Note: This report includes web code that will be edited out soon.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

The Delaware River really exploded with smallmouth bass fishing, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia, and the upper stretches around Yardley, Frenchtown and Point Pleasant held steady action. Fathead minnows and watermelon red-glitter Zoom grubs caught 25 bass for one customer, who fished the evening for a couple of hours and said the largest fish measured 15 inches. Another customer fished the Bull's Island area, drifting down to Stockton and picking up more than 50 smallies from 10 to 16 inches on Sunday while tossing plastic worms, grubs, tubes and spinners. Those anglers also reeled in three walleyes to 17 inches.  Other customers hit the Byram area to fish the bridge abutments for a pull of smallies, and one headed up to Yardley to fish with minnows, leeches and grubs for a catch of 21 smallmouths, eight stripers and two walleyes in 4 hours.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

The Easton section of the Delaware River was alive with smallmouths, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. The bronzebacks of all sizes were hitting in quantity on small shad and medium shiners. Tyrone Smull fought a 3-pound 6-ounce smallmouth from the Big D, and Robert Murphy took a 28-pound 3-ounce striper from the river. Ray Jones fished the Delaware and scored two channel cats that weighed 6 pounds 6 ounces and 7 pounds 8 ounces. Donna Ketchledge hit up Mountain Lake to release a 32-inch, 6-pound 5-ounce muskie, and Jack Clemens took a trip to the Lehigh River and landed a 5-pound 5-ounce walleye.

Scattered northern pike reports came in from the Passaic River, said Adrian of <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. The pike seemed to chase buzz baits dragged across the surface in the early mornings. Lake Hopatcong put out an elevated hybrid striper and walleye bite during the nighttime hours, and live herring worked best for a hook up. During the daytime Hopatcong was dishing out largemouth bass for anglers working weedless worms and frogs around the weed paddies.

Split Rock Reservoir served up a good show of largemouth bass, said Kevin at <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. Smallies were hanging deep in the water column, and 3-inch jigs tipped with Gulp minnows tricked them up from the cooler depths. The South Branch of the Raritan River held a fairly solid trout chew, especially in the area of Ken Lockwood Gorge, where tiny midge patterns were fooling the fish to 14 inches long.

Fishing was holding up well on the lake, despite the thunderstorms and the heat wave, said Laurie of <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Smallmouth bass were the main attraction and hung off the rocky points, such as Chestnut Point and Pickerel Point. Small jigs tipped with herring were hooking the bronzebacks, and large hybrid stripers seemed to go into hiding. The only ones being caught were in the 2 to 4-pound class. A few walleye from 3 to 4 pounds were also hitting herring in 20-foot depths off the points.

Ramapo Lake was the best bet of the week, said Tom at <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. Crappie were hitting fathead minnows around the shoreline stick piles, and largemouth bass to 2 pounds were swallowing Senko worms worked along the shore. The best spot on the lake seemed to be in the back by the bridge.

Thunderstorms and the constant heat wave seemed to keep lots of boaters off Spruce Run and Round Valley, said Chris at <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport</b>, but shore anglers fished Spruce Run with dead herring and produced quality channel cats to 8 pounds. A few eels were also coming up on lines. Anglers fishing the banks of the South Branch of the Raritan happened into a few largemouth and smallmouth bass, but presentations with crank baits or Senkos needed to be worked very slowly.

Most customers were heading out to Spruce Run Reservoir to pull on scattered largemouth bass and panfish, said Sean at <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield. Anglers fishing the South Branch of the Raritan saw a resurgence of rock bass fishing, especially around the rocky overhangs and in the deeper waters from 8 to 10 feet. Surprise Lake and Watchung Lake were homes to quality largemouth bass action.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Daytime fishing was kept to a minimum because of the heat, said Ron at <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. But nighttime anglers were traveling to the D&R Canal to dunk dead herring for a good creel of catfish to 6 pounds. Duke’s on the canal was a hot spot.

Largemouth bass anglers shifted tactics to deep-water presentations during the summer temps, said Roy from <b>L&H Woods & Water</b> in Wall. Anglers should be drop-shotting Senkos, shaky worms or 4-inch tubes, rigging them Carolina-style, and sending them down to the bottom. Smaller bass will be in the shallows, but the larger, 2 to 4-pound varieties will be cooling off along bottoms. The Manasquan Reservoir would be a good bet to hit up.

Live killies and fathead minnows were fooling quite a few pickerel at Lake Como, said Greg from <b>Brielle Bait & Tackle</b>. Lake Riviera was seeing a few largemouth bass that went after top-water poppers, such as Hula Poppers and Jitterbugs, fished during dusk. Manasquan Reservoir was a recommended spot to go for bucketmouths, though anglers should work their Senkos down deep along the bottom for a strike.

Largemouth bass to 5 pounds were smacking small Rapala F5 crank baits at small ponds and Carnegie Lake, said A.J. at <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> of Robbinsville. Crappie were on a tear in Lake Assunpink and Stone Tavern Lake, and the slabs were chasing small, marabou jigs tipped with yellow, 1-inch, curly tailed grubs. Work the stick piles around the edges of the lakes for guaranteed action.

It was high time to go deep for largemouth bass, said Carl of the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown, because deep weed lines and channel ledges were now holding the bucketmouths. Carnegie Lake and Amwell Lake doled out good bigmouth bass action, and large 10-inch Yum worms fished Texas-style were the key. White perch sometimes bit nightcrawlers at Amwell Lake. Catfish anglers were getting lines pulled while fishing dead herring near the Bordentown section of the Delaware River.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Pickerel at New Brooklyn Lake were a steady source of activity, said Ed at <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood, and medium shiners fished under bobbers did the most damage. Blackwood Lake continued to produce largemouth bass, but this week Atco Lake was the prime-time hotbed, and one customer reported fishing there and casting pumpkin Senkos rigged weedless to bag five largemouth bass to 4 pounds in a 45-minute period.

Largemouth bass were hungry, said Lou at the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Malaga Lake gave up a good number of bucketmouths for anglers casting Senkos against the prominent weed lines that extended the span of the lake. Alcyon Lake was excellent for panfish, small largemouth bass and carp in the 8- to 12-pound class, and many kids were having a blast fishing nightcrawlers to tackle the fish.

The tidal portion of the Maurice River was the best largemouth bass option, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland, but Crystal Sandwash and Menantico Sandwash were close frontrunners. Top-water presentations were the way to go, and white buzz baits ripped across the surface were getting drilled. The good news was that the constant thunderstorms were filling the lakes with much needed water, and all local lakes seemed to be coming back up to normal levels.

The summertime pattern of catfish and white perch bites was keeping anglers busy, said Ki of <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. The Maurice River was a source of both species in plentiful numbers, and catfishers were sending down Uncle Josh stink baits or dead herring. White perch anglers were fishing small bits of bloodworms, and the perch were feeding slowly but steadily. If  anglers put in your time, they could bring enough whiteys home for a substantial dinner.

Back to Top