<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

The salmon migration was just starting in the river, but the fish were banked throughout the waters, said Scott from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. Douglaston fished best, but catches were made everywhere. In the river, most were kings, and no cohos were around, really. A few brown trout and steelheads were taken. Most salmon remained in Lake Ontario, and they kept schooling closer to the river. Cohos held in 120 to 130 feet, and the depth where kings swam was unknown. The river ran at 335 CFS, and with runoff, flowed somewhat higher. The lower river probably flowed at a little more than 500 CFS. 

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Delaware River fished fairly well, mostly for catfish, said Joe from <b>Stokes Forest Sport Shop</b> in Sandyston. Few fished the river for smallmouth bass, for unknown reasons, like whether fewer smallmouths bit than before, or simply fewer targeted them. Not much was heard about striped bass from the river. Weather fluctuated from days in the 80s to mornings in the 40s. Not many customers trout fished on streams, since rains pushed most trout downstream earlier in summer, or pushed some into Delaware River, even. Streams ran low now, but anglers said lots of trout swam the lower stretches. The fall trout stocking locally is slated for the weeks of October 7 and 14. Anglers hope rains will raise streams by then. Customers who trout fish mostly ply the Big Flatbrook and sometimes Paulinskill River. Lake fishing became a little slow, but still gave up decent largemouth bass angling. Customers fish lakes like Swartswood.

Vladimir Goltzer and son from Staten Island landed a few smallmouth bass, a few crappies and a 4-pound walleye aboard a lake Saturday with <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b> from Montvale, Capt. Dave Vollenweider said. The bass and crappies were drop-shotted on Gulp minnows, and a walleye was lost on one of the drop shots. That was during daytime, and the walleye caught was taken after dark on a cast chartreuse Rapala Original Floating Lure in size F18, a 7-incher. Another walleye blew up on an F18 in the dark and was missed near the boat, at the end of a cast. Fewer walleyes seemed to swim the shallows, where they could be plugged, than in spring. But they were around, and catching them was a matter of casting or poking around. Dave didn’t know whether walleyes swam the skinny waters before dark, but has been chasing them after sundown. Lake fishing definitely seemed improved since waters cooled after mid-summer. Lakes held steady at 75 degrees lately, and Dave’s friend, a tournament largemouth bass angler, said nine of 12 boats limited out in the friend’s recent tournament. Dave will also keep musky fishing like he’s been, covered in previous reports. Live to Fish Guide Service guides trips for muskies, walleyes, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, trout, carp and more. Lakes fished include Greenwood, Lake Hopatcong, Monksville Reservoir, Echo, Mountain and Furnace. Rivers fished include the Flatbrook, Pequest, Paulinskill and Ramapo.

A few fished trout streams, and anglers waited for the fall trout stocking, said Brian from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. The streams ran low and clear, but cool. A buddy banked five trout on Pequannock River, saying waters were cold. Cooler weather will probably settle in after the next week or so, helping trouting. Not a lot of bugs seemed to come off streams, and customers fished ants and beetles to catch. Brian might trout fish on Musconetcong River this weekend. Hybrid striped bass were boated on Lake Hopatcong in evenings and mornings, mostly on live herring, but sometimes on top-water lures like Zara Spooks. Nothing was heard about walleyes from Hopatcong, but walleyes were reported trolled at Greenwood Lake.

Hybrid striped bass 4 to 7 pounds, lots, were pounded off Cow Tongue and Pine Tree points on live herring, Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> wrote in an e-mail. Smallmouth bass were socked on live bait off rocky points. Crappies were nabbed on small minnows or small jigs. The shop is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and boat rentals will be available until November sometime. “We are stocking up for the fall jigging with (Rapala ice-fishing jigs) and Gotchas,” Laurie wrote.

A few customers bought shiners, catching a few small northern pike on Passaic River on them, said Nick from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. The angling wasn’t great, or was a little slow. A buddy pulled a few largemouth bass and small pike from Pompton Lake while fishing Senkos and spinner baits. He tried rubber frogs along heavy weeds with no bites. Another friend dinged a few largemouths just larger than 12 or 14 inches from Barbour Pond in early mornings, before work, on Spit’n Image lures. He saw no real activity on the lake. Nick is supposed to compete in a largemouth tournament on Greenwood Lake this weekend, and has been hearing that the fishing’s been slow. One friend grabbed smallmouth bass, no great fishing, on Senkos, at a lake that Nick couldn’t remember. Trout will be stocked in October.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Ken Lockwood Gorge ran low and clear when Darrel from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook fished for trout there, he said. Fluorocarbon tippets in sizes 6X and 7X were needed, but some good trout catches were made on the river. Pheasant-tail nymphs and zebra midges worked well, and small olive scuds probably did. Trout seemed to be getting ready to spawn. Smallmouth bass were cranked from South Branch of Raritan River on small rubber shads and crawfish imitations. A lot was heard about shiners fished for them with split shots, drifting them across current. Trout were probably landed from Round Valley Reservoir in early mornings and late in the day on shrimp. Customers geared up to fish for salmon on upstate New York’s Salmon River, but no results were heard.

Nobody mentioned hybrid striped bass fishing on Manasquan Reservoir, but this month until early October usually fishes super for them, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Afterward, weather becomes a little cold. A couple of customers talked about tugging quite a few largemouth bass and chain pickerel from the pond at Holiday City retirement village on shiners. The pond is technically private. Several fished the pond at Lakehurst Naval Base, clocking a few largemouths. Cooler waters seemed to help fishing like this. One of the crew from the shop fished Ocean County College pond with kids who plugged away at bluegills on worms. Shiners, killies and nightcrawlers are stocked.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Largemouth bass, good sized to 4 and 5 pounds, were swung-in from Salem Canal, the DOD Ponds and some of the lakes at Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area, said Tom P. from <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Assunpink Lake was pounded for largemouths. Many fished private ponds for the bucketmouths, and the fishing was good. Crank baits, spinner baits and soft-plastics generally caught at all these waters. Crosswicks Creek dished up good catfishing, on nightcrawlers and chicken livers, and carp catches, on homemade baits. Hybrid striped bass fishing started to go well at Manasquan Reservoir. Hear about Delaware River? Tom was asked. Just catfishing, he answered. One customer asked where smallmouth bass fishing was best on the river. The river from Lambertville to upstream needed to be fished for them, Tom answered. Trout were reported angled from the lower Big Flatbrook, the lower to mid Musconetcong River, and South Branch of Raritan River. The streams reportedly ran low, and mostly flies were fished.  

From <b>Creek Keepers Bait & Tackle</b> in Blackwood, one customer kept catching largemouth bass well at Puppyland Pond on shiners, Ed said.  New Brooklyn Lake served up chain pickerel on minnows, like usually. Sunnies were played at the spillway across the road from Blackwood Lake. Nothing was mentioned about snakeheads from the spillway, though the invasive species was reported from there before.

Rubber frogs still pasted largemouth bass on lakes, said Jeff from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. He’d start fishing for them with a frog, and if that didn’t work, would throw a Senko or other rubber worm that fell slowly and could be fished slowly. Good largemouthing was cracked from Rainbow Lake, and usually is this time of year. But customers often bought minnows to fish, including for largemouths and smallmouth bass at Union Lake. Anglers headed to Maurice River for some white perch, lots of catfish and, near the dam, a few throwback striped bass 18 to 20 inches. Catfish are good-sized in the river. The stripers could be whacked on anything like small plugs, poppers or spinner baits.

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