<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River and Western N.Y. Rivers</b>

Rain poured on Monday, when Jay Peck from <b>Jay Peck Peck Guide Service</b> gave this report in a phone call, he said. But the area needed water, and last week was just cold. Snow fell that week, too, like 5 inches on Friday. Weather’s been a factor in steelhead fishing in Lake Ontario’s tributaries that Jay fishes, from western New York, around Rochester, to Salmon River. But weather was a good factor, probably slowing steelheads from spawning and then migrating back to the lake, because of cooling water. Still, spawning might be finished in the western New York tribs, and he moved his fishing to Salmon River, an hour east. Last week’s cold seemed to shock the fish there, but plenty of steelheads seemed to remain in the river. They seemed a complete mix of spawning fish, fish that already spawned and were dropping back to the lake, and fish that freshly entered the river to spawn. He scouted the river on Monday, before the phone call, and one of his guide’s trips landed a beautiful fresh steelhead. Jay’s fishing banked some drop backs. So the whole spectrum of steelheads swam Salmon River, and steelheads were scattered from the upper river to the lower. The water was cold or 38 degrees, and the steelheads were “just not happy,” he said. But weather was forecast to warm now, probably warming the water, giving the steelheads an “attitude change,” he said. In the past week, the river’s steelheads were often hooked on stoneflies, and a couple were caught on egg flies. Jay thinks streamers like Wooly Buggers will probably connect this week as weather warms. Flies like the stones and eggs can work best in colder water, because of a slower presentation. Swinging the streamers can work well once the water warms, making the fish aggressive enough to chase. The area’s steelheading will only last a moment longer, because the fish will finish spawning and all drop back to the lake for summer. So don’t delay to get after them. The area’s trout season opened beginning April 1, but this past week was too cold to make bugs hatch on trout streams. That angling was yet to begin this season, really. Jay specializes in fly-fishing and catch-and-release, and books trips that fish with conventional tackle with his other guides.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Was a cold, windy week, Bill Brinkman from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia wrote in a report on the shop’s website. He only fished for striped bass once on Delaware River last week. But the trip boated 30 to 50 stripers, a great catch, he said, four catfish and two white perch. He lost count of the stripers, because many 5- to 10-inchers bit the bloodworms fished. But he bagged a 25-incher “that tasted very good,” he said. Be aware about regulations for stripers on the river. Fishing for them is closed in New Jersey currently on the tidal river, but anglers release them, and certain hooks are required to be fished in Jersey. Pennsylvania’s regs are different. His catch also included a 19-inch striper, and the catfish, all hooked on chunked bunker, included an 8-pounder and a 6-pounder. He spoke with many anglers who caught bigger stripers during the week from the river. Most were landed farther downstream, but a 40-pounder was heaved from the river near Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, and a 24-pounder was cranked from near Burlington-Bristol Bridge. A 30-incher was socked at Station Avenue in Philly. Several 15- to 30-pounders were winged downstream from Commodore Barry Bridge, and 10- to 15-pound catfish were sometimes mixed in there. Near Philadelphia airport, most of the stripers were “slot fish with lots of throwbacks,” he said. On the upper river, shad fishing slowed in cold weather, and the farther upstream, the worse the fishing, because melting snow from the north chilled the water. Shad were caught, but not the numbers like the week before. One angler pink-and-chartreuse-spooned 11 shad at Washington’s Crossing last week. Another banked two shad and a good-sized walleye at Bull’s Island. Another two weekends ago axed eight keeper walleyes, a great catch, at Point Pleasant on the river. That angler saw another fisherman across the river catch several walleyes and shad and a couple of smallmouth bass on the trip.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

A trip trolled for lake trout on Round Valley Reservoir on Sunday with a client, but the angling was tough after the cold front, said Capt. Dave Vollenweider from <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b>. The previous trip trolled five trout from the impoundment aboard, but Sunday’s trip, fishing all day, didn’t even attract a bite. Dave spoke with a few others who fished the lake that day, and one totaled two trout, but each said the angling seemed tough. Dave’s trip trolled stick baits and big spoons, including the new Imposter Lures Rolling Spoon that rotates like a dying baitfish, on planer boards and flat-lined. Dave saw a photo of a golden trout caught from Round Valley that apparently was from the Round Valley Trout Association’s recent annual stocking of the reservoir. Dave’s trips since winter have trolled rainbow trout and lakers from Round Valley, covered in previous reports here. Dave’s trips in the near future include those for muskies and walleyes. He saw a photo of a 49-inch 34.76-pound musky landed at Lake Hopatcong this past week. Dave also saw photos of sizable trout nailed from streams since trout season opened beginning Saturday. He also wade-fishes streams for trout with lures this season, an effective, fun way to catch that can attract big trout and is practical in spring, when streams run higher than in summer. Higher water prevents the plugs from snagging debris like logs.

Trout season opened beginning Saturday, and not all trouters limited out, but the anglers seemed often to bank two or three,  often big fish, said Brian from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. The rainbow trout often seemed to measure 14 to 18 inches. Only rainbows were stocked, because of the virus in trout at the hatchery in the recent past. Rainbows were less susceptible to the virus. Mostly live bait like meal worms and garden worms were reported to catch. But other offerings, like Phoebes, salmon eggs and salted minnows, probably hooked up. Weather was rough for opening day. Scattered snow fell locally, but the weather was mostly just “cold and nasty” that morning, he said. Not much was heard about lake fishing, because of the cold this past week. But lake fishing seemed to be picking up for the season previously, like for smallmouth bass at Lake Hopatcong. Lake fish often swam shallow, because of warmer water there. Shad migrated Delaware River, and were reported to reach Delaware Water Gap two weeks ago, the last Brian heard. They surely reached Milford or farther upstream by now.

The state already stocked trout twice in the lake, Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong wrote in an email yesterday, and the Knee Deep Club stocked some beauties on Sunday. The state’s fish were part of its spring trout stocking that’s underway. Norm Small smashed a 49-inch musky, almost 35 pounds, while trolling for trout on the lake, “so you just never know,” Laurie said. Trout and also chain pickerel were trolled in the shallows on Phoebes, small Rapalas and spinners. Yellow perch and crappies were also nabbed in the shallows. The Knee Deep Club will hold trout and pickerel contests on the lake Sunday, and weather forecasts look perfect to spend the day on the lake. For info, see the club’s website. You can also call Dow’s for info about the contests: 973-663-3826.

Northern pike and catfish were fought from Passaic River, said Joe from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Pine Brook. The river ran a little low but completely navigable for kayaks and canoes. A good level. Stocked trout were plucked from Verona Park Lake and other lakes stocked. Largemouth bass were swiped from Lake Hopatcong on slow presentations, because of the cold this past week. Morning was 17 degrees on a trip Joe took to Pennsylvania’s Lake Wallenpaupack this weekend. But he bailed smallmouth bass, lots, on black-and-blue Keitech Swing Impacts on ½-ounce football jigs.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

A 7-pound rainbow trout was weighed from Musconetcong River on opening morning of trout season Saturday at <b>Efinger’s Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook, Scott said. The angler took the lead in the shop’s trout tournament with the fish, a trout that looked like a holdover, not a stocked fish. The free tournament will award prizes for the three heaviest trout this season. The contest also includes a junior division, and a youngster already entered a 4-pounder that will be tough to beat. That fish was hooked from a pond or lake. Scott saw photos of sizable trout caught since the opener from practically everywhere, like South Branch of the Raritan River. Not much was heard about anglers limiting out on trout, but sizes seemed large. Scott landed eight trout at Middle Brook in an hour on opening day on yellow PowerBait. Colder weather “kind of put the kibosh” on largemouth bass fishing this past week at lakes. Not many reports ever roll in about Delaware River shad fishing at the shop. But the shad migration was in.

Trout season’s opening gained most attention, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. The fish were pulled from the Toms River, but trout were even caught there before the opener, at the Trout Conservation Area, where catch-and-release was permitted. Places like the conservation areas remained open to fishing while other waters were closed for spring stocking before the season opened. Once the season opened, the Toms River’s Conservation Area still seemed to give up most of the fish. Roostertails and Tsunami spinners caught well on the Toms. Mostly PowerBait hooked trout on Metedeconk River. The Metedeconk’s narrower and has tree cover, and the Toms is more open for casting lures like spinners. Dennis wouldn’t say a ton of trout came from the Metedeconk, but the fishing seemed decent. Spring Lake’s trout fishing was great. The Murphy family, no relation to the shop, cleaned up on trout there. Photos of some huge trout y cranked in there were posted on the store’s Facebook page. Largemouth bass fishing was decent on Lake Riviera and most lakes or ponds that held them. Weather was cold, and the bass were going into pre-spawn, but bit. Murphy’s, located on Route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Fishing for stocked trout went well at Grenloch Lake and Rowan’s Pond, said Joanie at <b>Creek Keepers Bait & Tackle</b> in Blackwood. A 4-pound 8-ounce 24-inch rainbow trout was weighed-in from Grenloch.  Wax worms and PowerBait were fished for trout. Those and all supplies are stocked for the fish, including salmon eggs, meal worms and spinners. Striped bass fishing kept going well on Delaware River. Tons of bloodworms were sold for bait for them, and be aware about the river’s regulations for the fishing. The angling is currently closed on the tidal river, but anglers release the fish. Certain hooks are required to be used. No news really came in about fishing for largemouth bass or other catches. Fishing was all about trout and stripers.

No matter the snowstorm on opening day of trout season Saturday, many anglers eagerly headed out for the fish, said Robin from <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. She was surprised they braved the weather. Most targeted Oak Pond and Iona Lake, and anglers reportedly lined the banks at both. One trip with grandkids reported that each grandkid reeled in four trout that day, mostly releasing them. Customers mostly bought PowerBait and meal worms for the fishing, and both are stocked, including the full array of PowerBait. Baits stocked also include trout worms.

The snowstorm on opening day of trout season Saturday affected the angling, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. A few inches fell at the shop, and rain fell Monday and Tuesday. Weather was probably going to improve beginning today. Some anglers fished for the trout, and nothing great was heard about the angling. But the catches were reported from Iona Lake, and a little from South Vineland Park Pond. Maurice River’s trouting was a little tough in the snow and rain. Largemouth bass fishing was hit and miss in the weather. But a couple of anglers were known to score fairly well at Parvin’s Lake on the bass. Salem Canal put out some decent-sized largemouths. Some largemouth catches were reported from Menantico Ponds. Striped bass fishing was pretty good on Delaware River on bloodworms. The worms are stocked, and be certain to know regulations for striper fishing on the river. The angling is closed currently on the tidal river, but anglers release the fish. Certain hooks are required to be used.  

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