Chain pickerel were whaled everywhere, mostly on shiners, said Steve from Sportsmen’s Center in Bordentown. “They seemed to be the hot fish,” he said. Anglers who fished for largemouth bass with artificials caught on suspended baits, fishing over grass bottom in 5- to 7-foot shallows. Once the suspended lures are twitched a little, they stay at the depth where twitched. Walleyes were sometimes nightcrawlered on the Delaware River at the wing dams. Small striped bass were caught and released on the river in the Bordentown area, like at the docks at the yacht club. Small white perch could be located on the river. Good trout fishing was creamed on the streams when water levels were right. Saltwater anglers found that striped bass never left the ocean this season, mostly in the northern state or from Shark River to the north. Both surf anglers and boaters caught. The surf casting was hopping at Deal and Asbury Park. A couple of good days were scored at Long Branch. Some of the best surf angling came from off the ends of the jetties at night. Fishing for blackfish, ling and a few cod was holding up well on the party boats. None of the cod was big.

Anglers actually started to catch, because of the warm weather, said Steve from Blackwater Sports Center in Vineland. A few copped chain pickerel and largemouth bass at South Vineland Park Pond. A few caught both of those and yellow perch at Rainbow Lake. A mix of fish like that came from Malaga Lake. “Not too much from Union (Lake) right now,” Steve said. Minnows worked great for bait. Jerk baits did a number on the picks and bass.