<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Adirondacks</b>

Two to five inches of ice covered Harris Bay on Lake George, and lots of ice covered waters including Schroon Lake, said Jeff from <b>FISH307.com</b> in the village of Lake George. Brant Lake, Lake Pleasant, Raquette Lake and Loon Lake were all ice-fished. So, good ice-fishing conditions were around, despite the warm winter, and the outlook is good for the angling during this Presidents’ Day weekend. Mostly yellow perch and some northern pike and lake trout were angled. No especially large fish were reported caught this week, after some big fish like lake trout were reported taken last week, covered here last week. The store is located at the gateway to the Adirondacks, carrying all the ice-fishing supplies, so stop in. Only six packs of mousies, scarce this year, were stocked when Jeff gave this report. But the rest of the ice baits were fully loaded at the shop. They included grubs, wax worms, meal worms, suckers, hunts and three sizes of shiners. Catch the shop’s ice-fishing clearance sale, called the Ice Fishing “Liquid” (ation) Sale. The sale is also featured on <a href="http://www.fish307.com/" target="_blank">FISH307.com</a> itself.

<b>Salmon River</b>

Steelhead fishing was very good on the river with <b>Salmon River Guide</b> from Pulaski, Capt. Shane Thomas said. Tons of the fish swam the river, and the water level was great: 900 to 1,200 CFS. Trout beads and egg sacks fished under floats produced consistent catches every day for Shane’s drift-boat trips. Most trips fished at least a dozen different areas in a 7- to 9-mile drift. This is prime time for the steelheading, and dates are available for trips, including in March. The fish migrate to the river starting in fall, remain through winter, spawn in spring, then return to Lake Ontario. On the drift-boat trips, anglers fish in front of a big heater. No waders are needed, and anglers can just dress in warm gear. Fishing with spinning and center-pin rods is a specialty, and fly-fishing is offered.

Plenty of steelheads, not phenomenal catches, but catches, came from the river, said Ben from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. Fresh fish from Lake Ontario kept entering the river, and no particular stretch of river seemed best for the angling, but more fresh steelheads were caught on the lower river. The river ran at 900 CFS, a good level for fishing. Some anglers like somewhat higher, and others prefer somewhat lower, but 1,000 CFS is about the average that everyone likes. Most customers fished with egg sacks or trout beads, and some cast flies. Ice fishing on the lakes was day to day: Fishable ice formed on some days, not on others, during this warm winter.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

A few customers ice fished last week, but fishable ice probably melted now, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Ledgewood. Yellow perch seemed to bite in the lakes. Sometimes largemouth bass were pulled from the waters on small Keitechs. Big rainbow trout were supposedly beaten from shore at Round Valley Reservoir on large Cleo spoons or big spinners like size 4. The fish usually cruise along the shoreline this time of year. Stream trouters hit the Pequest River for catches. Look for early black stoneflies in sizes 14 and 16 that can come off the rivers, especially on warm days like in the 50s in the afternoons like 12 to 3.

At <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield a few anglers bought shiners to fish the Passaic River, banking a few northern pike, none big, Nick said. A buddy bought shiners from the shop to fish for yellow perch that were hammered at Pompton Lake at the bridge. The perch gathered at a deep hole there, and were fat, loaded with eggs. Perch were apparently spawning, and fishing for them seemed good everywhere. No customers talked about fishing the big lakes like Hopatcong or Greenwood, and the season was early for anglers to de-winterize boats and head out. Cold might still set in this winter. Fish like largemouth bass seemed yet to be active, and a water temperature change like a rise of 10 degrees was probably needed to spark them to feed. Air temps were consistently in the 40s during daytime and in the 20s to 30s at nighttime. A couple of days were different here and there, but not long enough to make water temps budge. Still, March is in a couple of weeks, and the first reports about largemouth catches will begin then. Reports will come in about catches like to the south in the warmer waters at places like the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area. The lakes there produce good catches every year, and news is always heard about a lunker or two like a 7-pound largemouth yanked from the waters starting in March. Nick’s been largemouth fishing on a local lake in Garfield through winter, without success lately. He landed two or three small bass there some weeks ago. But the fish seemed reluctant to feed lately, so he wasn’t making lots of effort. He fishes small Keitechs, preferring artificials, for the small bass, and the fish recently looked spooky, swimming away from the lure. Maybe the angling takes being there at the right time, or maybe live bait would work. But he kept checking the water temperature, and the lake remained the same temp. A change in the temp and weather would probably help. Customers grabbed small trout from the Pequest and Pequannock rivers.

Anglers sometimes fished at Round Valley Reservoir for trout from shore or the boat-launch docks, said Josh from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. No results were heard, but they bought shiners for the fishing. Sometimes customers geared up to fish for trout on rivers like the Pequest or the South Branch of the Raritan. Nymphs, scuds and egg patterns are usually popular for the angling this time of year. Occasional reports, no specifics, rolled in about chain pickerel and largemouth bass catches from warmer lakes to the south. 

<b>South Jersey</b>

News about walleye catches slowed down from the Delaware River, so the fish might’ve begun to spawn, said Eric from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. A few were reported picked, but previously the catches were good along the rocky stretches from Trenton to Frenchtown. Crappies, active in cold, were on the bite, including at Lake Mercer and the lakes at the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area. The fish favored smaller baits like fathead minnows, no longer eager to swallow larger baits like shiners that they pounced on earlier this winter. Lots said yellow perch fishing was hopping at Carnegie Lake.

Chain pickerel were pounded at Turn Mill Pond in the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area on shiners, said Carl from <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. A few catches of crappies were heard about from Rising Sun Lake at Assunpink on Trout Magnets. Nothing was heard about the Delaware River, though walleye fishing was previously good there. Anglers usually fish the river’s warm waters at the Trenton power plant this time of season for different fish, but the plant wasn’t pumping waters. Saltwater anglers beached striped bass along the state’s northern coast like at Deal and Long Branch. The fish remained in the waters during this warm winter.

Though the weather was good for fishing, not much was heard about anyone going, said Jeff from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. “It’s February,” he said. But chain pickerel and crappies should be able to be hooked. “There out there,” he said. “Just got to get out and go.” Minnows should draw them to strike, and are stocked. So are nightcrawlers.

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