with <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b> from Montvale, Capt. Dave Vollenweider said. Walleyes 3 or 3 ½ pounds were smallest, and a good number were 4 to 5 pounds. Live to Fish this time of year fishes for walleyes on lakes in the middle of the night, when the fish move to the shallows, and can be walloped on cast lures. Most of the walleyes were pasted on black and gold Rapala Original Floating Lures in size F18, a 7-inch plug with a running depth from 6 to 11 feet. One of the walleyes was smashed on a Reef Runner Rip Bait. Two walleyes broke off, and a few were lost. The fish were really snapping, Dave said. “A lot of fun.” Not much bait or herring flipped around, and herring seemed to be starting to spawn, but Dave was yet to see much herring activity this season. Often walleyes will move to the shallows in the middle of the night to gorge on herring. But sometimes walleyes will push against shore when no herring seem abundant. Dave also fished Monday on a lake to try to catch a walleye on a cast lure during daytime at spots he usually fishes at night. A 5-pound walleye was socked on an orange and yellow Rip Stick. Dave has often caught walleyes during daytime on the troll, and he also trolled a yellow perch and a smallmouth bass on the trip. Weather was rough that day, starting with a storm in the morning. Winds blew and the sky was overcast the rest of the day. Nasty. But if anglers are going to try to cast a walleye during daytime, overcast days can be ideal. Live to Fish will keep walleye fishing, and will also musky fish. Musky fishing was probably good and improving as the warm season goes on. Dave during the daytime trip kept a lure swimming for muskies in the prop wash when trolling. He does that when walleye fishing, and sometimes a musky will make the day. Largemouth bass fishing, limited to catch and release through June 15, was probably good on the lakes. A friend who’s a tournament largemouth angler reeled in 20 of the bass on a trip to Lake Hopatcong, though the fish were small, 1 ½ to 2 pounds. Dave is finished trout fishing on the streams for the season. He specializes in lure fishing for trout on the streams in spring, and ideal conditions for that were probably finished for now. Anglers were heard from who banked plenty of trout, but many anglers fished with flies this time of year, now that warmth caused lots of bugs to fill the waters. Dave last weekend exhibited at the Hackettstown Hatchery’s 100th anniversary open house. Hackettstown is a warm-water hatchery for species like muskies, walleyes and bass, and is very interesting, Dave said. 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.

Trout streams were in good shape with plenty of water, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. Rains and cool weather were extending the fishing later in the season than in some years. Trouters fished sulfur hatches in the evenings. Fishing for Lake Hopatcong’s walleyes and hybrid striped bass was moving into a late night catch, like at 1 or 2 a.m., on livelined herring. Largemouth bass fishing, restricted to catch and release through June 15, was good at lakes including Hopatcong, and largemouth spawning seemed finished.

Not much happened on the lake in storms, cooler weather and the full moon, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong in an e-mail. Fishing was on the slow side, but a handful of anglers tried for hybrid striped bass and walleyes at night on top-water lures. Paul Grel, Garfield, plugged a 9-pound 11-ounce walleye and some hybrids on a Bomber lure. “Seeing some yellow perch, also,” Laurie said. Take a Friend Fishing Free Fishing Days, when no license is required, will be on Saturday and Sunday, June 16 and 17.

Lake Hopatcong reportedly fished well for largemouth bass at the docks and weed edges on nearly all the usual lures like Keitechs and Senkos, said Nick from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. Fishing for largemouths is limited to catch and release through June 15. A friend was nailing good catches of largemouths, including two that topped 5 pounds apiece, at Pompton Lakes on jigs. Nick bailed lots of small largemouths at Dahnert’s Pond on 3-inch Senkos. Another friend fished for northern pike on Budd Lake, catching plenty and also largemouths, on buzz baits. A couple of customers fought small largemouths – not fantastic fishing, but catching – at Barbour’s Pond in the early mornings on top-waters. Another angler kept trolling walleyes, and sizeable hybrid striped bass to 8 pounds in the mix, at Hopatcong late in the day on deep-diving lures off the points. Trout were still reeled in, including at Ramapo River. One trouter was banking native brook trout to 14 inches, healthy-sized, at Pequannock River at Riverdale.

At Spruce Run Reservoir Joe Fass pulled in a 5-1/2-pound hybrid striped bass and two 18- and 19-inch brown trout from 10 to 11 feet down on livelined herring, said Jody from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport</b> in an e-mail. No fish hit until 12 noon to 1 p.m., the warmest part of the day. Another angler at Spruce trolled a 35-inch northern pike in 10 feet of waters. At Round Valley Reservoir Richard Willey beat 22 lake trout in 3 ½ hours on cut herring. Mark Quartararo bombed a 7-pound rainbow trout at Round Valley. At Merrill Creek Reservoir Art Berkmand and friend waxed a 24-inch laker, a 16-inch brown “(and) lots of stockies,” Jody said, on livelined herring.

Rains raised streams, keeping anglers from trout fishing early in the week, said Burt from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. But some anglers talked about good trouting on Musconetcong River. A friend did well on trout at Ken Lockwood Gorge on sulfurs. Sulfurs and Cahills seemed popular for trout fishing. Burt headed to Raritan River at Duke Island to fish Sunday morning, but high waters made him bag that. Customers said largemouth bass fishing, limited to catch and release through June 15, was taking off all around. Most customers fished for them at Raritan River or Delaware-Raritan Canal. Wacky-rigged Senkos and shiners were popular.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Largemouth bass got mugged at dusk on poppers, Jitterbugs and buzz baits at the lakes, said Eric from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. The fish are required to be released through June 15. The lakes at Assunpink Wildlife Management Area, including Stone Tavern, and Gropp’s Lake were some producers. Eric and nephew at Oxford Lake in Allentown pummeled 32 sunnies on 32 meal worms. Chain pickerel bit at lakes, but crappies didn’t so much anymore this season. Rains somewhat raised Delaware River, hampering smallmouth bass fishing. Catfish and carp chewed in the river.

Because of rains, trout fishing remained outstanding on all the major streams, said Tom P. from <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown.  That was despite the late season, and Pequest and Musconetcong rivers and Big Flatbrook were some of the waters that served them up. Don’t overlook small streams like Black River and Peapack Brook. Tom smoked trout on Toms River from Riverwood Park to Route 571. Delaware River ran somewhat high, but smallmouth bass, very good catches, were slugged from the waters. Striped bass still bit in the river from Trenton to upstream, but in the middle of the night. Anglers fished hours like midnight to 4 or 5 a.m., getting off the waters when others just arrived. The bass were bonked on black or purple lures. Tom had fun on rock bass 10 or 11 inches, great catches, on the river from Frenchtown to Delaware Water Gap, on small flies and lures. Farther south, fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, both limited to catch and release through June 15, was super at Union Lake. Largemouths to 4 and 5 pounds were plowed on Maurice River on dropping tides on creature baits like Sweet Beavers. Smallmouths gathered in the river in the mile or so below the Union Lake dam. Smallmouths, very good to excellent catches, were clubbed at Lake Audrey.  

Largemouth bass were sometimes yanked from Puppyland Pond, said Tim from <b>Creek Keepers Bait & Tackle</b> in Blackwood. Largemouths must be released by law through June 15. A mix of sunnies, largemouths and all the usual catches were plucked from Blackwood Lake. Grenloch Lake was opened recently, after being close for a fuel spill in winter, but no results were heard about fishing there yet. Largemouths and trout were tugged from Oak Pond. Cooler weather might’ve helped trout fishing.

Fishing for largemouth bass became hit or miss, now that weather cooled, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. The front slowed the fishing somewhat. Union Lake put out a mix of largemouths and smallmouth bass. Both are restricted to catch and release in the state through June 15. For largemouths, fishing with rubber frogs was amping up, and anglers could always count on Senko worms to catch. Smallmouths finally began to chomp at Lake Audrey, after a slow start to the fishing this season. The fishing became good, and lots of minnows and shiners were sold for the angling. But tubes, Senkos and drop-shot rigs will also catch.

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