Ice fishing is probably coming to an end soon on Great Sacandaga Lake and local lakes including Mayfield Lake, said Hank from Fuel-n-Food in Mayfield. Temps reached the mid to upper 40s, and rains were forecast for later this week. The weekend could be the final opportunity for the fishing locally, but waters to the north will continue to be covered with enough ice for a little longer. Fuel-n-Food’s ice-fishing tournament on Sacandaga during the weekend was a great success. The biggest walleyes entered were 27 ½ inches to 23 inches. The biggest northern pike were 45-¾-inch to 40-inch monsters. The largest rainbow trout and brown trout were 25 to 22 inches. Baits stocked at Fuel-n-Food include shiners, suckers, fatheads and icicles, and the store carries a full supply of ice-fishing tackle and gear, probably the largest selection in the area. Plus the shop is a convenience store, serves breakfast and lunch and sells all types of fuel, and is located near plenty of accommodations, not to mention fishing.

Salmon River

Steelheads concentrated in the pocket areas and the deeper pools in the river, because of a 285 CFS flow, said Jim at All Seasons Sports in Pulaski. Black stoneflies and egg sacks in chartreuse, orange or pink worked well to hook an average of three to five of the fish, 6- to 8-pounders, per angler. On Sandy Pond, the northern end held pretty solid ice, but this might be the last weekend when ice fishing is possible. Yellow perch and northern pike inhaled buckeyes and emerald minnows dropped down on tip-ups.

The lake was un-ice-fishable, said Jim from Dow’s Boat Rentals in Lake Hopatcong. A little bit of open waters were located toward Brady Bridge, and anglers could try dropping in a fathead minnow for crappies or pickerel there. But otherwise, it’s going to be another week before the lake begins to open up to allow fishing.

Ice anglers had to trudge through lots of slushy slop at Lake Musconetcong, said Al from Meltzer’s Sporting Goods in Garfield. They were rewarded with yellow perch and pickerel, but that might’ve been all she wrote on ice fishing for the year. The Woodport section of Lake Hopatcong had held the last safe ice, but that might also be history. Trout fishers focused on the Paulinskill River, drifting pink shrimp-colored salmon eggs with a split shot on light line to nab rainbows. Fishing the faster waters at the ends of pools was key. Word had just come in about northern pike 7 to 9 pounds beginning to smack shiners in the Passaic River. Striped bass to 38 inches were also pulled in on Spro bucktails.

The trophy trout circus kept rolling on at Round Valley Reservoir, said Steve at Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop. An average of four big, 4- to 7-pound breeders a day were weighed in. Rangers Cove doled out 16- to 18-inch trout, and Tom Peck landed a 6-1/2-pound rainbow there on a Phoebe. The trout hung in 10-foot depths right close to shore, and boaters trolled very close to shore with Rapalas and orange streamer flies to connect. Throw anything orange at them, because that was the go-to color. Reports about large trout to 4 pounds also came from the South Branch of the Raritan River. Nightcrawlers drifted on the bottom banged them out. Spruce Run Reservoir’s anglers waited for the last of the ice to thaw so they could target northern pike and crappies.

The winter weather finally broke, and Skylands Angler from Clinton fished the streams for trout, and the fish cooperated, Bill Hoffman said. Waters were high and a little dirty because of snowmelt, but trout were definitely able to be plucked out. Streamers worked well, and darker colors seemed best, and Bill favored a black Wooly Bugger. Weight on the fly or line was needed to get the pattern down in the high waters. Bill’s also been enjoying some of Doug McKnight’s flies such as the Saskwatch that are meant for big rivers like the Yellowstone, because the flies will also get down and are innovative. The warmer weather should trigger bugs including blue-winged olives to hatch. If the weather holds, micro caddis hatches might begin. Lots of trout anglers filled the waters, and that was a good thing, showing that the fishing was picking up. The angling should keep improving. On other fronts, carp started to move around in the lakes and reservoirs, and Bill thinks they’re an excellent fish to target. Carp are big, strong and can be spooky. Northern pike are another big, strong fish on the menu. They can also be selective, a fun challenge to catch. In saltwater, bluefish should invade the surf in the ocean and bays in late April or early May, kicking off Bill’s surf angling trips. The cantankerous, aggressive fighters offer great sport yet can be relatively easier to entice to bite. That makes them an especially good fish for beginners. But even a veteran like Bill never grows tired of fighting a blue. Migrating striped bass should come through soon afterward in the surf. 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 fly trips for other freshwater fish, like pike, hybrid striped bass, carp and largemouth bass. Plus he guides trips in the ocean and bay surf during the spring and fall migrations at Sandy Hook and Island Beach State Park with both conventional and fly tackle.

Big trout were claimed at Round Valley Reservoir, said Amy from Efinger Sporting Goods in Bound Brook. The fish to 7 pounds swiped Rapalas. The store’s annual Spring Festival runs Thursday to March 21, featuring zillions of great deals on everything in stock. That includes 40 percent off all fish-finders and GPS units, 30 percent off Rogue rods, 20 percent off Power Pro line and many more specials.

Waters were open at the Colliers Mills and Assunpink Wildlife Management Areas, said Carl from the Sportsmen’s Center in Bordentown. Pickerel chased down No. 2 Mepps Comet Spinners and shiners. Now that pickerel are on the bite big time, sign up for the shop’s pickerel tournament March 20 to 21, benefitting breast cancer research.

Fishing was finally opening up, said Steve from Blackwater Sports Center in Vineland. Parvin Lake’s largemouth bass were coming alive, and Lake Audrey’s smallmouth bass were hunting down soft plastics and drop-shotted Senkos. Get ready to fish the lakes for crappies that should jump all over fathead minnows any day now. Small striped bass were sometimes caught on bloodworms in the lower Delaware River, and white perch could be bagged on the Maurice River on grass shrimp.

Adirondacks

Eight inches of heavy, wet snow covered the ice on Great Sacandaga Lake, but the lake’s fishing was some of the best of the season during the weekend, said Louie from Fuel-n-Food in Mayfield. Walleye catches improved, and yellow perch fishing went well, and plenty of northern pike were drilled. Ice angling at Mayfield Lake was okay, not great, not bad. Perch, pickerel and crappies were knuckled in. Medium shiners seemed the bait of choice at both lakes, but icicles and jigs were also used. Lake trout could be located at Indian Lake and Piseco Lake, but many were 18- or 19-inch shorts. The shop’s annual Weekend Long Ice Fishing Tournament will take place Friday through Sunday on Sacandaga. Baits stocked at Fuel-n-Food include shiners, suckers, fatheads and icicles, and the store carries a full supply of ice-fishing tackle and gear, probably the largest selection in the area. Plus the shop is a convenience store, serves breakfast and lunch and sells all types of fuel, and is located near plenty of accommodations, not to mention fishing.

Salmon River

The river’s flow was pulled back to 285 CFS, and most of the steelheads were caught from Pineville to upriver toward the Trestle and the Schoolhouse Pool, said Eric at All Seasons Sports in Pulaski. No huge steelies were hooked, and most averaged 5 to 8 pounds, often taken on pink worms or blue or pink egg sacks. The ice at Sandy Pond became somewhat sketchy for ice fishing, and water and slush were on top. This weekend might be the last to fish it safely for perch and northern pike.

PENNSYLVANIA

Ice fishing at Lake Luxembourg at Core Creek Park came to an end, because the waters were closed for trout stocking, said Helen from Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle in Philadelphia. Anglers could now head to the Delaware River at Dredge Harbor and Tullytown Cove, looking for largemouth bass and crappies willing to inhale fathead minnows thrown from shore. Striped bass season opened in the rivers and bays, and customers began chucking plastics and larger crank baits on the river for potential linesiders.

NEW JERSEY

North Jersey

Lots of walleyes were claimed from the local Delaware River, said Bill from Bill’s Bait & Tackle in Phillipsburg. Jerry Rustay mopped up a 6.5-pounder, and Bill Reed dusted a 5-pounder. Tiger muskies were on the prowl under the ice at Mountain Lake. Joe Rustay axed a 20.6-pounder, and Mike Wellington hand-lined a 15-pounder. Trout fishing held strong in local streams such as the Musconetcong River, and Carl Stoneback banked a 4.6-pound tiger trout there.

Ice anglers hoped for one more week of solid ice, said Don from Ramsey Outdoor in Succasunna. But many lakes, such as Spilt Rock Reservoir, were already breaking up with open waters. Lake Aeroflex was still locked up during the weekend, and one angler there hung big, breeder brown trout and even a 20-inch landlocked salmon, when he dropped down salmon eggs on tip-ups.

This will probably be the last weekend for ice fishing on the lake, said Laurie from Dow’s Boat Rentals in Lake Hopatcong. Six inches of waters lay on top of 6 inches of ice at Great Cove, but anglers were out pulling yellow perch and pickerel through the holes. Next will be the big wait for all the unsafe ice to melt to effectively fish the lake again.

Ice fishing was still going on at the coves at Lake Hopatcong and Greenwood Lake, said Al from Meltzer’s Sporting Goods in Garfield. But anglers had to wade through lots of slush. They’ll probably keep fishing through the weekend before quitting for the season, and yellow perch, pickerel and crappies at both lakes ate up shiners. Trout anglers sometimes nabbed big, breeder rainbows toward the hatchery in the Pequest River. Large streamers seemed key.

Ice action was close to wrapping up, said Steve from Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop. Chris Lido and Nick Niles fished Oxford Furnace Lake, jigging Kastmasters for three fat rainbow trout to 16 inches. But Lido said the ice probably wouldn’t make it to the weekend. Local rivers ran high but trout-fishable, and use nymphs or nightcrawlers sent out with size B split shots. Round Valley Reservoir served up big, breeder trout that were recently stocked, and both shore-based and boat anglers tied into the fish to 6 pounds on nightcrawlers and meal worms.

Fishable ice remained on Lake Hopatcong, but it disappeared by the day, said Bert from Efinger Sporting Goods in Bound Brook. More anglers switched over to trout fishing, and the Pequest River gave up rainbows to 3 pounds on meal worms. Be sure to stop by the shop for the Fishing Festival Mega-Sale from March 11 to 21.

South Jersey

Steady walleye action was copped on the Delaware River, and the stretch from Lambertville to Bull’s Island was most productive, said Eric from Harry’s Army and Navy in Robbinsville. Jigheads tipped with medium to large shiners or Mister Twister grubs could whale double-digit catches. Smallmouth bass were mixed in, and catfish to 5 pounds were angled from the river around Bordentown on stink baits. The Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes pretty much became open to shore casting, after the ice melted, and anglers tossing in shiners tugged in largemouth bass and pickerel. Be sure to catch the shop’s free seminar Friday on livelining bunker for striped bass with Capt. Eric Kerber.

Ice on the Delaware River mostly broke up, said Carl from the Sportsmen’s Center in Bordentown. Bank anglers at Tullytown Cover on the river could now cast for big largemouth bass to 5 pounds that will swipe shiners. The Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes also became open for shoreline fishing, and hair jigs tipped with minnows worked on crappies and yellow perch.

Largemouth bass fishing was heating up, said Steve from Blackwater Sports Center in Vineland. At Sunset Lake plenty of the bucketmouths jumped on Rat-L-Traps, suspending jerk baits and shiners in a tournament during the weekend. Yellow perch and chain pickerel also hit in the lake. Most of the lakes were completely free of ice or were on the verge. The Menantico Ponds and Burnt Mill Pond were open and primed to fish, and try working shiners for pickerel. An influx of white perch catches came from the Great Egg Harbor River on grass shrimp and bloodworms.