Pike fishing was still a viable option on the Passaic River, said Adrian from Fairfield Fishing Tackle 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 Ramsey Outdoor 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 Dow’s Boat Rentals 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 Meltzer’s Sporting Goods 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 Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop 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 Ray’s Sport Shop in North Plainfield. Fly casters targeted local lakes and ponds, such as Farrington Lake, casting poppers and Wooly Buggers to smallmouth and largemouth bass.

A mess of largemouth bass, pickerel and crappies swam the Ocean County College ponds and Lake Riviera, said Jeff from Murphy’s Hook House 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 Harry’s Army and Navy 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 Sportsmen’s Center 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.

Largemouth bass held deep, out of the sun, said Rick from Big Timber Bait & Tackle 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 Creek Keepers 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 Sportsman’s Outpost 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 Blackwater Sports Center 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 Huck’s Place 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.

Anglers said the Susquehanna River’s smallmouth bass fishing was heating up, said Bill from Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle in Philadelphia. They averaged 5 to 10 fish 12 to 15 inches a day on the Sunbury section, and minnows, leeches and grubs were prime baits. Downriver at the Duncannon area, anglers scored even better luck, with catches of 20 to 50 fish per day and some serious-caliber bronzebacks in the 14- to 17-inch range. The larger ones got attracted to tubes and spinners instead of live baits. The Delaware River’s smallmouth activity also kept picking up, and the Lambertville stretch and northward put out 5 to 20 per angler. Silver and black Rapala Countdowns were the best lure there.

NEW JERSEY

North Jersey

Hot weather made largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing a little sluggish at the lakes and ponds, said Bill from Bill’s Bait & Tackle in Phillipsburg. So catfish and carp made up most catches. The Delaware River offered catfish like David Martin’s 6-pound 6-ounce channel cat and 4-year-old Andrew Farley’s 6-pounder. The river was also a place to fight carp like 8-year-old Chris Farley Jr.’s 11-pounder and his father’s 12-pounder. Barry Smith fished the Big D and claimed a 5-pound walleye. Walleyes held in the deeper pools of the river.

Lots of live bait moved out of the store, said Adrian from Fairfield Fishing Tackle in Montville, and he suspected the anglers headed to ponds such as Verona Park Pond to save on gas and do battle with largemouth bass and sunfish. The Rockaway River attracted trout anglers, who threw meal worms in the deeper pools. Both pike and bass action went down at the Route 80 stretch of the Passaic River, where waters became the perfect level to fish.

Spilt Rock Reservoir was the haunt to find smallmouth bass, said Dom from Ramsey Outdoor in Paramus. Kayakers snuck into the coves and tossed Senkos. Lake Hopatcong was home to largemouth bass in quantity, especially in the back coves, where top-water lures connected after dark and well into night. The Brady Bridge area was specifically productive, and one angler there broke off three unknown fish on 14-pound test. Local still-waters such as Echo Lake got more pressure from bass hounds, because gas prices kept people close to home.

Hybrid stripers 3 to 4 pounds hit consistently, and larger ones turned on after the weekend, said Laurie from Dow’s Boat Rentals in Lake Hopatcong. Action blew wide open Tuesday, and customers had difficulty keeping one rod in the waters while another got hit. Jim Welsh combined for two hybrids 7 pounds 15 ounces and 7 pounds 8 ounces. Gary Bruzaud hooked up with a 7-pound 12-ouncer. Mark Spinelli drilled a 7-pound 2-ouncer, and Kevin Scanlon wrestled in a 6-pound 9-ouncer. A good show of both largemouth and smallmouth bass was also around, with Robert Howell checked in a 2-pound 15-ounce smallie that engulfed a herring. What’s more, loads of pickerel to 4 pounds, big crappies and perch were on the hunt.

Both Lake Hopatcong and Greenwood Lake were solid largemouth and smallmouth bets, said Al from Meltzer’s Sporting Goods in Garfield. Black and blue Senkos drew loads of bigmouths in the dawn hours. Al himself tangled with nine bucketmouths to 3 pounds at Hopatcong, and then tried the Highland Lakes on another trip, scoring 14 more, all on top-waters in the mornings. Nick Benigno fished Greenwood Lake with a Senko that a 20-pound muskie hammered but broke off at boat side. Trouters headed to the Paulinskill with garden worms and found a few fish. The Ramapo River produced more smallmouths than trout right now, so be sure to bring small crank baits to fool around with the smallies when out trouting.

Hybrid bass were on one day and off the next at Spruce Run Reservoir, said Chris from Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop. Live herring trolled around the boat launch area during evenings and nights was the best method when it was good, when six to eight bass per trip were grabbed. The undercuts and deeper holes of the South Branch of the Raritan River housed smallmouth and largemouth bass. Cast a wacky-rigged green pumpkin Senko into the pool, twitching the worm until it lands on bottom.

Trout fishers caught best while fly-casting small terrestrials such as ants and beetles, said Denny from Ray’s Sport Shop in North Plainfield. The Ken Lockwood Gorge was a better spot because of its deep, cool pools. The Clinton stretch of the South Branch was fun for fly rodders launching out poppers for bigmouth bass.

Central Jersey

Beaver Brook gave up bruiser trout, said Mark from Efinger Sporting Goods in Bound Brook. Joe Krainatz nailed a 6.4-pound brown and a 3.5-pound rainbow on butter worms. Mike Krainatz creeled five rainbows to 15 inches. The Pequest River also carried rainbows that honed in on tiny flies such as sizes-20 to -22 sulfurs and Tricos. At the Delaware and Raritan Canal and the South Branch, a wide array of warm-water species including panfish, catfish and carp were on hand.

Pickerel enthusiasts pulled on lots at the Presidential Lakes, said Dennis from Murphy’s Hook House in Toms River. The key seemed to be free-lined killies with no weight. Kayak anglers had luck on large pickerel at the Double Trouble Lakes with the same bait, stump-jumping to find schools of the fish. Manasquan Reservoir’s hybrid striper fishing was hit or miss, though some mornings were hot for the wipers that aggressively smacked top-water poppers. Largemouth bass at the reservoir will chase down 7- to 8-inch rubber worms fished around the bottom structure in the deeper waters, but patience is a must, because anglers might have to wait some time before the fish decide to get hungry. A steady stream of trout swam the Riverwood Park section of the Toms River. Roostertails got attention.

Gropp’s Lake was a top spot, said Ryan from Harry’s Army and Navy in Robbinsville. He worked green and gold-flaked Yum ribbon-tails rigged Texas-style to load up on largemouths, pickerel and crappies to more than a pound. Smallmouth bass activity amped up on the Lambertville stretch of the Delaware River, and Rapalas and Senkos earned attention. On Mercer Lake huge pickerel to 25 inches and frying pan-sized yellow perch were the fare. Oft-overlooked Tindall’s Lake was a bucketmouth producer, and the fish to 4 pounds sucked down fat, juicy nightcrawlers.

Smallmouth bass chewed again in the Delaware River, especially in the Trenton area and above, said Bob from the Sportsmen’s Center in Bordentown. Small stripers were also in the mix. Stone Tavern Lake and Prospertown Lake were the best largemouth locales around, and Senkos, Gambler plastics and Yum Dingers all worked in the early mornings.

South Jersey

Tuckerton Lake turned up a medley of perch, largemouth bass, pickerel and sunfish, said Scott from Scott’s Bait & Tackle in Mystic Island. Simple hook-and-worm rigs either cast with a split shot or floated under a bobber got chomped by any fish roving about. To land larger pickerel and bucketmouths, try live killies floated underneath a bobber.

Most fishing revolved around largemouth bass, said Rick from Big Timber Bait & Tackle in Brooklawn. Malaga Lake was a top producer, and the new Yum Money Minnows fooled the fish to 4 pounds in the mornings and evenings. Largemouths in the Delaware River were on the pre-spawn and a little sluggish, but crank baits or Spro Aruka Shads caused bites at the mouths of Big Timber Creek and the Schuylkill River, around Petty Island north of Camden, and along the turns, edges and rips of creeks. Channel cats to 10 pounds could be found prowling the bottom of the Big D. Bring a medium action set-up and use whole dead herring to target the larger ones on moving tides. Schoolie striped bass could also be played on the river around the island off National Park on 3-inch Mr. Twisters, diamond jigs or bloodworms.

Better largemouth fishing was copped at Lake Worth and Blackwood Lake, and Senkos twitched along the banks enticed jarring attacks, said Ed from Creek Keepers in Blackwood. Sunfish kept angler happy at the spillway at Blackwood Lake. New Brooklyn Lake was the pickerel place to be, and Roostertails got pounced. Top-water offerings such as Hula poppers and Jitterbugs flew off the shelves, so there must’ve been an early morning and late evening show going on for largemouths around town.

A good blend of pickerel and largemouth bass came from Malaga Lake, said Lou from the Sportsman’s Outpost in Williamstown. Jim Clark winged out buzz baits in the evenings to put a formidable catch of both together. Decent early morning largemouth fishing was the scene at Iona Lake, and Senkos and Rapalas were weapons of choice. Another customer ventured to Woodbury Lake, fished small garden worms and minnows and totaled 41 crappies and sunfish during the daylight.

The Salem Canal was the best bucketmouth area, said Steve from Blackwater Sports Center in Vineland. Both quantity and quality were the game there, and plenty of the fish to 4 pounds chased Senkos. Other decent bass hangouts included Malaga Lake, Sunset Lake and Mary Elmer Lake. The Maurice River contributed a fair share of both largemouths and smallmouths in the upper stretches.

Catfish dominated the Maurice River, as the summertime pattern continued, said Ki from Huck’s Place in Millville. The whiskerfaces gobbled up any dead baits sunk to the bottom, and could be caught well into the nighttime. White perch scarfed down grass shrimp fished on the higher tides. Largemouth bass hung at Union Lake, willing to bite Senkos or small crank baits.