New Jersey Fishing Reports

Ice fishing pretty much wrapped up, said Ron at FISH307.com at Lake George. The lake’s edges were either soft or open, and planking out was the only way to access the hard waters. But the season finished well, with yellow perch inhaling jigs and minnows on Harris Bay and in the coves. Be on the lookout for landlocked salmon fishing to heat up with ice out.

Salmon River

With the river running at 1,500 CFS, steelhead seemed to hang more in the upper stretches near the Compactor Pool and Sandy Creek, said Simon at All Seasons Sports in Pulaski. The feed was going strong early last week, but then cold weather slowed it down just a little. Blue, white and pink egg sacks worked well, and so did glow beads and 3-inch Power Bait worms. Anglers had to work, but on an average day could land four to six fish.

A mix of steelheads and brown trout, decent catches, were angled from the river, said Paul Auguscinksi from SAS Guide Service from Pulaski. Pink and white egg sacks gained most bites the past couple of days, and angling pressure was high, despite high waters. The Altmar area was crowded, but many anglers also caught fish at the Wires and the Schoolhouse Pool. SAS Guide Service spin fishes for salmon, steelheads and trophy trout on wade and drift-boat trips, and enjoys teaching anglers the techniques that will help them learn how to hook up themselves, so they can even return to catch on their own.

The river had been dropped to 1,150 CFS, then was raised to 1,500, a high flow, compared with 750 that’s the optimum for fishing, but plenty of steelheads were clocked, said Bill Ferman from High Hook Guide Service from Pulaski. He fished the river, not the creeks, where he previously fished to escape the flow. The creeks turned slushy, because the weather became colder. High flows are common in spring, even reaching 4,000 or 5,000. The cold kept mountain snow from melting too quickly, keeping the river relatively low. Mostly steelheads and rainbow trout swam around, and occasional brown trout, not many, showed up. Egg sacks, stoneflies, and estaz flies got chomped, and some anglers fished nightcrawlers, common in spring. Steelheading will only improve as the weather warms. The best was yet to come, and April is steelhead month. High Hook both wades and drift-boats for salmon, steelheads and trophy brown and rainbow trout with both spinning gear and fly rods.

PENNSYLVANIA

Striped bass fishing picked up on the Delaware River, said Bill from Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle in Philadelphia. A few 24- to 26-inchers were landed near Station Avenue, mostly on bloodworms. Some 20- to 25-inchers also ate up bloods and chunked eels near the airport. Bigger bass to 28 inches seemed to feed near National Park and around Salem Cove. Catfish, carp and white perch were also on the chew at the cove, swallowing corn and carp baits. Walleye fishing gained steam in the river toward the Lambertville and New Hope wing dams on grubs, tubes, minnows, nightcrawlers and bucktails. Averaging 14 to 18 inches, the marble eyes held in the swirling eddies just below the dams.

NEW JERSEY

North Jersey

More anglers were fishing, so more catches were starting to be checked in, said Bill from Bill’s Bait & Tackle in Phillipsburg. The Delaware River offered a mix of species. Bill Martin scored a 7-pound walleye, and Kevin Mecsey hooked a 5-pound 12-ouncer and a 4.4-pound brown trout. Steven Bender Jr. banked a 6-1/2-pound channel cat, and Pat Storm drilled a 3-pound smallmouth bass. The Musconetcong River was also productive, and Jerry Clymer fished there to win the battle with a 4.6-pound brown trout. Carl Raabe also hit the Musky for a 15.8-pound carp. Carp were also active on the Lehigh River, where 8-year-old Ronald Jenkins tackled a 14-pounder.

Yellow perch and pickerel were the main targets, said Kevin from Ramsey Outdoor in Paramus. Lake Musconetcong and Lake Hopatcong turned out both, and the key was to fish the shallower sections, where the sun warmed up waters quicker. Suspending Husky Jerks and ¼-ounce Mister Twisters earned the most strikes.

Waters at Brady Bridge were the hottest spot on the lake, said Jim from Dow’s Boat Rentals in Lake Hopatcong. Crappies, yellow perch and pickerel attacked grub tails or fathead minnows on round-headed jigs. But Jim Archambault trolled Rapala stick baits behind his row boat to claim a mess of pickerel to 3 pounds. Two row boats are currently available to rent at the shop.

Most customers headed to Lake Hopatcong to try for perch, crappies and pickerel, said Al from Meltzer’s Sporting Goods in Garfield. Before trout season closed Monday for stocking, the Ramapo River dished out rainbows, and the river should be on fire for trouting when it reopens.

A few brown and rainbow trout were nymphed during the weekend on the Pequest River with Skylands Angler from Clinton, Bill Hoffman said. Size-12, black stoneflies were a good choice, and both the stoneflies and blue winged olives were seen coming off the waters. But trout season closed on Monday for stocking, opening back up on April 11. He looks forward to great catches that should unfold after stocking. During the break Bill plans to fly rod for northern pike on a reservoir. Cool waters are ideal for pike fishing, keeping them more active than much of the year. He’ll toss streamers on short, wire tippets to prevent bite-offs from the toothy critters. Soon he’ll also fly rod for hybrid striped bass on reservoirs. Lots of variety, interesting fishing, is available on fly-angling trips during the next weeks. If anglers are tired of cabin fever, it’s the season to start getting out. Skylands Angler predominantly guides fly-fishing trips for trout on the Musconetcong and Pequest rivers and Ken Lockwood Gorge. Bill aims to teach anglers, whether beginners or advanced, how to fish the rivers, even so they can come back and catch on their own. That includes fly selection, how to fish the flies, casting lessons and all aspects. He’s also available for trips for other fish like largemouth bass, if anglers want to fly rod for them.

Brown trout ran rampant in the Rockaway River before the season closed, said Steve from Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop. Tom Peck stuck holdover brownies to 2 pounds on the river on nightcrawlers. A few rainbow trout patrolled the shoreline at Round Valley Reservoir, willing to suck up Power Baits. Lake trout also roamed the impoundment, Hoovering shiners or trolled spoons in the 70-foot waters.

Rainbow trout got pulled from the Pequest River and the North Branch of the Raritan, said Mike from Efinger Sporting Goods in Bound Brook. The fish chased down small, floating Rapalas reeled at a moderate pace. Some anglers fished off the dirt jetty at Spruce Run Reservoir, most likely for northern pike that should be on the spawn there in the next few weeks.

Fishing seemed to pick up all around, said Jeff from Murphy’s Hook House in Toms River. Pickerel and crappies were the main fare at most spots, such as the Ocean County College ponds, Lester’s Lake and Lake Riviera. Shiners hooked more crappies, and killies fooled more pickerel. The Trilco stretch of the Toms River held pickerel and yellow perch that preferred nightcrawlers.

South Jersey

The Delaware River ran clean and clear, said Frank from Harry’s Army and Navy in Robbinsville. Walleyes were hung around the Frenchtown area on shiners and small, lead-headed jigs. Rumors said gizzard shad swam the area as well. Rising Sun Lake and Lake Assunpink were the scenes of steady crappie action. Trout Magnets got most bites.

Crappies really turned on locally, said Tony from the Sportsmen’s Center in Bordentown. Carnegie Lake, Lake Mercer and Rising Sun Lake all produced double-digit catches, mainly during the afternoons, when the sun was high in the sky. Worms and shiners got gobbled up. Chain pickerel were awake and active in the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area lakes, hanging tight to the under hangs of the shore banks. Crank baits and shiners did the job.

Both smallmouth and largemouth bass opened their mouths at Union Lake, the top spot lately, said Steve from Blackwater Sports Center in Vineland. Rat-L-Traps and suspended jerk baits took a fair share. Anglers could also target chain pickerel at Union, casting silver spoons along the banks. Parvin Lake was also a decent bucketmouth hangout. Herring began to move up the Maurice River, and white perch in the river aggressively sucked up bloodworms.

Herring now schooled into the Maurice River, said Ki from Huck’s Place in Millville. So it was only a matter of time before striped bass moved in to feed on them. Sabiki rigs can catch the herring with ease, and large concentrations of the baitfish could be found near the Union Lake Dam. White perch stacked up in the Tuckahoe River, and grass shrimp and bloodworms convinced them to feed.