Capt. Dave Vollenweider from <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b> from Montvale just returned from traveling, he said. His next fishing was probably going to be today on Lake Hopatcong with a client. Another client who lives on the lake wants to fish at night on Hopatcong with Dave on the angler’s boat or Dave’s boat. Dave’s night fishing on the lake is usually for walleyes earlier this season. These current trips on Hopatcong could fish for catches including largemouth or smallmouth bass or, at night, hybrid striped bass or walleyes. Dave might also fish for muskies in the near future. Before he traveled, some lakes were awfully warm in New Jersey. Greenwood Lake was 85 degrees along the surface. Maybe Dave will fish for muskies at smaller lakes that could be cooler like Mountain Lake or Furnace Lake. Water levels might be high at lakes from rain. When Dave was traveling, he visited Martha’s Vineyard and Newport, R.I. He tried to book a striped bass charter from Newport with a guide, and the guide said striper fishing at Block Island was on. A full-day trip would’ve been needed to reach there, but the guide only had a half-day available. The guide said striper fishing was possible locally from Newport, but the stripers were small, about 10 pounds. July was the time to fish for big stripers near Newport.

Delaware River ran high and muddy from rain, said Andy from <b>Stokes Forest Sport Shop</b> in Sandyston. Nothing going on there. If the river wasn’t high, smallmouth bass and channel catfish would usually be fished for this time of year on the water. He was at the river Monday evening, seeing the water dark brown and very high. But dryer weather is forecast. Big Flatbrook ran at a good level for trout fishing, almost like springtime. Terrestrial flies, midges and small sulfurs connected with the trout. Lakes were fished for largemouth bass, including with spinner baits and drop-shots. Sometimes top-waters were fished for them in evenings, like Pop-R’s and Jitterbugs. These were usual summertime lures.

Rain seemed to keep many from fishing, said John from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. Fewer even ventured into the store to gear up. So nothing was heard about fishing like for largemouth bass on lakes. Most trout streams seemed to run high. Musconetcong River was high and flowed fast. A friend fished saltwater on a Belmar party boat, and weather kept anglers from showing up for that angling. Only a dozen joined the trip. Chub mackerel and sea bass were pulled in. John fished the ocean surf last week, banking a couple of 1- or 2-pound blues. He snagged a peanut bunker by chance and livelined it. But nothing bit.

Trout streams were flooded, said Keith from <b>Hi-Way Sports Shop</b> in Washington. Delaware River was unfishable for about a month. It was reportedly 15 feet high. The river looked ugly and even dangerous. A few anglers, like those who live on the river, found eddies where catfish could be angled. The eddies were new, because the high water changed the landscape. Catfish were probably the only fish that bit in the river. They don’t mind dirty water, just fast water. Keith is supposed to fish in a bass tournament on Lake Hopatcong tomorrow. The lake was high but wasn’t limited to no wake at least today. Maybe he’ll get there tomorrow and find out it’s no wake. A hybrid striped bass tournament was held at Spruce Run Reservoir, and not a lot of anglers turned out, because of weather. But reportedly a two-fish bag that weighed in the high 12 pounds won. Weather kept anglers from fishing like no other August in recent memory. Fishing was steady at places like Oxford and Mountain lakes for catches like largemouths or, for kids, sunnies. Senko rubber worms attracted the largemouths well. Top-water lures including the Freddy B Frog, from Livingston Lures, hit the bass. Live Target sunfish lures, specifically the bluegill, caught.

Passaic River near the store’s water level was dropping but very high, said Joe from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Pine Brook. The river no longer flooded into the parking lot. No matter the high water, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass were angled from the river on small Senko worms and Ned rigs, Cheryl from the store told Joe. Little other news was heard in rough weather that included rain and wind. No news about fishing lakes rolled in. In saltwater, fluke fishing seemed to score better numbers of bigger than before. Plenty of throwbacks continued to bite.

Good catfishing was angled, including at Ocean County College Pond in evenings or in the dark, said Virginia from <b>Hook House Bait & Tackle</b> in Toms River. Largemouth bass fishing also went well at lakes, including on 5-inch Senkos. Her son fishes the worms in pink or chartreuse. Some anglers fish pumpkinseed color or dark colors with metallic flake. A largemouth tournament is slated for Manasquan Reservoir this weekend. Smallmouth bass can be picked up at the reservoir, too. A healthy number of crappies reportedly bit there. Crappies also chewed at the college pond. Speaking of the pond again, parents kept stopping at the store and then heading to the pond with kids to nab sunfish and yellow perch on nightcrawlers and killies. Nightcrawlers also hooked largemouths at different lakes. People mentioned lots of different fish, most species except trout, landed from Spring Lake. Fish the southwest side, away from the ocean. Some people don’t know that a channel is there that gives up largemouths. Trout surely swam the lake, but didn’t bite this time of year, apparently. Virginia wanted to head there and see if she could coax the trout to bite. Other notable locations included Forge Pond, where a few white perch nibbled on the brackish end off Route 70, and the Toms River at Trilco. In the Toms, chain pickerel, including good-sized, swiped hooks. Killies, small jigs including ones that were rigged weedless, and rubber frogs could clock them. A few largemouth bass could be tugged from the river there. But that’s a spot for pickerel, especially. Trilco is a closed building supply. No sign identifies the building, but locals know the stretch by the name, located near Garden State Parkway. Hook House, located on Route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

Largemouth bass fishing picked up at Medford Lakes, Grenloch Lake, Haddon Lake and most lakes in Gloucester County, Mike from <b>Creek Road Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn wrote in an email. Shiners or Eco Pro Tungsten Flipping Jigs especially tied into them. Fishing for snakeheads, the invasive species, was super in tributaries off Delaware River. Chatter baits from Z-Man and Keitech Noisy Flapper Frogs caught them best.

Fishing was great at many local lakes and ponds, a report said on <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> from Williamstown’s Facebook page. New Brooklyn Lake, Elmer Lake, Clarks Pond and Iona Lake gave up some good catches. At New Brooklyn Lake, a 6-1/2-pound pickerel was kayaked. The angler said the front of the lake was productive. At Elmer Lake, an angler banked five largemouth bass from shore on neon nightcrawlers and some minnows. At Clarks Pond, someone totaled four largemouths to 3 pounds on a rubber frog from Live Target. News also came from Alloway Lake. A kayaker there beat three largemouths to 4 pounds on rubber worms from Yamamoto in black and blue.

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