<b>NEW YORK</b>

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

Salmon River’s steelheads practically all finished spawning, and began eating, said Jay Peck from <b>Jay Peck Guide Service</b>. He calls this “swing season,” because his trips swing streamer flies across current to catch, fun fishing. The fish are eager to smash streamers, after refusing to feed during spawning. Earth-tone black, brown and olive Wooly Buggers caught. So did white Intruders, imitating smolt salmon. The water level was dropping, typical this time of year, and was 285 cubic feet per second. The dropping water makes the angling easier, causing steelheads to gather in pools.  His trips fished from mid-river to the lower river, covering lots of water. The fish were scattered throughout the stretch. A trip Saturday hooked nine steelheads with him. He was off the next two days, and was about to fish the river again, when he gave this report Monday evening in a phone call. Watch a video of the steelheading. Trout fishing was great on streams. Was a good week of Hendrickson hatches and a few caddis hatches. “Things are getting buggy,” he said. Rain had fallen when he gave this report, so he’d probably fish streamers and nymphs in the next 24 hours, in high water. Then the dry-fly fishing was expected to kick back in. Water everywhere was in the low to mid 50 degrees, usual temperatures for the time of season. But the temps only became that high in the past week, and previously were in the mid to upper 40s or were low. Jay specializes in fly-fishing and catch-and-release, and books trips that fish with conventional tackle with his other guides.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Monster striped bass on Delaware River, Bill Brinkman from Philadelphia’s <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> wrote in a report Friday on the shop’s website. That was the most recent report at press time, and his trip that week on Tuesday on the river hooked a monster that ran off 50 yards of line before something cut the line. The trip fished in some of the season’s worst wind against tide, and that’s saying something, considering windy weather on the river this spring. Wind blew 25 m.p.h. straight against outgoing tide on the trip, kicking seas up to 4 feet, depending on location. Only four stripers, just smaller than Pennsylvania’s 21- to 25-inch slot limit, and eight catfish 3 to 5 pounds were landed on the outing. On the next day, his trip boated a mid-40-pound 42-inch striper, a 40-pound 39-incher and a mid-30-pound 40-inch striper. That was among a 36-inch striper, a 28-incher, a 24-incher, some 14- to 19-inchers and tons of 3- to 9-pound catfish also landed. “What a day!” he said. The river’s striper fishing was hot around those days. Several 20- to 30-pounders were reported caught near Burlington-Bristol Bridge that Tuesday night. A couple of 26- and 25-pounders were reported from the Trenton Bridges last Wednesday. And so on. Smaller were also caught throughout the tidal river, including on bloodworms from Commodore Barry Bridge to Delaware Memorial Bridge. Bigger tended to be caught on chunked bunker. The river was 61 degrees, “and these fish are going to spawn out in the next week or so,” he said in the report Friday. Know the regulations for striper fishing on the river, including because the laws are different in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The fishing is currently closed in Jersey on the tidal river, for spawning and anglers release the fish. Pennsylvania currently allows certain sizes to be bagged. Jersey also requires certain hooks to be fished.  Shad fishing was also good on the river that week. That included at Trenton, but herring were difficult to keep off hooks there. The shad fishing was best from Washington’s Crossing to Delaware Water Gap. Anglers smoked 10 to 30 fish apiece there. Shad were caught as far upstream as Callicoon, N.Y., that week. Good catches of walleyes were made on the river at New Hope, and stripers were mixed in.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Basically fly hatches were totally nuts, said Brian from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. Bugs that should hatch, like early March browns, did. Rain was falling now, and that might affect hatches. For spin-casters, butterworms, pink salmon eggs and small spinners were popular for trout fishing. Shad were fought on Delaware River, according to the most recent reports. At lakes, largemouth bass began to spawn. Fishing for them is limited to catch-and-release through June 15, because of that. Some customers talked about going for hybrid striped bass on lakes. 

Walleye season was opened beginning Sunday, and walleyes were reported caught this past week from the lake, Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong wrote in an email. Fishing for them was limited to catch-and-release previously for spawning. The fish smacked Rapala Husky Jerks and livelined herring in shallow water. Eddie Mackin weighed-in a 6-pound 9-ounce walleye and a 7-pound 12-ounce hybrid striped bass. Dave and Courtney Coppola have been trolling for trout, and dragged up a good catch of the fish to 2 pounds Saturday. Rich Everett trolled a mixed bag of fish including chain pickerel to 3 pounds. Igor Vasko and dad whacked “their fair share” of pickerel to 4 pounds. “Some nice yellow perch being caught,” Laurie said, and muskies were reported hooked that got off at the boat. Knee Deep Club will hold a walleye tournament on the lake Saturday and Sunday, May 14 and 15. “It’s the perfect time of year to fish the lake!” Laurie said.

Passaic River ran a little low, but not badly, and rain this past week raised the water, but not significantly, said Cheryl from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Pine Brook. Northern pike, but not many, were beaten from the river. They seemed not to bite a lot yet, and one angler said the fish swam passed baits. Largemouth bass seemed to be getting active at Lake Hopatcong, biting jigs, spinner baits and nearly anything. Anglers had a good time with them, they said. Release the bass through March 15 by law, because of spawning. Trout anglers were pleased with catches. A couple of anglers reported good trouting at Rockaway River. In saltwater, striped bass and blues were socked inshore or not from the ocean.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Trout fishing “continues to march along,” said Braden from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Trouters were thankful for rain, because of low water. An angler fished Ken Lockwood Gorge on Friday just after rain raised the stream, and discolored it a little. He scored great on rainbow trout and brown trout or a mix of stocked and native trout on prince nymphs. San Juan worms caught recently, because of the rain that knocked forage like worms into streams. Spin-fishers caught trout fine, including on worms, PowerBait and salmon eggs, mostly pink or yellow. Largemouth bass were in pre-spawn or moving into spawn, and were still landed. They were hooked on chatter baits and spinner baits on reaction strikes, trying to remove the baits from spawning beds, not feeding. Release the bass through June 15, according to law, because of spawning. Walleyes and hybrid striped bass began to be angled at Lake Hopatcong at night. Good crappie fishing was smoked from Hopatcong for three weeks now.

The reason was unknown, but trout fishing was on fire this season, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Weather was conducive during the season, though was rainy and colder this week.  Trout Magnets were popular for the angling this year, and lots were sold. The reason for that was unknown, too. Customers trout fish on waters including the Toms, Metedeconk and Manasquan rivers, and the fishing there was good when those places were stocked on Mondays. Fishing for largemouth bass slowed, because of spawning. The bass must be released through June 15 for spawning. Chain pickerel and crappie fishing was “on” at ponds and lakes. Baits stocked include shiners, killies, nightcrawlers and garden worms. Murphy’s, located on Route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Grenloch Lake’s trout fishing still went well, said Joanie from <b>Creek Keepers Bait & Tackle</b> in Blackwood. PowerBait and spinners nabbed the fish. An angler pasted largemouth bass at Washington Lake Park on minnows. Largemouths were probably spawning, and must be released through June 15 for that. Anglers still banked striped bass from Delaware River at spots like Riverwinds and National Park, buying bloodworms for bait. Know the regs for striper fishing on the river, including because the angling’s currently closed on the tidal river for spawning, and certain hooks are required to be fished. Anglers release the stripers. In saltwater, lots of bluefish were smashed on finger mullet.

Still catching trout, said Mike from <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Most known about came from Iona Lake and Oak Pond.  Largemouth bass were spawning, but were landed nearly everywhere. Live Target bluegill lures could hardly be kept stocked, because they were popular for the angling. So were Yamamoto worms and Rat-L-Traps. Rainbow-trout and peanut-butter-and-jelly were popular colors for the worms. Largemouths are limited to catch-and-release through June 15, because of spawning. One angler tied into a mess of crappies at Greenwich Lake. From saltwater, good catches of blues and striped bass were made from Long Beach Island’s surf. A friend bloodwormed a 55-pound drum on Delaware River near the Salem power plant. Small drum were beached in Cape May’s surf. A few weakfish began to be banked along surf jetties in Cape May and Wildwood.

Largemouth bass had been spawning at lakes, but cold, rainy weather put that off now, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Still, largemouths were hooked, especially on chatter baits. They worked great, and Senko worms often lit into the fish. The law requires largemouths and smallmouth bass to be released through June 15 for spawning. Smallmouth fishing was decent at Union Lake the past couple of weeks, often on drop-shots, including with Senko worms. Stick baits also hit the smallmouths. Union is only one of two lakes in South Jersey that harbor smallmouths. Lake Audrey is the other, but Audrey was stocked with the fish in recent years, and the population seemed to peter out. Largemouthing was good at Audrey, though. Trout fishing was good, including at South Vineland Park Pond and Iona Lake. It was alright, and tons of PowerBait was sold for trout. Saltwater anglers boated striped bass near the power plant at Salem. In Fortescue’s surf on Delaware Bay, striper fishing was spotty, or when it was good, it was good. But a couple of days might pass when no stripers are found there. Jumbo bloodworms were the bait to dunk there.

Back to Top