Saw Mill Pond was a place for quality fishing for largemouth bass, said Dom from Ramsey Outdoor in Paramus. Greg from the shop bailed a couple of dozen largemouths to 3 pounds while casting Senkos and Keitech swim baits. A mat of weed growth covered many lakes, so weedless top-water lures became part of the arsenal. Trout anglers scored on the Rockaway River when they could get baits to the bottom with heavier split shots in the high waters.

Some healthy catches were entered in the Stew Lant Lake Hopatcong Challenge during the weekend, said Laurie from Dow’s Boat Rentals in Lake Hopatcong. Eddie Mackin won first place with a combo of a 7-pound hybrid striped bass, a 6.3-pound walleye, a 2.7-pound smallmouth bass and a 2.2-pound largemouth bass. Lou Marcucci finished second with a 2.4-pound largemouth, a 1-pound 11-ounce smallmouth and a 1.1-pound trout. Jason Cummings took third with an 8.1-pound hybrid and a 1-pound 11-ounce smallmouth. Catch the Knee Deep Club’s hybrid striped bass contest from 5 a.m. Saturday, July 11, to 12 noon Sunday, July 12. Entry forms are available online at kneedeepclub.org or at Dow’s.

Phenomenal largemouth bass fishing was whacked at Lake Hopatcong, said Nick from Meltzer’s Sporting Goods in Garfield. Big bucketmouths pounced on crank baits and top-waters. Night fishing on the lake was outstanding, and one customer was catching a half-dozen 6- to 7-pound hybrid striped bass and some walleyes every night while casting crank baits. Decent smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing was on tap at the Passaic River, and carp were heavy on the chew as well. Anglers who dunked corn or Uncle Josh Carp Baits landed the donkeys to 15 pounds.

Hybrid striped bass finally began to get on the bite at Spruce Run Reservoir, said Chris from Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop. The brokensiders chased top-water poppers and live herring trolled at 10- to 12-foot depths during the evenings and at night. Trout fishing was fairly active on the South Branch of the Raritan River, but more largemouth bass and carp were available from the river. Carp vacuumed up corn or Uncle Josh Carp Baits during daytimes and evenings.

With trout streams somewhat high and dirty, Bill Hoffman from Skylands Angler from Clinton fly-rodded for largemouth bass at the ponds at Hoffman Park, he said. Good catches were made on a Knight Slider, a pattern with a spun-deer-hair head, a rabbit-fur collar and a marabou tail. A slowly fished, sinking presentation got the strikes. The smaller to mid-sized bass were quicker to attack like usual, and the bigger ones were warier. A couple of huge ones swiped the flies but never got hooked, pouncing tentatively at the tails. But that’s how they grew huge: Caution! Trout could’ve been caught, but the bass seemed a better option, and Hoffman Park offers convenient access on trails that anglers can walk to several ponds, instead of traipsing through growth or woods, dealing with abundant ticks that Bill recommends avoiding. But he looks forward to trout fishing soon, and high waters kept him from the fishing a while, and he couldn’t be positive which hatches were best by now. Sulfurs probably still came off like before, and nymphs will always work. In the high waters anglers can drift San Juan Worms or larger stoneflies because of the worms that get washed into the streams or the flies that get forced into the flow from under the rocks. Trico hatches should kick in soon, and the white fly hatch on the Musconetcong River, a great one to fish, will get under way afterward. The big, white flies are fun, and the hatches from evenings to nights are good timing, when the trout began to get lazy during the mid days of summer. But mid days will still be able to be fished. Bill had been guiding fly trips in the surf, but the spring migration of striped bass and bluefish was slowing down in the suds. After all, it’s summer! He’ll return to the wash for the fall migration. Skylands Angler guides fly-fishing trips for trout on the Musconetcong and Pequest rivers and Ken Lockwood Gorge. Bill aims to teach anglers, whether beginners or advanced, how to fish the rivers, so they can even come back and catch on their own. That includes fly selection, how to fish the flies, casting lessons and all aspects. He also offers trips for other freshwater fish, like pike, hybrids, carp and largemouth bass, if anglers want to fly rod for them. Plus he guides fly trips in the surf during the spring and fall migrations at Sandy Hook and Island Beach State Park.

Largemouth bass and chain pickerel were the main fare that kept anglers busy, said Jeff from Murphy’s Hook House in Toms River. The Winding River, Lake Riviera, Lester’s Lake and the Ocean County College ponds all shoveled out the bass and picks, and swim shiners for the bass, and throw crank baits for the picks. A customer drilled a 4-pound bucketmouth at the Trilco stretch of the Toms River on a rubber worm. Look for Manasquan Reservoir’s bassing to pick up, especially around the docks and timber lines, Jeff said.

The Delaware River ran high and off-color, said Frank from Harry’s Army and Navy in Robbinsville. But smallmouth bass were taken high in the water column around trees that got flooded out. Anglers had to fish the river banks like angling in mangroves, casting between branches with tubes and flashy spinners. A couple of walleyes hung out in the submerged branches and roots, too. Largemouth bass fishing was fully in summertime mode, since the fish moved off the beds, and began attacking Senkos and top-water baits in the mornings.

Largemouth bass fishing cranked up, said Carl from the Sportsmen’s Center in Bordentown. Carnegie Lake was hot and heavy for the bassing, mostly on Senkos in watermelon, green pumpkin and black with glitter. Bigmouth fishing ran rampant at Manasquan Reservoir, and lunkers hung around the edges of wood piles and sunken timber fields. The key was to send out a Senko on a drop-shot rig, because the bass suspended in the water column to feed.

Anglers were out and about all weekend in the clear weather, and they brought in fish, said Jay from Creek Keepers in Blackwood. Blackwood Lake produced a 4-pound largemouth bass for Tina Ridana, a 6-pound catfish for Sam Zitterman and a 1-pound sunnie for Phil Fransco. Joe Reilly slammed a whopper, 7.1-pound largemouth at New Brooklyn Lake. Ryan’s Pond gave up a 4-pound 14-ounce trout for Jim Koehler. Alex Bonk fished Lake Rene for a 4-pound largemouth.

Crappie hit big-time at Lake Lenape, said Lou from the Sportsman’s Outpost in Williamstown. Jason King, 12, fished the waters with Mister Twister grub tails and meal worms, loading up on dozens of the specks. Another customer waxed four pickerel to 26 inches and a 1-1/2-pound largemouth bass at Wilson Lake on fathead minnows.

“Grateful” Bob “Bobstock” Trainor from the Friends of Victory Lakes Association and his dad beat five pickerel, four largemouth bass, two crappies and a yellow perch at the lakes on a trip during the weekend, Bob said. They hooked up on minnows, spinner baits and Gulp Tequila Sunrise Worms. Bob, his dad, family and friends on Fathers’ Day lambasted 18 pickerel and five largemouths at the lakes, and his daughter picked up a catfish. Minnows and spinner baits were thrown from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Anglers can fish Victory Lakes with a $5 day pass. The waters are private and hold largemouths, pickerel, crappies, yellow perch, bluegills, sunnies and an occasional catfish. Check out the association’s Web page for info. Bob is also from Bobstock Productions, promoting concerts in the area, including Jam on the Lake, open to the public. See the site for info or to attend the events.

A variety of species could be targeted, said Steve from Blackwater Sports Center in Vineland. Largemouth bass could be fought at Sunset Lake and Wilson Lake on rubber worms or top-water frogs. Big numbers of the bucketmouths could be found in the Salem Canal, but most weighed less than 1 1/2 pounds. Rainbow Lake and Parvin Lake offered fair bassing, and Jig-N-Pig combos worked well there. Look to Union Lake for consistent smallmouth bass catches, and drop-shotted Senkos will corner plenty of the bronzebacks during daytime hours.

The Maurice River settled in to the summertime pattern, with white perch and catfish providing most action, said Ki from Huck’s Place in Millville. The perch were going after bloodworms and frozen grass shrimp fished near the bottom. Catfish jumped on stink baits fished right on the bottom.

The Delaware River ran high and muddy, and many of the islands were completely under water, said Bill from Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle in Philadelphia. A few days of no rains would have to pass before the river was fishable again. So fishing at local farm ponds picked up the slack. Bill and a friend hit up Duck Harbor Pond, clobbering 68 chain pickerel, six largemouth bass, four bluegills and 10 crappies on grubs, trout magnets and fathead minnows. They also fished Miller Pond, clocking 64 pickerel, one largemouth, 15 bluegills, 17 crappies and four yellow perch. Zoom watermelon grubs and trout magnets tipped with fatheads were the hot lures.

NEW JERSEY

North Jersey

Thunderstorms failed to keep some anglers from fishing, and they scored, said Bill from Bill’s Bait & Tackle in Phillipsburg. Pohatcong Creek churned out a bunch of fish, like Ted Graner’s 4.6-pound brown trout, Mack Sullivan’s 2.8-pound brown, Jerry Ritter’s 6-pound 12-ounce rainbow trout and Lou Nemeth’s 1.8-pound rainbow. Before the rains made the Delaware River unfishable, the river’s catches included Ron Hoffman’s 6.9-pound walleye that he jigged, Rich Herbert’s 9-pound channel cat and Ralph West’s 22-pound striped bass. The hope was that the waters would subside this week. Merrill Creek Reservoir also served up fish, including Rob Woodruff’s 6-pound brownie, 8-year-old Justin Dornblaser’s 4-pound smallmouth bass and Angee Ramos’s 4-pound smallie and 4-pound pickerel.

Dynamite trout fishing went down on the Big Flatbrook, said Kevin from Ramsey Outdoor in Paramus. Not a lot of runoff hampered the stream, and the relative cleanness enabled trout to see sulfur flies that hatched in the mornings and blue-winged olives that came off in the evenings. Terrestrial flies can also work well during high waters, when the bugs get washed into the river. Steady largemouth bass fishing was available at Lake Hopatcong, and Senkos drop-shotted over weed beds got drilled.

The lake reached “full pool,” said Laurie from Dow’s Boat Rentals in Lake Hopatcong. Rains filled the lake, and hybrid striped bass and walleyes to 8 pounds were hung at Elba and Chestnut points, Byram and Henderson coves and around the yacht club, both on livelined herring. Smallmouth and largemouth bass also pounced on the herring. Muskellunge, including quality fish to 45 inches, slammed big buzz baits and large, trolled plugs.

Rains almost entirely filled Lake Hopatcong, said Nick from Meltzer’s Sporting Goods in Garfield, and largemouth bass could readily be found in the coves. The Vernon lakes held impressive bigmouth fishing and also crappies, and Nick fished there, pummeling 60 largemouths and a handful of crappies on Senkos and Keitech Swing Impacts. The Passaic River occasionally gave up striped bass with the high waters.

Round Valley Reservoir anglers found luck with lake trout and brown trout, said Jody from Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop. Seventy feet seemed the magic depth for livelined herring and shiners to claim the lakers to 6 pounds and the browns to 5 pounds. Spruce Run Reservoir started to turn out more hybrid striped bass that fed between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Fish live herring, either trolling it or casting the baitfish under float rigs.

The rivers were way too high and were dirty from rains, making fly-rodding for trout tough, to say the least, said Bill Hoffman from Skylands Angler from Clinton. But when the waters were fishable, sulfurs and caddis remained flies to imitate, and the hatches might taper off soon. Tricos usually start to come off in July, though fishing with the tiny patterns is normally best in low, clear waters. Bill fly rodded the surf around Sandy Hook on Friday and Sunday, but not a lot was doing at the time. Others beached fluke at Sandy Hook Point on conventional tackle, and Bill found bunker swimming, but no striped bass or bluefish chasing them. Surf fishing will probably be hit or miss now, and Bill expects the migration of stripers and blues to last another week or so. Afterward he’ll turn most attention to trout. Skylands Angler guides fly-fishing trips for trout on the Musconetcong and Pequest rivers and Ken Lockwood Gorge. Bill aims to teach anglers, whether beginners or advanced, how to fish the rivers, even so they can come back and catch on their own. That includes fly selection, how to fish the flies, casting lessons and all aspects. He also offers trips for other freshwater fish, like pike, hybrids, carp and largemouth bass, if anglers want to fly rod for them. Plus he guides fly trips in the surf during the spring and fall migrations at Sandy Hook and Island Beach State Park.

Central Jersey

High waters made stream fishing difficult, said Mike from Efinger Sporting Goods in Bound Brook, but rocky-bottomed streams such as the Pequest or Ken Lockwood Gorge should be clear enough to fish effectively with sulfur flies and Roostertails. Round Valley Reservoir anglers stood on the shoreline, casting silver spoons, to bang out brown trout.

Lake Riviera was a hot hand, said Jeff from Murphy’s Hook House in Toms River. He fished there with Rocky Jr. Rapalas, landing seven pickerel and a few largemouth bass, and heard about other anglers having similar luck. Quality bucketmouth fishing was going on at the Winding River. On the Trilco stretch of the Toms River, plenty of chain pickerel were on the chew, and big carp milled about the mud flats.

Catfish prowled the bottom of the Delaware River, even in the dirty waters, said Frank from Harry’s Army and Navy in Robbinsville. The river from Delran to Trenton put up channel cats to 12 pounds. The Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes were a fair bet for largemouth bass that punched shiners and drop-shotted Senkos. At most lakes, lots of high waters were around, and anglers had to work a bit to find where bass held. Leftover, big trout were plucked from local streams, and some anglers angled in 4- to 5-pounders. Doll-head jigs and trout magnets with 2-inch Gulp swimming minnows did the job.

Largemouth bass fishing moved into a summertime pattern, said Carl from the Sportsmen’s Center in Bordentown. The Assunpink Wildlife Management lakes all gave up the bigmouths, and the 10- to 15-foot depths off the drop-offs and ledges held them. Dark-colored plastics in black, blue and red worked best. The deep waters near the middle of Manasquan Reservoir were a magnet to bucketmouths that inhaled 10-inch jelly worms rigged Carolina-style, dragged along the bottom.

South Jersey

Big carp and channel catfish bit through the rains in the Delaware River, said Rick from Big Timber Bait & Tackle in Brooklawn. Largemouth bass and crappie anglers could find both honing in on medium-sized shiners in the Cooper River, Blackwood Lake and Grenwich Lake. Three largemouth tournaments will be held at the Gloucester City Marina later in the week, and some good bassing should be had, as the sun was expected to show for a change.

Yellow perch ate up fathead minnows and small shiners fished under floats at Blackwood Lake and Wilson Lake, said Ed from Creek Keepers in Blackwood. Pickerel were on the hunt at Grenloch Lake and New Brooklyn Lake, despite the rains, and shiners worked best for them.

Dirty waters kept many anglers at bay, said Lou from the Sportsman’s Outpost in Williamstown. But three anglers from a family fished Menantico Pond, tying into a mess of chain pickerel. Ron Raube fished Union Lake with Zoom lizards, coming up with a respectable catch of largemouth and smallmouth bass.

Catfish and white perch fed in the Delaware River in the high waters, said Wade from Shag’s Bait & Tackle in Pennsville. Try fishing the Salem River area and the mouth of Mad Horse Creek. Largemouth bass anglers found quarry in the ponds, such as Davis Mill Pond and Maskell’s Mill Pond, working Senkos for the best chance to connect.

Whenever rains cleared for a moment, anglers tossed top-water plugs and buzz baits to dial in on largemouth bass, said Steve from Blackwater Sports Center in Vineland. Any shallower ponds or lakes with lily pad growth could be attractive to the bucketmouths, and Zoom Horny Toads and Spro Frogs could be hopped over the pads to get a pop. To catch smallmouth bass, look to Union Lake for a torrid fishery from the bronzebacks that swam high in the water column, yet to move deep for the summer. Twitch Senkos through the waters.

Striped bass were willing to strike on the Maurice River, said Ki from Huck’s Place in Millville. Shorts sucked down bloodworms and bunker chunks on the high tides. Catfishing was solid in the river, despite muddy waters, and the bottom dwellers easily sniffed out stink baits and cut baits.