<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Smallmouth fishing on the Delaware River remained a consistent venture, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. The area above Stockton was a solid smallmouth stretch, and three customers took a trip there, reeling in 21 smallies while casting grubs and shiners. Another waded around Treasure Island and had fun with 21 bronzebacks to 19 inches that attacked minnows. Boaters who drifted from Frenchtown to Byram found 10- to 13-inch smallies that pounced Zoom grubs, power grubs and tube jigs. Shoreline anglers on the Big D plucked catfish that sucked down herring, chicken livers, shrimp, nightcrawlers and bagels. Station Avenue, Linden Avenue, Rhawn Street and Princeton Avenue were some of the better places. Schoolie stripers, sometimes 40 per trip, could be hooked at the same places on herring and grub jigs. At the local farm ponds largemouth bass fishing held steady. Bill himself beat 22 of the bucktemouths from 12 inches to 4 pounds while fishing live shiners and watermelon Senkos.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Smallmouths and walleyes really fed in the Delaware River, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. All sizes were caught, and more walleyes seemed to be caught this year than in recent years. Live crawfish and leeches worked best. Anthony Gregory pinned down a 7-pound walleye, and Harold Ensley claimed a 6-pound 4-ouncer. Other species were also taken from the Delaware. Ray Moyer landed a 5-pound channel cat, and Donald Jacowich scrubbed a 12-pound 10-ounce tiger muskie. Chauncey Mulligan scored a 24-pound 7-ounce striped bass, and Carl Hoffman boated a 22-pound striper. Local lakes also dished out action. Lonnie Petrus hit Mountain Lake for a 5.2-pound largemouth bass. Bill Masterson plied Oxford Furnace Lake to creel a 4.6-pound rainbow trout. John Randolph fished Minsi Lake and bagged a 4.4-pound pickerel on a shiner.

Pike fishing was still a viable option on the Passaic River, said Adrian from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. Colleen Wingfield tied into a 9-pound water wolf that walloped a spinner bait near the two bridges area. Anglers might have better luck in the cooler, early morning hours. Stop by the shop to pick up a Passaic Pike Map detailing all the top spots.

Lake Hopatcong gave up a potpourri of species, said Dom from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus, and all the fish got active in the dark instead of during the heat of daytime. Largemouth bass jumped all over shiners at nighttime, because of lighter boat traffic as much as the cooler waters. Hybrid striped bass and walleyes chased herring schools to the surface in the midnight hours. Most anglers fishing for them connected along the state park side of the lake from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Hybrid striped bass gobbled down herring in the deeper waters of the main lake, mostly from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Jim Welsh smacked the fish to 8 pounds, and Kenny Stelmack hammered the hybrids to 7 pounds. But other species were on tap. Gary Truit and son landed walleyes to 5 pounds and lots of smallmouth bass to 3 pounds. Emil Slepak swam a live herring to stick a 4-pound 12-ounce largemouth bass. Bill Hand fished his dock in the evening and came up with a 7-pound 14-ounce channel catfish. Loads of crappies were also fought on tiny grub jigs around the coves and off the docks. Don’t forget: The Knee Deep Club’s Catfish Tournament will be held August 9 and 10, and anglers can call the shop for more info: (973) 663-3826.  

Largemouth bass hit hard at Lake Hopatcong, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. Al fished the weed beds and had 14 bucketmouths, two smallies and a bunch of yellow perch on top-waters and Senkos dropped into the holes of the mats. The Paulinskill River offered trout in the deeper pools on garden worms simply drifted with a size-BB split shot.

A host of small largemouth bass and some smallmouths were ready and willing to chew in the South Branch of the Raritan River, said Chris from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b> in Lebanon. Watermelon Senkos fished wacky-style or Texas-style earned strikes from 1/2-pound to 2-pound bass that charged the baits on the drop as the worms sank. Chris saw a 6-pound bigmouth near his dock and some 10-pound carp milling about. Round Valley Reservoir doled out steady rainbow trout fishing for anglers dropping herring to the 20-foot depths.

Most trout anglers stayed off the streams, because waters were so low, said Ron from <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield. Fly casters targeted local lakes and ponds, such as Farrington Lake, casting poppers and Wooly Buggers to smallmouth and largemouth bass.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Doug Zielaznick weighed in a whopper, 5.3-pound smallmouth bass that he took from the Raritan River on a crawfish, and then released it back into the river, said Bob from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b>. Trouters fished Round Valley Reservoir from evening into nighttime to angle rainbow trout with live herring. Action lasted well into the night, so be sure to have all the running lights working on the boat.

A mess of largemouth bass, pickerel and crappies swam the Ocean County College ponds and Lake Riviera, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. A key was to cast small killies rigged 1 to 2 feet under a bobber. Lester’s Lake and the Wading River were also decent bass and pickerel locales, and shiners and Mepps Black Fury spinners claimed both. The Trilco stretch of the Toms River was home for schools of white perch that eagerly lapped up grass shrimp and nightcrawlers. Manasquan Reservoir put on a good show of largemouth bass hanging around the bank sides in the stick piles, though boaters could target the deeper channels and spots, where more bass hid from the heat. Big catfish to 6 pounds also hit in the reservoir, especially round the deep hole in the middle of the impoundment, and chicken-liver chum drew them in. One customer said three-day-old, 5-inch bacon strips got plenty of bites.

Bassing was a sunup or sundown proposition, for the most part, said Sean from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Gropp’s Lake and the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes were the places to be, and buzz baits cranked across the surface got nailed. Smallmouth bass congregated around the Lambertville section of the Delaware River, and small crank baits were whacked.

Smallmouth bass were on a tear on the Delaware River, especially from Port Jarvis to Trenton, said Carl from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Zoom Fat Alberts and Heddon Tiny Torpedos hung the smallies in the sunup hours. Catfishing was on fire on the Big D as well, especially at Bordentown, and stink baits brought them to battle. Round Valley Reservoir’s lake trout slammed herring trolled 120 feet down, and some of lakers measured up to 24 inches long.

<b>South Jersey</b>

The lakes and ponds that lay in the shade, such as the Stafford Forge ponds, were the watering holes to fish during the oppressive heat wave, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b>. Most gave up a steady pull of pickerel on live shiners.

Largemouth bass held deep, out of the sun, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait &  Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. Try the Cooper River for bass, casting Yum Money Minnows and Strike Reaction plastics. Or fish the Delaware River, like around the Navy Yard, for largemouths, schoolie striped bass and white perch that all chased down small plastics. A steady catfishery was available on the Big D, and dead herring was a magic bait.

Lake Worth and the Penn Bryn Wildlife Management Area lake in Winslow were top largemouth producers, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Anglers at both averaged four to six fish in the 2- to 3-pound bracket per trip, and live shiners fished underneath floats got punched.

Bass fishers should concentrate on the deeper lakes in the area, said Lou from the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Although Malaga Lake was normally a hot spot, anglers during the heat are better served heading to Union Lake, where the deeper depths staged near the thermocline will hold more bass, especially after dinnertime or during the night.

Get out early before breakfast to tangle with largemouths, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Top-water Scumfrogs and Zoom Horny Toads were solid lures to use at Parvin and Malaga Lakes. Once the sun is up, try dropping deeper with rubber worms, especially at Union Lake. Daretown Lake also turned on for bigmouths this past week. Bluegills and sunnies could be found at all the local lakes and ponds, and nightcrawlers will put a catch in the frying pan. Small striped bass made their way up the Maurice River, and jerk baits and crank baits worked on the 15 to 26 inchers during higher tides.

Most customers waited until nighttime to do any fishing, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. Many headed to the Maurice River under the cloak of darkness to toss stink baits and dead herring for decent catfishing. The catties averaged 2 to 5 pounds, mainly biting during higher tides.

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