<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

A steady, light trickle of Chinook or king salmon migrated to Salmon River from Lake Ontario, said Jay Peck from <b>Jay Peck Guide Service</b>. The run was becoming more consistent than previously, and catching was a little easier than before. The angling was already better than last year, though last year was tough in low water. Still, anglers currently needed to know what they were doing and needed to know the water. If the fishing was done right, an angler could land a few in a day. Jay’s anglers averaged four to eight bites and one or two landed per day. The fish were “hot” or aggressive and bright-colored, because they were fresh from the lake. When a salmon was hooked, all heck broke loose. Jay specializes in fly-fishing and catch-and-release, and books trips that fish with conventional tackle with his other guides. His trips fished with light, 10-pound tippets, sometimes 8 pounds. Darker wet-flies caught, without much flash. In mornings, size-4 hooks could catch, but as soon as light became brighter, smaller and less-flashy flies worked. The fish were a little timid to bite, and swam upstream fast. The river ran at 335 cubic feet per second, the fall minimum and the same as previously. The water was in the low 60 degrees late last week, becoming 70 or 71, kind of warm, by Monday. Good rains fell this past week, but were “maintenance” for the river’s level, at best. But the level was in good shape, and Jay imagined that the reservoir’s level was okay. So, the river’s migration was slowly improving, and now is due for a good, serious run. Boaters on the lake near the river caught salmon well. Salmon migrate to the river each fall to spawn, and anglers then get after them on the river. The 20th annual Salmon River <a href="http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/107682.html" target="_blank">Hatchery Open House and Family Day</a> will be held Saturday.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Seven muskies followed lures to the boat on a trip that Capt. Dave Vollenweider from <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b> and a friend took on a lake, Dave said. None was hooked, but the follows seemed to mean that muskies were becoming more active and were feeding in cooling water. The lake was 72 degrees, and one of the muskies nipped at a cast Shumway Flasher bucktail. The fish swirled, and when the hook was attempted to be set, the musky was gone. Two of the muskies seen were heavier than 20 pounds, and one was heavier than 25, probably 45 inches or longer. The other lures that gained follows were: a Triple D crank bait from Drifter Tackle; a jointed DaRatt from H20 Tackle, a top-water with a trailing back hook for short strikes; and a Wolly Pog from Nimmer Swimmer, also a top-water. Dave also took a client fishing on Lake Hopatcong on a trip, but nothing was hooked. Dave returned to the lake after the client left, and trolled a big white perch and drop-shotted a large crappie on a PowerBait fished 27 feet down. Fishing remained a little slow for Dave, but lakes cooled to about 70 degrees, so he hopes the angling will be getting better, and the musky follows seemed headed in the right direction.

Customers still mostly fished for largemouth bass at lakes, and this past week wasn’t a peak of the angling, was late summer, but the fish were hooked, said Julio from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. The bass were still beaten on top-water lures like rubber frogs and popper plugs, or the water remained warm enough for largemouths to be that aggressive. But subsurface lures including jigs and crank baits also connected. Many customers worked Lake Hopatcong for the bass. Waterloo Lakes and Horseshoe lakes were other waters fished for them. Nothing was heard about Delaware River, but smallmouth bass are usually angled there this time of year. Streams remained too warm and low for trout fishing. But fall trout stocking will begin on October 11.

Fall is the perfect time to fish the lake, and boat traffic is less, weather’s better and lots of fish bite, Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong wrote in an email. The shop will be open until November sometime, and will be stocked including with fall jigging lures for walleyes. Live herring are currently stocked. Catches checked-in included Jim Welsh’s 7-pound 7-ounce walleye, hybrid striped bass to 8 pounds, crappies to just over a pound and lots of white perch, all hooked on herring. Weigh-ins also included Bob Orta’s 5-pound walleye and Jack Cerami’s 3-pound 3-ounce smallmouth bass. The Knee Deep Club will hold a walleye tournament on the lake the weekend of October 8 and 9. Make plans, and bring a friend! Laurie said. Only 15 anglers entered the club’s overnight King of the Lake multi-species tournament Saturday to Sunday, so expect changes next year. Jack Dziduch kept his crown as King with 17 points, winning $120. Lou Marcucci came in second place with 15 points, winning $72, and Peter Olechiw took third with 8 points, winning $48.

Passaic River’s fishing was okay, but the water was low, said Cheryl from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Pine Brook. The river’s catches can include northern pike, carp, catfish and smallmouth and largemouth bass. Water began to be lowered at Lake Hopatcong for the season. The shop previously reported largemouth bass catches there. A customer showed a photo of a good-sized largemouth the customer angled from Verona Park Lake. Different small lakes produced largemouths, and most customers worked Senko rubber worms for them. Weedless tackle like that usually needed to be fished because of summer vegetation that remained in lakes. In saltwater, this is the final week of fluke season that will be closed beginning Monday. Anglers waited for the fall migration of striped bass along the coast. False albacore were fought from boats on the ocean and from land in the surf. Customers geared up for offshore fishing for tuna and other big game. Autumn is a time for the catches.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Largemouth bass seemed to chase baitfish more than before, fattening up for the coming seasons, said Mike from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. They swam deep, and jigs, including football-headed, tied into them. Some crank baits clocked them. Good fishing for smallmouth bass could be scored on Raritan River’s main stem and the South Branch. They swam in isolated pools and under cover, biting in early mornings and at dusk. Z-Man TRD finesse worms, wacky worms, small soft-plastic lures on jigs and chatter baits whacked them. Trout streams flowed at record low levels, and were still warm for trout fishing. But fall trout fishing is coming up, because of cooler water then but also because of fall trout stocking that begins October 11. Catfishing should be good in October at waters including the Raritan, Delaware River and Spruce Run Reservoir. For those who travel, the month is great for catfishing on Susquehanna River.

A customer’s been fishing Manasquan Reservoir each week, toggling in a few largemouth bass and crappies on shiners, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. The angler fished from a 10-foot Jon boat, somewhat limiting where could be fished on the impoundment. Shiners began to be stocked for the season, and killies are on hand. The shiners are carried once the hottest weather is past, so they can be kept alive. Jeff from the shop was headed to fish Lake Riviera yesterday, and results were yet to be heard. Virginia from the store told Dennis chain pickerel and catfish could be slid from the lake. Customers began to be interested in trout fishing for when fall stocking begins October 11. All trout supplies are stocked. Murphy’s, located on Route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

Rain fell, but Delaware River ran low, said Jeff from <b>Harry’s Army Navy</b> in Robbinsville. But north of Lambertville gave up some good smallmouth bass fishing on the river on small Rapala lures and small Z-Man TRD rubber worms. A few largemouth bass anglers he spoke with lit into the fish mostly on rubber frogs at lakes. Weather was yet to become too cool for that. Largemouths were still active enough in warmer water.  In saltwater, fluke were migrating offshore, biting in 80 to 120 feet of water in the ocean, deeper than before, at structure. He fishes a rig with a Spro on bottom and a teaser on a trailer above, baiting the hooks with Gulp jerk shads, preferably, with split tails. Gulp 4- or 5-inch swimming mullets are a second choice, and he fishes the Gulps both on the Spro and on the teaser. Chartreuse is the most productive color.  False albacore were both boated on the ocean and beached from the surf in early mornings. Cast small metal for them.

Good fishing for largemouth bass and chain pickerel was lit into at lakes and ponds this past week, <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown’s Facebook page said. Evenings and at night produced best, and Harrison, Daretown, Franklinville and Iona lakes turned out the best reports. One angler cranked in a 4-1/2-pound largemouth, and another pulled up a 4-1/2-pounder from Iona. Largemouth catches were made including on Senko worms, Power Worms and Live Target lures.

Fishing for largemouth bass was “eh, so-so,” said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. He hoped Monday’s rain pumped life back into the fishing. Union Lake was the hot spot. Largemouth anglers often fished soft-plastic lures, top-waters and buzz baits. Buzz baits caught a little better than previously. The bass anglers complained about chain pickerel hitting. So pickerel were active. In brackish water, white perch fishing was good, like at creeks toward Fortescue. That was really good, actually. Resident striped bass were played on Maurice River and in back bays. Weakfish were reeled from back bays.

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