<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

More salmon probably couldn’t fit in the river, said Johnny from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. The river ran exceptionally low at 185 CFS, because of the drought. But the salmon migration went on, for about the past 1 ½ weeks. Mostly king salmon filled the entire river. But Coho salmon, quite a few, began to be caught from the river the past two days. Not many trout appeared. A good dusting of rain fell Monday night, probably raising the river slightly. But there were no plans to raise the river, and no end to the drought seemed in sight. The salmon were hooked on eggs like crazy eggs, and a few were taken on egg sacks. Flies like estaz eggs and wooly buggers caught. On Lake Ontario, boaters landed mostly Cohos, lots, and a few kings, in 100 feet. In early mornings boaters beat salmon in 10-foot shallows right off Salmon River. Drift-boaters landed salmon at night “inside and outside the brick wall,” Johnny said.

Salmon were boated from Lake Ontario with <b>Salmon River Guide</b> from Pulaski, a report on Salmon River Guide’s Web site said. The fish, decent catches, were reeled from both the deep and the shallows. Huge runs of king salmon shot up Salmon River in the past week. “Good news for river fishermen …” the report said. Apparently Salmon River Guide was sticking with lake fishing, while lots of salmon remained there, because of the low river, running at 185 CFS. Trips that fish the river with Salmon River Guide usually drift-boat the river. Obviously waters were low for that. But Salmon River Guide apparently had an eye on drift-boating the lower river at night. “The night fishing has just begun and is just OK so far,” the report said. “This will be getting better and better as the lake cools off, and the fish bunch up out front.” Salmon River Guide always drift-boats the river for salmon in fall and for steelheads later in fall through early spring. Salmon migrate to the river, spawn, then die there in fall. Steelheads migrate up the river toward the end of the salmon run in fall, spend winter in the river, spawn there in spring, then return to Lake Ontario for summer. Steelheads don’t die after spawning. Fishing for both is world class, including fishing for steelheads on the river right through winter.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Wes Winter and granddaughter, 8, from the Hamptons climbed aboard a trip on a lake this past week to try to land a musky with <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b> from Montvale, Capt. Dave Vollenweider said in an e-mail. No musky bit, and catching the fish of a thousand casts is never a guarantee. But Dave didn’t charge the anglers, because he dedicated the trip to friend and angler Juan Flores, known for jigging and popping for tuna, who passed away this week from lung cancer. A perch and two smallmouth bass were hooked on the trip, and the trip attempted to help the granddaughter catch a musky to win the IGFA record in her age group. She currently held several IGFA records. Live to Fish will keep fishing for muskies, and is also fishing for walleyes on lakes. The fishing should keep getting better as waters cool, and has been good. <b>***(Update, Wednesday, 9/19***</b>: The granddaughter, Julia, would’ve had to catch a 12-pound 10-ounce musky to break the record in her age class, Dave said. He had hopes of breaking the record, because a friend on the lake that day landed a musky and lost one. “On this particular trip we couldn’t do it,” Dave said. “But I’m sure we will in the future.” The lake was 73 to 74 degrees. Also, visit Juan Flores’ Web site, wonderfully titled “Dream Big”: <a href="http://jflores-fishing.com/" target="_blank">JFlores-Fishing.com</a>. The outpouring of feelings from anglers on the Web, and the loss of the young man, was emotional for Dave.<b>***(End of Update)***</b> Live to Fish Guide Service guides trips for trout, muskies, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleyes, crappies, chain pickerel, panfish, yellow perch, white perch, carp and more. Lakes fished include Greenwood Lake, Lake Hopatcong, Monksville Reservoir, Echo Lake, Mountain Lake and Furnace Lake. Rivers fished include the Flatbrook, Pequest, Paulinskill and Ramapo.

Trout rivers and streams were rising and cooling, and that will take time, said Brian from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna, but he hopes they’ll be in good shape for the fall trout stocking in October. Trout were reeled in at the cool spring waters at Pequest River at the hatchery all season. Smallmouth bass probably kept biting on Delaware River. They had been hooked at areas like Dingman’s Ferry. Fishing seemed okay on Lake Hopatcong for usual catches like largemouth bass, chain pickerel, hybrid striped bass and walleyes in cooling waters.

Largemouth bass were caught from lakes, but anglers had to work for them, said Nick from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. That was because of lingering warm waters, and lakes began to dip into the mid 70s, and Nick hopes that helps the fishing. But he’d like to see lakes reach 68 or 70 degrees, and that would probably pick up catches. Waters were probably too warm for lakes to turn over soon. Largemouth fishing was slow on Greenwood Lake in a tournament during the weekend. Only about 9 pounds for five fish won. A buddy kept largemouthing at Lake Hopatcong, tugging in the bass, working hard, fishing slowly, with Keitechs on ½-ounce jigs. On Passaic River, running very low, small largemouth and smallmouth bass, to 12 inches, and a few northern pike, none big, were claimed upstream from the falls. Many anglers fished for them with medium shiners, chucking out the bait, waiting patiently for a swipe. Or they fished Keitechs for the bass. Small pike and small striped bass were pulled in below the falls. Nick will compete in a largemouth tournament at Lake Hopatcong this weekend.

Ted and Tim Muscatell honked eight hybrid striped bass at Spruce Run Reservoir, said Jody from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport</b> in an e-mail. Ted on another trip zonked two good-sized hybrids from Spruce. At Merrill Creek Reservoir, Phil Zamco socked six lake trout and a sizeable brown trout. Zach Merchant, at Oxford Furnace Lake, kayaked three largemouth bass and a sunfish, and lost a tiger musky at the boat. He fished 1 to 5 p.m. in sunshine and a slight breeze.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Fishing for smallmouth bass was good on Raritan River last week, near the confluence with Millstone River, said Darrel from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Nothing was heard about the fishing in winds and the storm this week. The season was early for trout fishing in warm waters. But anglers looked forward to fall trout stocking in October. Still, trout were netted all summer in cool, spring-fed Pequest River, the only place that harbors cool enough waters then. Fly-rodders currently worked sizes 18 to 26 midges there. “Seriously small,” Darrel said.

Mainly panfish gave up bites, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Kids beat bluegills at Ocean County College Pond. But Dennis stopped at the lakes at Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area. A few largemouth bass and crappies were clocked, and a fair number of chain pickerel were played, despite lots of weed-choked waters there. Most of the bass were rubber-wormed. Closer to the shop, pickerel chomped in the Toms River at Trilco like usual. Carp also mill around the river there. Trilco is a closed building supply, and no sign identifies it, but it’s located near Garden State Parkway. Nothing was heard about Manasquan Reservoir, though previously a few hybrid striped bass and catfish began to managed on the rez. Lake Riviera turned out a mix of largemouths, pickerel and sunnies, usually on killies or worms. Shiners, killies and nightcrawlers are stocked. The shop is loaded with Power Bait and supplies for fall trout stocking in October. Some customers were getting antsy for trouting.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Fish were becoming more active in cooling waters, said Chris from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Fishing seemed “nothing crazy,” he said, anywhere, but was improving. Lots of customers bought shiners, usually to target largemouth bass on lakes. Crystal Lake gave up good catches. Smallmouth bass were slugged on Delaware. “Definitely,” Chris said. Smallmouths were heard about from Raritan River. Large catfish and carp were heaved from the Delaware. Farther north, fishing was good at the reservoirs like Round Valley and Spruce Run.

Hybrid striped bass fishing, at Spruce Run Reservoir and Lake Hopatcong, was “out of control,” said Tom P. at <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Livelined herring smoked them during daytime. Not much was talked about from Delaware River, except about catfish. One customer bought loads of nightcrawlers and circle hooks, saying she crushed channel cats 4 and 5 pounds on the river at Bordentown. Tom limited out on trout on Musconetcong River on Gulp maggots. Customers kept heading to Alloway Lake for good fishing for largemouth bass, 4- to 6-pounders, sizeable, on buzz baits and spinner baits. Crappies chomped like nuts there, too, they said. Flynn’s Pond or Ponderlodge Pond, in Cox Hall Creek Management Wildlife Area, also served up good fishing for largemouths, not as large as at Alloway, also on buzz baits and spinner baits. That’s in Cape May County in the town of Villas, at the former Ponderlodge Golf Course, a new WMA this year. The pond is now the state’s southernmost waters that gets stocked with trout. Back to largemouths, customers stopped buying rubber frogs and rats to fish for the bucketmouths like they did before. They grabbed buzz baits, spinner baits and plastics like Senko worms instead.

Sunnies that kids played were the main targets, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers Bait & Tackle</b> in Blackwood. The fish were winged at the spillway across the road from Blackwood Lake and at Grenloch Lake, on meal worms under bobbers. Nobody talked about fishing for other catches like largemouth bass or chain pickerel, but weather wasn’t great. Winds blew during much of the weekend, then the storm rolled in. Only one customer showed up Tuesday morning during the storm. Trout will be stocked at Grenloch and Oak Pond in mid October for the fall stocking.

Anglers scored “some good bags,” said Rick from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland, at a largemouth bass tournament at Salem Canal. Greg DiPalma reportedly won with 16 ½ pounds for his five bass in the competition, during the weekend. Quite a few largemouths were bailed at Lake Audrey. Only a few smallmouth bass were heard about from Audrey, one of two South Jersey lakes, along with Union Lake, that harbor smallies. Good largemouthing came from Rainbow Lake. Most largemouthers flipped soft plastics like creature baits on jigs. Lakes cooled somewhat to the low 70s. Plenty of panfish and chain pickerel hit in lakes. 

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