New Jersey Fishing Reports

Striped bass headlined the Delaware River’s fishing, and the waters reached 56 degrees, said Bill from Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle in Philadelphia. He made it out to the Tacony Bridge area to catch 10 small stripers to 21 inches and 10 catfish on herring and bloodworms. In the same area shad were on a good feed, and anglers on one boat darted more than 30. They also picked up two 11- and 15-pound stripers and 12 herring. A 41-inch striper was supposedly reeled in from the river off Station Avenue and bit a live herring. Near the Commodore Barry Bridge the fishing was much better than before in terms of numbers and sizes of bass. Way down on Chesapeake Bay, striper action was intense at the Susquehanna Flats, and one customer there landed 55 fish to 27 pounds on chunked herring and Rat-L-Traps.

NEW JERSEY

North Jersey

Trout fishers were saying that this was the first year in a long time that trout outnumbered trout anglers, said Bill from Bill’s Bait & Tackle in Phillipsburg. Lots of the fish were swimming the streams. Ed Casterline, Easton, took a 2-pound rainbow from Bushkill Creek, and Justin Sokoloski, Phillipsburg, claimed a 4-pound 6-ounce brown from the Delaware. Dustin Duckworth, Phillipsburg, slammed trout—including a 3-pound 6-ounce brown and three 2-pound class tiger trout—on the Musconetcong River. Also on the Muskie, Ronald Murphy from Pohatcong Township picked up a pair of 3-pound 6-ounce and 4-pound 5-ounce tigers, and Howard Morganetti from Easton hauled in a 5-pound 4-ounce brown. Pete Luzzo from Martin’s Creek also fished the Muskie to drill a 4-pound 8 ounce brown. Shad arrived in the Easton stretch of the Delaware River, and mostly small bucks grabbed darts and spoons. The Big D was also hot for other species, such as Randy Dombrosky’s 5-pound 8-ounce channel cat, Chris Bogoly’s 17-pound 8-ounce carp and Matt Karcher’s two channels: a 5-pound 6-ouncer and a 4-pound 10-ouncer.

Streams were in great shape, said Adrian from Fairfield Fishing Tackle in Montville. The Ramapo River and Big Flatbrook were taking the cake for the best trout fishing. The Passaic River was clean the past few days, and pike anglers were hitting it every day, coming back with hushed reports about steady action, especially near the Twin Bridge and the power plant.

The Musconetcong River was loaded with trout, said Kevin from Ramsey Outdoor in Paramus. It also held a smattering of smallmouth bass, and big, black Wooly Buggers were tricking up both species. On the Big Flatbrook trout were keying in on Hendrickson flies during afternoons, when waters became warmer. Shad put reel drags to the test on the Easton stretch of the Delaware River. Both crappie and largemouth bass were waking up in the smaller lakes. Try tossing out live fatheads for a hook-up from either.

Hefty fish hit the scales through the week, said Laurie from Dow’s Boat Rentals in Lake Hopatcong. Nancy Fernandez and Mike Anzalone pulled up a pair of identical 1-pound 3-ounce crappies. Ashley Truglio nailed a 3-pound 10-pounce pickerel, and Mike Pylyphshyn brought to hand a 3-pound 5-ounce pick. But wait. Dominic Sarinelli drilled a 4-pound 2-ounce chainsider, and John Swenty upped the ante with a 4-pound 6-ouncer. Howie Ryan added a 3-pound 8 ouncer to boot. On the trout front, Kenny Schmier bagged a 4-pound 3-ounce brownie and a 3-pound 13-ounce rainbow, and Mike Santolli took down a 3-pound 11-ounce rainbow. Dorota Wasilewski decked a 2-pound 9-ounce brown. Laurie hopes to stock herring sometime this week, and call ahead to check the supply.

Lake Hopatcong was a crappie factory, said Al from Meltzer’s Sporting Goods in Garfield. John Panini and son tallied 51 slabs in the Woodport area on 3-inch Senko worms. The New Jersey Bass Hunters held a largemouth tournament on Pompton Lakes over the weekend, and Nick Benigno won with five bucketmouths totaling 13 pounds, highlighted by a 4.7 pounder. Jerry Otto took second with his largest, a 3.6-pounder. The Ramapo River gave up super trout fishing, and Dave Reens fished there, limiting out near the bridge.

The South Branch was home to torrid trout fishing, said Chris from Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop. He put up a 6-pound brook trout from the Clinton stretch, and the big beast inhaled a nightcrawler. Steve Lin joined him and landed a 10-pound carp on light spinning gear. Largemouth bass were beginning a solid bite on both the South Branch and Spruce Run Reservoir.

Trout fishing took top billing, said Ron from Ray’s Sport Shop in North Plainfield. Ken Lockwood Gorge produced quality rainbows on size-14 Hendricksons. Lake Aeroflex doled out plenty of rainbows on size-8 Wooly Buggers, and the Pequest offered brookies that ate size-14 Quill Gordons best. All stream conditions were crisp and clear in good flowing waters.

Central Jersey

The North Branch of the Raritan was the best bet for trout catches, said Chris from Efinger Sporting Goods in Bound Brook, and he bailed a load of the fish on size-14 pheasantails. Anglers fly-casting Ken Lockwood Gorge found better luck on small stonefly patterns.

Largemouth bass fishing gained headway, said Andrew from L&H Woods & Water in Wall. Osborn Pond and Silo Pond put out quality bucketmouths, and so did the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes. Bass anglers also began to target Manasquan Reservoir, though catfish were the main fare there. Trouters were fishing the Manasquan River to pull on stockers that charged Roostertails and sizes 8 to 10, green Wooly Buggers.

On Lake Riviera live shiners attracted both largemouth bass in quantity and big pickerel, said Dennis from Murphy’s Hook House in Toms River. The Trilco stretch of the Toms, especially in the deeper water near the Parkway Bridge, was another wild pickerel spot. The key was to free-line the shiners with no floats or weights. Customers started paying attention to Manasquan Reservoir for largemouth bass, though the Seacourt Pavilion pond was giving up more as well as crappie on rosy reds and live killies. Trout tacklers were focusing on the Toms River and Metedeconk River to play 10- to 12-inch fish on orange and yellow Power Baits.

Herring, smallmouth bass, striped bass and shad were all hanging in the Delaware River in the Trenton area, the best spot going, said Eric from Harry’s Army and Navy in Robbinsville. One of the guys from the shop swam a livelined herring to hook a 34-inch striper, and Eric himself walloped a 32-incher the day before. Trout fishers found that dam site No. 19 and the Delaware and Raritan Canal were places for plenty of stringer fish. Largemouth bass and crappie were active in Gropp’s Lake, Mercer Lake and all three Assunpink Lakes, and the key method was to slow-roll spinner baits.

Crappie fed well at Mercer Lake, said Tony from the Sportsmen’s Center in Bordentown. The calicoes inhaled small, yellow grub tails and fathead minnows on 1/16-ounce jigheads. Plenty of trout filled Carnegie Lake after the recent stocking. The Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes began to warm up and dish out good numbers of crappies and largemouth bass. Trout also came from the main lake.

South Jersey

Big, breeder trout could be lifted from Grenloch Lake, Oak Pond and Rowan’s Pond, said Ed from Creek Keepers in Blackwood. Two big ones—a 3-pound 8-ouncer and a 4-pound 11-ouncer—were plucked from Oak Pond, where wax worms and meal worms worked best. Big pickerel harassed live shiners fished under a bobber at New Brooklyn Lake, and some weighed 4 pounds.

Trout were active on Iona Lake, said Lou from Sportsman’s Outpost in Williamstown. Power Baits and garden worms were responsible for good numbers reeled in from Iona, Grenloch Lake and Oak Pond. Largemouth bass were getting aggressive at Wilson Lake, and so were pickerel. Herring migrated daily into the Great Egg Harbor River and the Maurice River, and striped bass were hot on their tails.

Largemouth bass started parking themselves on the spawning beds, said Jeff from Blackwater Sports Center in Vineland. But at Parvin and Sunset lakes they chased swim baits, Senkos and the new Jackall Flick Shake Worms. Striped bass were infiltrating the Maurice River in large numbers, and live herring were fooling quality fish, and rumors circulated about a 49-incher slammed. Try fishing around the high tides and up on the flats.

A white perch tournament was a success on the Maurice River over the weekend, and more than 30 people pulled on whiteys all day long, said Ki from Huck’s Place in Millville. Most ended up with 6 to 12 fish each, and the whiteys were medium-sized, perfect for the frying pan. Herring were running through the Maurice River, and Sabiki rigs and small silver spoons were hooking them.