<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Adirondacks</b>

The ice became unsafe for fishing on Great Sacandaga Lake and other local lakes, said Hank from <b>Fuel-n-Food</b> in Mayfield. Fishable ice probably remained on lakes to the north. A little rain fell, maybe an inch, not much, but the weather was warmer, 55 degrees at the beginning of the week. The seasons for walleye and northern pike, two of the main fish in local waters, closed on Tuesday and will reopen May 1. A pile of walleyes had been knuckled in from the Mohawk River before the season closed. Baits stocked at Fuel-n-Food include shiners, suckers, fatheads and more, and the store carries a full supply of fishing tackle, probably the largest selection in the area. Plus the shop is a convenience store, serves breakfast and lunch and sells all types of fuel, and is located near plenty of accommodations, not to mention fishing.

<b>Salmon River</b>

Snows were finally gone because of rains, and steelheads hung upriver at Pineville, but fresh fish also began to move up the river, now running at 750 CFS, said Rich at <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. Blue and pink egg sacks and stoneflies worked well to hang a catch. Ice fishing is finished for the season, but anglers hooked pretty sizeable brown trout on the Sterling River at Fair Haven State Park on Little Cleo and silver spoons.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

The Delaware River became a raging, muddy mess because of the storm, but previously the lower section began to give up striped bass, big white perch and catfish, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. The stretch from the Delaware Memorial Bridge to Delaware Bay was best for striper fishing, and bloodworms, strips of squid and strips of clam claimed both the stripers 12 to 28 inches and the perch up to a pound. The river at Dredge Harbor held a good number of crappies that hovered in 12-foot depths, nibbling small, watermelon or motor-oil colored grubs fished under a float. Fishing picked up on the river at Tullytown Cove, since the ice went out, for crappies, perch and even a largemouth or smallmouth bass here or there, on minnows, wax worms or earthworms. Farther upriver at the Trenton power plant, a few stripers and some perch, catfish, carp and gizzard shad could be angled. One customer caught and released stripers under 21 inches and nailed a catfish over 5 pounds, all on bloodworms.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

The ice almost disappeared from Lake Hopatcong, said Kevin at <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. So anglers dropped down jigs along the ice-free dock pilings to pull up yellow perch. Quality trout were taken from the Pequest River and the Big Flatbrook before the storm, and early black stoneflies got attention.

Almost all the ice was officially gone from the lake, said Laurie at <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. The lake was at flood stage now from the torrential rains and form a dam burst from Lake Shawnee that poured into Hopatcong. Crappies may be on the prowl toward Brady Bridge, and small fathead minnows and hair jigs will work best, but the lake might take a few days to clean up. 

Lots of the northern lakes were almost completely open, said Nick from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. The Pompton Lakes and Cranbury Lake were ice free, and respectable smallmouth bass to 3 pounds were rustled in from Pompton on jerk baits and Rapala X-Raps. Striped bass had been plucked from the Hackensack River on 5-inch Storm Shads before the storm, and that fishery could rebound when the waters settle.

Round Valley Reservoir’s anglers banked trout from the shore before the rains, said Steve from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. Ranger’s Cove and the boat launch area served up some big ones to 4 pounds that pounced on shiners and nightcrawlers. The big breeders should be there for the taking this week as the reservoir clears up.

Water levels on the trout streams were “at a peak,” said Bill Hoffman from <b>Skylands Angler</b> from Clinton. But the levels were coming down, and he hoped the waters would be fishable by the weekend. Currently the fish were hunkered down, and wading was dangerous. But when the flow drops, catches should be on, and Wooly Buggers and San Juan Worms, larger-sized flies, will be top choices at first. Those patterns will imitate baitfish and natural worms that the currents knock around, giving the trout the opportunity to hone in on them. Skylands Angler 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 also offers fly trips for other freshwater fish, like pike, hybrid striped bass, carp and largemouth bass. Plus he guides trips in the ocean and bay surf during the spring and fall migrations at Sandy Hook and Island Beach State Park with both conventional and fly tackle.

The trout streams might be unfishable through the week, said Amy at <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. So the lakes and ponds were best to target instead. Round Valley Reservoir should still dish up trout on shiners and Rapala crank baits cast from the shore at Ranger’s Cove and around the boat launch.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Crappies really got a chew going at the Assunpink Wildlife Area lakes and Gropp’s Lake before the rains, said Sean from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. The specks at both sucked down 1/32-ounce hair jigs and trout magnets. A few largemouth bass were around to drum up on shiners.

Pickerel hounds worked over the cedar waters at the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area lakes, said Carl from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Roostertails, Daredevils and shiners whacked up to 3-pounders.

Concentrating on the lakes that clear up first will be the key to catching fish since the storm, said Steve at <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Malaga Lake and Mary Elmer Lake historically clean up relatively quickly, and largemouth bass should be on the bite by late in the week. Crank baits or medium shiners should gain a strike. Striped bass were sometimes reeled up from the Delaware River at Penns Grove on bloodworms. Look for the river’s stripers to get more and more active.

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