<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river ran high and wild at 1,800 CFS most of last week but by yesterday morning was down to a manageable 750 CFS, said Suzanne at <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. Eight- to 12-pound steelheads were fought in the Altmar area on black stoneflies with chartreuse casings, root-beer-colored wooly buggers and blue egg sacks. Occasional coho salmon and brown trout swam the area, and lucky anglers hooked them between the steelies.

Steelhead fishing will remain the focus from here on out, said Bill Ferman from <b>High Hook Guide Service</b>. His anglers will hunt the sea-run trout straight through winter on the Salmon River and other tributaries of Lake Ontario. The salmon migration on the waters was finished, and practically none was left in the rivers and creeks where they spawn. But brown trout and rainbow trout, trophy-sized fish that migrate from the lake to spawn, were around in the Salmon River and other streams. Browns only come up a short time in fall, although some linger all winter, for some reason. But both the steelheads and rainbows, the freshwater version of steelheads, stay in the rivers and creeks through winter. The Salmon River ran quite high at 1,800 CFS this past week because waters were released from the reservoir. During those conditions the creeks were fished to avoid the rapid river, and catches there were decent. Egg sacks probably worked best, and for fly anglers, egg patterns or stoneflies were good choices.  High Hook both wades and drift-boats for salmon, steelheads and trophy brown and rainbow trout with both spinning gear and fly rods.  

A flow of 1,800 CFS on the river during the weekend made fishing difficult, but toward the end of the week the flow was 1,350, relatively high but manageable, and steelhead fishing was decent on the upper Salmon, said Paul Auguscinski from <b>SAS Guide Service</b>.  With a further drop in the flow early this week, catches were expected to improve. During the high waters melting snow dropped water temps to 43 or 44 degrees, also affecting fishing. By the end of last week steelies held at Pineville, smacking plugs, and they also swam farther upstream at Altmar, mostly biting pink egg sacks. A couple of anglers from PSE&G in New Jersey fished Sunday, going 1 for 6 on steelheads and 2 for 2 on brown trout.  SAS Guide Service spin fishes for salmon, steelheads 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.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Largemouth bass fishing was a stable source of action on the Delaware River, said Bruce from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. Stretches such as at Dredge Harbor and at Tullytown Cove offered bigmouths that inhaled rubber lizards and rubber shads. Zillions of leaves filled the waters, making smallmouth fishing difficult, and smallmouth anglers mainly headed up to the Susquehanna River. Trouters pulled catches out of Pennypack Creek and Levittown Lake, but on Friday will start focusing on Core Creek for the stocking.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Merrill Creek Reservoir held decent smallmouth bass fishing, and try hitting the late morning hours with crank baits, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg.

Trout anglers mostly bought up meal worms to dunk in the Paulinskill, Pequest and Flatbrook rivers, said Adrian from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. A key to finding large breeders was to search out the whole streams to find the specific pools where the fish hung. Make casts in deeper pools underneath overhangs.

The Musconetcong and Paulinskill rivers gave up a fair share of trout, and yellow salmon eggs worked best, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. Split Rock Reservoir had smallmouth bass fishing going on, and jig-n-pig combos in purple and black got attention. Walleyes were on the feed at Lake Hopatcong, and anglers able to get out on boats, despite waters that were lowered, scored action off the points, working Rapala ice jigs, bagging 5- to 7-pounders.

Excellent walleye fishing was the deal at the lake, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Lou Marcucci was dropping Rapala No. 9 ice jigs and Gotchas off Nolan’s Point in the 35- to 45-foot depths, racking up walleyes in the 5- to 7-pound class. Hybrid striped bass also attacked the jigs. Jim Welsh also used this method, landing a 7-pound marble eye and an 8-pound hybrid. Jim Archambault was trolling the weed lines around Great Cove, the Windlass and Raccoon Island with Big Believer and Jake crank baits, hammering muskellunge from 10 to 15 pounds.

Greenwood Lake was a great area for largemouth bass fishing, said Mark from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. Al Panici and Nick Boningo beat bass to 2 1/2 pounds on Senkos. If anglers could get a boat in the waters at Lake Hopatcong, plenty of walleyes were to be had on Rapala ice jigs and Kastmaster spoons fished off the points.

At Round Valley Reservoir shoreline anglers drilled rainbow trout on Power Bait-and-nightcrawler combos and live shiners, said Steve from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. In the coves smallmouth bass ate up large shiners, and lake trout catch-and-release action could be gained by dropping shiners down either to the 60- to 65-foot depths or the 85- to 90-foot zones. The trick was to motor around and search out the moving schools. Waters were extremely low at Spruce Run Reservoir, but shore-based anglers pummeled 7- or 8-pound northern pike that lambasted shiners.

River conditions were excellent for trout fishing, said Mike from <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield. The South Branch of the Raritan, Pequest and Musconetcong rivers were all places to tangle with rainbows on Power Baits or bead-headed nymphs.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Fly casters looking for trout could do well to concentrate on Ken Lockwood Gorge, launching out midge and blue winged olive patterns in the rushing waters, said Mike at <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Look for the deeper runs, and make sure the fly sinks to the bottom

Largemouth bass, pickerel and perch—a smorgasbord—honed in on shiners and nightcrawlers at Lake Riviera, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. The Ocean County College ponds were a place for tussles with yellow perch and bigmouth bass willing to chase shiners. Chain pickerel began to get real hungry in the Trilco stretch of the Toms River.
 
Muskie action at Lake Mercer grabbed attention, said Eric from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Giant buzz baits in black-and-chartreuse patterns and Mepps No. 1 marabou spinners latched into 10- to 12-pound muskies. Largemouth bass were a solid bet at Lake Assunpink and Prospertown Lake, and so were crappies that nibbled on small hair jigs twitch-fished under bobbers.

Lake Mercer’s muskie fishing was fairly heavy, said Tony at the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Most customers slung out large shiners for a fight with 10- to 15-pounders. Rising Sun Lake was the best option for largemouth bass catches, and shiners again got the nod. Cranbury Lake’s crappie angling was torrid on smaller shiners. Carnegie Lake served up a mix of pickerel, crappies and largemouths, and anglers who wanted specifically to target pickerel did well at the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area lakes.

<b>South Jersey</b>

A hush-hush striped bass party was going on in the Delaware River, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. Big ones to 35 inches were bloodwormed around Camden, like along the piers. Also in the Big D, smallmouth bass were cooperative, jumping on top-water plugs, jigs and bloodworms at the mouths of Mantua Creek, Woodbury Creek and Big Timber Creek. Largemouth bass fishers headed to Blackwood Lake, Greenwich Lake, Malaga Lake, Victory Lakes and Collins Lakes for bucketmouths that sucked in shiners.

The Lakeland Lakes dealt out largemouth bass fishing that was steady, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. One customer whacked five largemouths to 3 pounds on shiners. Lake Worth was a spot to muscle in both bigmouths and chain pickerel. Blackwood Lake also doled out plenty of pickerel fights.

It’s that time of year: Chain pickerel dominated lake fishing, said Lou from the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Franklinville and Wilson lakes were top waters, and swim a shiner to attracting an attack. Trout anglers reeled up occasional breeders at Iona Lake on Power Baits or nightcrawlers.

Bass casters waited for stabilized waters, said Jeff from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Lakes fluctuated 55 to 62 degrees during a day, keeping the largemouths wary. So chain pickerel were the main focus at places such as Malaga Lake and Blackwood Lake.

Short striped bass were the go-to fishery on the Maurice River, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville, and the linesiders chomped bloodworms. A push of larger stripers should come soon, because they entered Delaware Bay and should move into the river. White perch were also on tap in the Maurice, eagerly chowing on bloodworms underneath bobbers.

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