<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

Steelheads were grabbed from the upper river, said John from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. Catches at Pineville were “pretty decent,” he said, and the middle and lower river were slushy on most mornings. That and shelf-ice along the edges kept most anglers from fishing the middle and the lower. The river ran at 335 CFS, and 12 or 14 inches of snow or more covered the ground. But paths to the river were well worn, so access was no problem. Egg sacks, eggs, glow bugs and black stoneflies caught well. A few anglers ice-fished on ponds and lakes, but most waters, including Sandy Pond, only held 2 inches. Black Lake was ice fished for two weeks, but Oneida Lake was open. Weather was supposed to turn cold the next couple of days, so ice would probably build. All ice gear is stocked.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Capt. Dave Vollenweider from <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b> from Montvale boated on a trip Friday for the final time this season, he said. He jigged two walleyes to 7 pounds at Greenwood Lake on blade baits. The lake was 39 degrees, and the air temp was 37. Lots of snow covered the ground, and small ponds were frozen, and Dave wondered whether the boat would be able to be launched. The launch actually let him splash the boat free and was nearly closed for the season. Dave kept the 7-pound walleye, one of the best-tasting species, and released a smaller one. Seven small crappies were found in the bagged fish’s stomach. Dave might still trout fish on streams or ice fish on lakes this season, but he winterized the boat. The trip, on December 28, was the latest Dave ever wrapped up his boating season. His final trip the previous year was on December 6. This past year was fantastic for Dave’s fishing, he said. “I can’t wait for next year,” he said. Trips especially caught many muskies and walleyes. He tried a new trolling technique for muskies that worked, and many of the walleyes were landed on Dave’s overnight trips during the warm months. Anglers aboard at night cast surface plugs to walleyes that moved to the shallows in the dark to forage on baitfish. In spring, Dave each year launches his new fishing season with trout trips after trout stocking.  The trips specialize in casting lures on spinning rods for large trout. 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 ran too high to fish them last week, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. But a couple of customers recently angled trout on Pequest River in afternoons on small nymphs like red midge pupas. Several days next week are supposed to be warmer, reaching the upper 40s. That should be a time to fish for the trout in afternoons. Lake anglers sometimes jigged crappies and perch on lures like small Kastmasters tipped with a worm. No ice fishing was heard about, but ice was probably building on some waters, and ice catches would probably start to be heard about this week. Though weather is supposed to warm next week, some ponds and lakes will probably continue to build ice during cold nights.

Customers often fished Passaic River with shiners, and a few northern pike were reportedly banked, “but that’s about it,” said Nick from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. The river was supposedly cold, including from snow runoff. One angler kept landing small rainbow and brook trout at Ramapo River on small spinners. A few jigged walleyes on Greenwood Lake and Lake Hopatcong, and the catches seemed to slow a bit. A friend jigged an almost 30-pound musky at Hopatcong while jigging for them and walleyes. Another friend mugged crappies and perch, neither big, but quite a few, from Pompton Lake before Christmas. Nothing was heard about ice fishing, but an angler telephoned the shop, asking whether mousies were stocked for ice bait. They weren’t, but the caller said Sterling Lake in Sussex held 4 inches. Nick wondered whether that was accurate. A friend traveled to the Catskill Mountains last week, saying lakes only held skim ice there. Nick stopped at a lake he fishes in Garfield, and the lake held skim ice but was 50 percent open. He did no fishing, but saw lots of largemouth bass, small, in the creek at the lake. He sometimes catches them.

A few smaller ponds to the north held ice, and a few pickerel and perch were tugged in from them on tip-ups, said Braden at <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. He heard that at the beginning of the week, but heard about none of the well-known lakes ice-fished yet. Walleyes were reported jigged late last week at Lake Hopatcong and Greenwood Lake on Binsky blade baits, sometimes on Gulps on jigheads. Pickerel were talked about that were plugged at Farrington Lake before the holidays on Firetiger Rapalas. Nobody mentioned trout catches, but customers bought small nymphs for trouting on streams. Surely some anglers fished the streams, and Braden would think the fishing probably slowed somewhat.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Chain pickerel should be able to be wrestled from usual spots like the Toms River at Trilco and the Winding River, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in the town of Toms River. He and his grandson reeled five or six picks from the Toms at Trilco on spinners on a trip. Trilco is a closed building supply that’s identified by no sign, but it’s located near Garden State Parkway. Lake Riviera will probably give up picks, and Jeff will probably go there next with his grandson. Jeff angled five white perch from the Toms at Island Heights on Fishbites bloodworms. That was about all that was known about freshwater fishing. Worms and killies are no longer stocked this season, but artificial baits are.

Trout, lots, were supposedly bailed at Ken Lockwood Gorge through High Bridge, said Tom P. from <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. That was top news, and Trout Magnets, bead-headed Princes, bead-headed pheasant tails, and sizes 18 to 22 sparkle caddis nymphs should catch. Trout fishing was good at Round Valley Reservoir from shore at the boat ramps. One angler was axing yellow perch and crappies on Delaware River at the Trenton power plant on Mister Twisters on 1/16-ounce jigheads. Plus, the angler, a reliable source, hooked a 32- or 33-inch musky that got off while he fished for the crappies and the perch. Another veteran angler on the river bought bank sinkers and 2/0 and 3/0 hooks for catfishing near Thunder Stadium with Hatfield hot dogs. That’s his bait for winter cats, and the wieners are oily or something. Three to 4 inches of fishable ice reportedly covered the private Lake Shawnee. Rumors said fishable ice formed at Lake Hopatcong at Woodport. For saltwater, lots of sea bass rigs were sold for offshore trips for giant sea bass on party boats. Sea bass season was suddenly opened this month and will remain open through February. Other catches including jumbo porgies also snapped in those waters. One customer beached striped bass from the surf here and there at Asbury Park on metal.

Not much was heard about fishing, said Vince from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Chain pickerel were reported tied into from moving waters like Maurice River. But surely picks will bite in almost any lake that holds them. Toss out a minnow, worm or nearly anything, and no ice covered lakes so far. From saltwater, zero was heard, including about striped bass fishing on Delaware Bay. But striper season closed in bays and rivers on January 1, and will reopen on March 1.

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