<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river ran at 750 CFS, and a fresh run of kings and cohos moved in, said Simon at <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. But the main game in town switched to steelhead and brown trout fishing, and average catches of steelheads ranged four to six fish in the 5- to 8-pound class per angler, and some monster browns to 13 pounds were tackled. Egg sacks in blue or chartreuse were best baits, and the Staircase, Town Hole and the small tributaries leading into the river were honey holes.

Salmon could get banked on the upper river, and decent numbers of steelheads and brown trout, and not many anglers, could be found in the middle of the river, said  Paul Auguscinksi from <b>SAS Guide Service</b> in Pulaski. The upper river at Altmar got the most attention. Fallen leaves made fishing “interesting” on the middle and lower stretches, but if the leaves could be dealt with, fish cooperated. Fishing for steelheads and browns was very good on the Oswego River on Saturday. Rising waters from rains lately might help flush out the leaves on both waters. SAS Guide Service spin fishes for salmon, steelhead and trophy trout on wade and drift-boat trips, and enjoys teaching anglers the techniques that will help them learn how to hook up themselves, in hopes that they can even return on their own and catch.

The king salmon migration was mostly finished, but the push of steelheads and brown trout upriver started to become a focus for anglers, said Bill Ferman from <b>High Hook Guide Service</b> from Pulaski. Runs of cohos seemed mostly finished, but stragglers could move in. Quite a bit of rains filled the rivers and creeks, making angling tougher, but waters started to recede. Although the salmon migration lasts a brief time, mostly in October, steelhead fishing lasts all winter. Steelheads are transplanted from the American West, where they sometimes migrate a thousand miles upstream to spawn. Although none of Lake Ontario’s tributaries are that long, the fish are programmed to linger in the streams all winter and spawn in spring, though some only come up in spring. So steelhead fishing lasts through May.   High Hook both wades and drift-boats for salmon, steelheads and trophy brown and rainbow trout with both spinning gear and fly rods.  

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Largemouth bass really stacked up in the coves in the Delaware River, said Bruce from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. The tidal coves such as Dredge Harbor and Salem Harbor held good numbers of 1- to 3-pounders, and rubber baits tallied catches of up to 10 to 20 per day for dedicated anglers. Smallmouth bass fishing was still a worthwhile proposition, but fishing grubs for them became tough with all the leaves floating in the waters. Trout fishers headed to Pennypack Creek and Levittown Lake to pull on 13- to 20-inchers.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Merrill Creek Reservoir put out lots of smallmouth bass, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. In the Delaware River a few walleyes and plenty of catfish were taken. At Merrill catches included Shawn Dornblaster’s 3-pound smallmouth and 4.8-pound pickerel, Angee Ramos’ 3.4- and 3.5-pound smallmouths, Wally Miller’s 4.8-pound smallmouth and Rick Hesington’s 3.8- and 4.9-pound smallmouths. On the Big D catches included Jack Armstrong’s 6-pound walleye, Bill Sigafoose’s 6.8- and 7.4-pound channel catfish and Mike Riffert’s 9-pound channel and 4.8-pound smallmouth. Albert Evans fished the Musconetcong River to come up with a 4-pound rainbow trout.

Big, breeder trout got plucked from the Big Flatbrook and the Musconetcong rivers, said Adrian from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. Salmon eggs and Power Baits were top choices, and the key to finding the larger trout was to move around and explore the streams, finding the particular, out-of-the-way runs where the breeders hunkered down. The fishing was no longer a simple, “find-the-pool” strategy, since the trout became pressured.

The South Branch of the Raritan, the Pequest and the Flatbrook rivers were the best for trout, said Dom at <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. The fish pounced on flies such as scuds and green wooly buggers drifted through the riffles and into the pools. Lake Hopatcong was extremely low, but some boaters were able to get out and dust walleyes in the deeper waters.

At the largemouth bass tournament at Greenwood Lake a 2-1/2-pounder was the biggest bucketmouth, and 1 to 2 pounds was the average in the 51- to 55-degree waters, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. Black Gulp worms, jigging spoons and spinner baits were the best lures. Yellow perch fishing was decent at the Highlands Lakes, and the scrappers attacked tiny Rat-L-Traps. Plenty of rainbow trout swam the Musconetcong River, and eggs and worms scored the bulk of the bites.

Rainbow trout kept cruising the shoreline at Round Valley Reservoir, said Steve from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. Pink and yellow Power Baits sent out on a bottom float rig hooked the ‘bows to 18 inches and larger. Waters were very low at Spruce Run Reservoir, but anglers there battled northern pike and hybrid striped bass that whacked shiners in the mornings. Largemouth bass could be caught on Senkos dropped in the deeper waters.

Rains finally replenished rivers almost 100 percent, said Ron at <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield. The Big Flatbrook and Ken Lockwood Gorge were great places to work for trout. Size-14 elk wing caddis and size-10 brook-trout streamers did the job on the Flatbrook, and sizes 10 to 18 bead-headed nymphs produced better at the Gorge. The shoreline at Round Valley Reservoir attracted rainbows that inhaled Power Baits, wooly bugger and large nymphs, mostly from 7 a.m. till noon.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Trout fishing was excellent so long as anglers could navigate around fallen leaves, said Bert from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Heavier split shots were used to sink nightcrawlers down below the detritus in the North Branch of the Raritan. The Raritan and Millstone Creek also offered action on trout and smallmouth bass on small shiners.

Catches were most consistent at Lake Riviera, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Largemouth bass, yellow perch and pickerel all chomped on killies and Senkos. Lester’s Lake served up a mix of pickerel, catfish and sunfish that ate up nightcrawlers. Look to the Trilco stretch of the Toms River for pickerel and white perch on nightcrawlers fished under floats.

Muskellunge were on the prowl big time at Lake Mercer, said Eric at <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. At dawn and dusk the muskies walloped big Creek Chub plugs and Mepps Musky Killers. Scattered largemouth bass and crappies ran Lake Assunpink, Prospertown Lake and Carnegie Lake. On the Delaware River anglers picked away at walleyes.

Largemouth bass seemed to get more active, said Tony from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Carnegie Lake and Lake Mercer were both places to find bass that chased down shiners or fed on nightcrawlers under floats. Rising Sun Lake gave up largemouths and a good show of crappies that socked small hair jigs.  The Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area lakes were a pickerel haven for big chainsiders to 3 ½ pounds that eagerly sucker punched shiners, nightcrawlers and in-line spinners.

<b>South Jersey</b>

In the shop’s largemouth bass tournament this past week anglers averaged three to four fish apiece that weighed 1 to 2 pounds, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. Entrants focused on the creek mouths such as at Rancocas Creek, Mantua Creek and Little Timber Creek with crank baits and creature baits. Short striped bass were played on the Delaware River on bloodworms. Try spots like the Gloucester Pier and the National Park area. For consistent trout fishing make the trip to Greenwich Lake, Rowan’s Pond and Blackwood Lake.

Trout fishers mugged big, breeder rainbows at Grenloch Lake, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Paula Flanagan drilled two 20-inch rainbows, quality fish, and others reported fighting the same caliber of trout. Fish pink or yellow Power Baits. 

Oak Pond and Grenloch Lake were the target for customers going after remaining breeder trout that were stocked, and Power Baits worked best, said Lou at the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Glen McGough weighed in a 23-inch 4-pound rainbow.

As soon as the weather pattern gets consistently cool, lakes will turn over, and largemouth bass will be on the feed, said Jeff at <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. That might’ve happened this week in the cold weather, and fish Rat-L-Traps or jerk baits for the hungry bass. Leftover breeder trout were wrangled from the Maurice River on Power Baits, and customers waited for a push of more striped bass up the river. Pickerel hounds headed to Dennisville Lake to mess with 1- to 2-1/2-pounders.

Gobs of white perch became active on the Maurice River, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. The slabs nabbed bloodworms and fresh grass shrimp floated under bobbers. Short striped bass continued to be in the mix, but anglers waited for an influx of larger bass any day. Catfish in the river gobbled up Mr. Catfish stink baits both day and night.

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