Customers were often concentrating on fall trout fishing, said Alan from Fairfield Fishing Tackle in Montville. The Big Flatbrook and the Pequest rivers were two areas of note in the past days, and garden worms and Power Baits did the job. Also look for pike activity to gain steam in the Passaic River as anglers head into fall. Bring large live shiners to the river during the mornings.

Waters were low at Lake Hopatcong, said Anthony from Ramsey Outdoor in Paramus, but the state park area was a steady source of largemouth bass and pickerel. The 8-foot, weedy depths gave up the fish on Shallow Raps, and walleye anglers fished the deeper waters off Byram Point, casting Husky Jerks between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m. Thirty-five-foot depths off Chestnut Point held hybrid striped bass, and dropped down 1-ounce Crippled Herring jigs to pull them up. Lake Musconetcong gave up chain pickerel on top-water poppers.

Hybrid striped bass fishing maintained its fury on the lake, said Laurie from Dow’s Boat Rentals in Lake Hopatcong. The brokensiders to 8 ½ pounds hit around the points in 25 feet of water. Free-lined herring or a 15-foot slip bobber rig with live herring were two successful methods. Walleye turned on since the weekend, and Roman Pera batted down of the seven marble eyes to 6 pounds on herring. Largemouth bass and pickerel were also in the mix.

Many customers traveled to upstate New York’s Salmon River for salmon fishing, said Al from Meltzer’s Sporting Goods in Garfield. But good fishing was still to be had at Lake Hopatcong, with walleye and hybrid striper catches on tap on livelined herring off the points. Greenwood Lake also had walleye action. Trout anglers eagerly awaited the fall stocking, ready to ply the Pequest River and the South Branch of the Raritan River.

Trout fishing thrived at the South Branch of the Raritan, said Chris at Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop. Hefty brown trout to 3 pounds keyed in on midges and flashback Hare’s Ears. Round Valley Reservoir trouters located rainbows chewing on shrimp along the shore and also got into steady catches of bullhead catfish and sunfish at the coves.

Expect a good week of trout fishing, said Ron at Ray’s Sport Shop in North Plainfield. With cooler water and air temperatures, Ken Lockwood Gorge and the Pequest River will both be fantastic. Big rainbows will be in the Pequest, ready to hammer size-18 pheasanttails and size-14 caddis. Trout fishers awaited the influx of rainbow trout that will cruise the Round Valley Reservoir shoreline, and that should happen any day. Be ready with your M&M combos or marshmallows and meal worms.