<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

Salmon, all kings, very good catches, were smashed on the river Monday and Tuesday, surprisingly, said Eric from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. The river was warm and very low, running at 185 CFS, the state-required minimum, because of the drought. The fish stacked up in the lower river mostly, because of the warmth, and were mostly hung on flies and imitation eggs. Salmon fishing remained good on Lake Ontario in 60 to 100 feet, mostly on flashers with flies.

 Lake Ontario’s fishing for king and Coho salmon “continues to impress!” a report on <b>Salmon River Guide</b> from Pulaski’s Web site said on August 30. If an update on current fishing is received from Salmon River Guide, it’ll be posted here within a day or so. The fish on August 30 staged in 70 to 100 feet in the lake a few miles off Salmon River. At the time, a few kings had begun to migrate up the river. “Not nearly enough to call a run,” the report said, “but they’re starting.” The river was low and warm because of the drought, “which typically prolongs the season in the lake,” the report said. When the run begins in the river, Salmon River Guide focuses on the fishing there, after fishing for the salmon on the lake since summer. Trips fish for the salmon on the river through the migration in fall, then will hunt steelheads on the river all winter long. King and Coho salmon migrate up the river in fall to spawn, dying there afterward. Steelheads migrate to the river toward the end of the salmon run in fall. Steelheads spend winter in the river, spawn there in spring, then spend summer in the lake, not dying after spawning. Fall salmon fishing and winter steelheading are world class on the river. 

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

A last-minute trip was booked to fish Greenwood Lake aboard Sunday, and fishing was tough, but a 6-1/2- or 7-pound walleye  was trolled, said Capt. Dave Vollenweider from <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b> from Montvale. The fish was skinny and long and should’ve weighed more, interestingly. But the anglers, a brother and sister, at least got fillets to take home. Walleyes are one of the best-tasting fish. The trip took place a day after terrible weather Saturday, with storms, winds and even tornadoes. The lake was 77 degrees, and quite a bit of boat traffic developed. Traffic will start to drop off, and days will become cooler, and that will be good for fishing. Live to Fish will keep sailing for muskies and walleyes. A trip is booked for this Saturday with a grandfather and 8-year-old granddaughter, who’s an IGFA record holder. They’ll attempt to grab a musky record for the granddaughter. Reportedly the category is open for the granddaughter’s age, so if she merely lands a musky on her own, she can win the record. The grandfather has an IGFA-certified scale, he told Dave, so the fish can be caught and released. Catching a musky, the fish of a thousand casts, is never a guarantee. But a catch can be the biggest of a lifetime. Live to Fish scored a great year for musky catches, covered in past reports here. 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.

From <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna, Kevin, fishing private lakes in North Jersey, smoked largemouth bass, good catches, on Keitechs and suspending Rapalas at 9 o’clock in the morning, he said. A customer hit solid smallmouth bass fishing on Delaware River this week on small popper lures. The fish attacked until sunset then stopped cold.

An angler from Fishreapers.com trolled four lake trout 17 to 22 inches, a 15-inch rainbow trout and a 13-inch brown trout at Round Valley Reservoir on a trip, Jody from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport</b> said in an e-mail. Phil Zamco crushed lakers, including 5- and 6-pounders, at Merrill Creek Reservoir. The fish were full of eggs already. Zach Merchant honked a 6-3/4-pound hybrid striped bass at Spruce Run Reservoir from shore.

<b>***Update, Wednesday, 9/12:</b> “We have been seeing some walleye caught the last couple of weeks,” said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong in an e-mail. Jerry Freeman weighed in a 5-pounder. Lots of hybrid striped bass were axed, mostly on herring livelined off the yacht club or any points on the main lake, but also off Byram. Lots of smallmouth bass were snatched from off the rocky points, and chain pickerel were cracked along the weed lines on Mepps spinners. The shop’s hours were changed, and the doors will be open at 6 a.m. this month. However, the store will be open at 5 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, September 22 and 23, for the Knee Deep Club’s walleye tournament. Cash prizes and gift certificates will be awarded, and anglers can call the shop for further info about the event: 973-663-3826. The store is stocking up for “fall jigging season,” Laurie said, with Rapala ice-fishing jigs, Gotchas and blade baits. Dow’s will be open for bait and boat rentals until sometime in November, depending on weather, before closing a moment for a break. But the store is always opened back up for ice fishing, stocked with all ice-hound needs.

<b>***Update, Wednesday, 9/12:***</b> Nick from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield fished his honey-hole lake Sunday, only managing 10 largemouth bass, decent-sized, but not the usual numbers, he said. But the storm slammed the area Saturday. Lakes dipped to the lower 70s, so largemouthing might pick up. Walleye fishing was good at Greenwood Lake in evenings on shiners. Pompton Lake served up northern pike 2 or 3 pounds, not big, but plenty. Pike were wrestled from Passaic River at Twin Bridges on shiners. Largemouths, smallmouth bass and small striped bass were tugged from the river, mostly on Keitechs. Fall trout stocking is coming in October.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Smallmouth bass were on the bite on Raritan River, said Braden from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. They smacked wooly bugger flies and crawfish, and began to pounce top-water lures, because of cooler waters. Catches were heard about from Manville to the fork, and up the South Branch. Nothing was heard from the North Branch. A customer said trout, small, but catches, began to bite at Ken Lockwood Gorge, on small, sizes-20 or -22 midges. Look for fast, oxygenated waters, and shade. A couple of customers pancaked chain pickerel, healthy-sized, on Delaware and Raritan Canal, mostly on shiners, a few on spinner baits. Big carp to 35 pounds were heaved from Delaware River at Lambertville on corn or dough baits. Buddies there even wrangled in 5- to 8-pound flathead cats. Largemouth bass were wacky-rigged at Farrington Lake on Senko worms at the points off the outside edges of weeds in deeper waters.

Bluegills kept chewing at Ocean County College Pond, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Shiners were stocked for the season, and fishing with them improved largemouth bass fishing a little at Pine Lake Park. A couple of customers began copping better catches of hybrid striped bass at Manasquan Reservoir on chicken livers. Crappies at the rez began biting somewhat more aggressively around the trees. Most fished for them with Mister Twisters under bobbers. Catfish milled around the reservoir within 20 feet from shore. Anglers tossed cut shiners or bluegills to them. Chain pickerel were active as usual on Toms River at Trilco, the closed building supply. No sign identifies the building, but it’s located near Garden State Parkway. Power Bait for trout was just ordered for the fall stocking in October.

The storm prevented many from fishing, said Chris from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Not a lot was heard, but a couple of customers said fishing was okay, and no angling was exceptional. Catches seemed similar to previously. The shop last week reported that largemouth bass were buzz-baited in evenings at lakes, and smallmouth fishing was hit or miss on Delaware River. One day they’d eat, and on another they wouldn’t. The fishing was better to the north, like at Bull’s Island or Frenchtown, than at Trenton. Also on the river, lots of small striped bass 6 or 8 inches swam, and catfish were clocked.

Lots of catfishing went-down on Delaware River at Trenton and Bordentown, said Karl from <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Big, single nightcrawlers or Berkeley liver or blood catfish bait hooked them. Chain pickerel were pasted at Pine Barrens ponds. Pickerel were pinched from lakes at Assunpink and Collier’s Mills wildlife management areas on small Dare Devils or shiners. Nothing was heard about largemouth bass since the weather.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Anglers fishing for largemouth bass socked good catches, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. The fishing was strong at Alloway Lake. Stewart Lake served up lots of 3- to 5-pounders. The DOD Ponds fished fairly well for the bucketmouths. Newton Lake turned at a few. Plastics on jigs caught, and rubber frogs and top-waters still connected. Crank baits began to work, and shiners would always catch. Crappies were thrown in among catches at most lakes. Snakeheads, the invasive species, were abundant, and anglers began to target them. Small stripers nipped in Delaware River in early mornings and at dusk. A few keepers might’ve been found at the island off National Park. Catfish swarmed all over the river. Big Timber stocks bait and tackle for fishing on all waters from fresh to offshore.

Kids tangled with sunnies at Grenloch Lake and the spillway across the road from Blackwood Lake, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers Bait & Tackle</b> in Blackwood. They fished meal worms under bobbers. Quite a few customers bought minnows, mostly to swim for largemouth bass at lakes. Grenloch and Oak Pond will be among lakes stocked with trout this fall. Stocking is slated for October 15 to 19 in South Jersey.

Fishing slowed slightly in cooler weather, said Vince from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass were yanked from Union Lake at the gate hole on Senkos. Largemouths were beaten at South Vineland Park Pond and Hammonton Lake. At Hammonton, flip black and blue Senkos along the weeds in the main lake. From saltwater, angles kept saying the weakfish population was unbelievable in Delaware Bay, though one was the bag limit. Crabbing was super this year.

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