New Jersey Fishing Reports

Eight inches of heavy, wet snow covered the ice on Great Sacandaga Lake, but the lake’s fishing was some of the best of the season during the weekend, said Louie from Fuel-n-Food in Mayfield. Walleye catches improved, and yellow perch fishing went well, and plenty of northern pike were drilled. Ice angling at Mayfield Lake was okay, not great, not bad. Perch, pickerel and crappies were knuckled in. Medium shiners seemed the bait of choice at both lakes, but icicles and jigs were also used. Lake trout could be located at Indian Lake and Piseco Lake, but many were 18- or 19-inch shorts. The shop’s annual Weekend Long Ice Fishing Tournament will take place Friday through Sunday on Sacandaga. Baits stocked at Fuel-n-Food include shiners, suckers, fatheads and icicles, and the store carries a full supply of ice-fishing tackle and gear, 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.

Salmon River

The river’s flow was pulled back to 285 CFS, and most of the steelheads were caught from Pineville to upriver toward the Trestle and the Schoolhouse Pool, said Eric at All Seasons Sports in Pulaski. No huge steelies were hooked, and most averaged 5 to 8 pounds, often taken on pink worms or blue or pink egg sacks. The ice at Sandy Pond became somewhat sketchy for ice fishing, and water and slush were on top. This weekend might be the last to fish it safely for perch and northern pike.

PENNSYLVANIA

Ice fishing at Lake Luxembourg at Core Creek Park came to an end, because the waters were closed for trout stocking, said Helen from Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle in Philadelphia. Anglers could now head to the Delaware River at Dredge Harbor and Tullytown Cove, looking for largemouth bass and crappies willing to inhale fathead minnows thrown from shore. Striped bass season opened in the rivers and bays, and customers began chucking plastics and larger crank baits on the river for potential linesiders.

NEW JERSEY

North Jersey

Lots of walleyes were claimed from the local Delaware River, said Bill from Bill’s Bait & Tackle in Phillipsburg. Jerry Rustay mopped up a 6.5-pounder, and Bill Reed dusted a 5-pounder. Tiger muskies were on the prowl under the ice at Mountain Lake. Joe Rustay axed a 20.6-pounder, and Mike Wellington hand-lined a 15-pounder. Trout fishing held strong in local streams such as the Musconetcong River, and Carl Stoneback banked a 4.6-pound tiger trout there.

Ice anglers hoped for one more week of solid ice, said Don from Ramsey Outdoor in Succasunna. But many lakes, such as Spilt Rock Reservoir, were already breaking up with open waters. Lake Aeroflex was still locked up during the weekend, and one angler there hung big, breeder brown trout and even a 20-inch landlocked salmon, when he dropped down salmon eggs on tip-ups.

This will probably be the last weekend for ice fishing on the lake, said Laurie from Dow’s Boat Rentals in Lake Hopatcong. Six inches of waters lay on top of 6 inches of ice at Great Cove, but anglers were out pulling yellow perch and pickerel through the holes. Next will be the big wait for all the unsafe ice to melt to effectively fish the lake again.

Ice fishing was still going on at the coves at Lake Hopatcong and Greenwood Lake, said Al from Meltzer’s Sporting Goods in Garfield. But anglers had to wade through lots of slush. They’ll probably keep fishing through the weekend before quitting for the season, and yellow perch, pickerel and crappies at both lakes ate up shiners. Trout anglers sometimes nabbed big, breeder rainbows toward the hatchery in the Pequest River. Large streamers seemed key.

Ice action was close to wrapping up, said Steve from Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop. Chris Lido and Nick Niles fished Oxford Furnace Lake, jigging Kastmasters for three fat rainbow trout to 16 inches. But Lido said the ice probably wouldn’t make it to the weekend. Local rivers ran high but trout-fishable, and use nymphs or nightcrawlers sent out with size B split shots. Round Valley Reservoir served up big, breeder trout that were recently stocked, and both shore-based and boat anglers tied into the fish to 6 pounds on nightcrawlers and meal worms.

Fishable ice remained on Lake Hopatcong, but it disappeared by the day, said Bert from Efinger Sporting Goods in Bound Brook. More anglers switched over to trout fishing, and the Pequest River gave up rainbows to 3 pounds on meal worms. Be sure to stop by the shop for the Fishing Festival Mega-Sale from March 11 to 21.

South Jersey

Steady walleye action was copped on the Delaware River, and the stretch from Lambertville to Bull’s Island was most productive, said Eric from Harry’s Army and Navy in Robbinsville. Jigheads tipped with medium to large shiners or Mister Twister grubs could whale double-digit catches. Smallmouth bass were mixed in, and catfish to 5 pounds were angled from the river around Bordentown on stink baits. The Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes pretty much became open to shore casting, after the ice melted, and anglers tossing in shiners tugged in largemouth bass and pickerel. Be sure to catch the shop’s free seminar Friday on livelining bunker for striped bass with Capt. Eric Kerber.

Ice on the Delaware River mostly broke up, said Carl from the Sportsmen’s Center in Bordentown. Bank anglers at Tullytown Cover on the river could now cast for big largemouth bass to 5 pounds that will swipe shiners. The Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes also became open for shoreline fishing, and hair jigs tipped with minnows worked on crappies and yellow perch.

Largemouth bass fishing was heating up, said Steve from Blackwater Sports Center in Vineland. At Sunset Lake plenty of the bucketmouths jumped on Rat-L-Traps, suspending jerk baits and shiners in a tournament during the weekend. Yellow perch and chain pickerel also hit in the lake. Most of the lakes were completely free of ice or were on the verge. The Menantico Ponds and Burnt Mill Pond were open and primed to fish, and try working shiners for pickerel. An influx of white perch catches came from the Great Egg Harbor River on grass shrimp and bloodworms.