<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

Cold somewhat slowed the river’s steelhead fishing during the weekend, said Sam from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. But temperatures climbed above freezing afterward, picking up the fishing. A bunch of steelheads were banked on the upper river, and some were on the lower. Weather’s supposed to be warmer later in the week, and that should help. The river ran at 750 CFS but at 1,030 at the Pineville Bridge, because of runoff. Brown and rainbow trout were tackled on Oswego River, but not so many were landed on Salmon River. Four inches of ice covered Sandy Pond on Friday, and ice anglers did fish. Sam was unsure how thick the ice was now.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Boaters tried for walleyes on Delaware River, but caught none, said Joe from <b>Stokes Forest Sport Shop</b> in Sandyston. The fish weren’t even marked, so either the walleyes weren’t there, or they swam along bottom, eluding the fish finder. The river’s walleye fishing usually peaks in January and February, so the season could be early. But anglers need to try for them if they want to find out. The Delaware’s level was up a bit, but started to come back down, after last week’s storm. Trout streams ran low and clear, and rains from the storm raised them, but the streams rise and drop quickly from waters like that. Customers who trout fish mostly work Big Flatbrook, sometimes Paulinskill River. The Flatbrook, for instance, is a steep enough grade, and is short enough, to rise and drop quickly. The Delaware is a much longer river affected by rains over a large geographical area. Some of the lakes had started to skim over with ice in mornings. But days this week warmed to almost 55 degrees, so the ice didn’t stick around. Next week is supposed to be colder, though.

Capt. Dave Vollenweider from <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b> from Montvale fished Greenwood Lake with a client Saturday, but the fishing wasn’t good Dave said. Nothing bit, and Dave knew the fishing could be tough, because of the time of year, but the client wanted to fish. Dave didn’t charge the angler for the trip, and told him to come back in May to fish for walleyes. The water was 44 to 45 degrees, but the day was beautiful, with calm wind. Ice had to be broken to launch the boat, but the rest of the lake was open. Quite a few boats were on the water. Fish can certainly still be caught from lakes, and Dave plans to keep fishing them at least by himself. He fished a lake two days after Christmas last year. Something just affected the fish during the trip, he thinks, and fish in cold waters this time of year bite during small windows of time. They still have to eat, but anglers need to be there when they do, and practically need to clunk the fish on the head with the hook to catch. Fish are cold blooded, so they’re the same low temperature as the water, and are moving slowly. Live bait becomes effective in the cold. A hooked baitfish will entice bites if clunked on a fish’s nose. Anglers need to fish slowly. Lakes definitely turned over by now, and that means that the waters will be the same temperature from top to bottom. Fish will be spread all over a lake as a result, instead of schooled in certain temperatures. Lots of baitfish were marked schooling along bottom, though. In lakes like Greenwood that Dave fishes, muskies, walleyes and crappies could currently bite. Dave has reeled in muskies as late as December 6, and he knows about Canadian guides who are still musky fishing. Dave saw a report from a New Jersey angler who tackled a tiger musky recently.  Dave also might trout fish on streams, and some good catches of them are being made. He scored well on trout at streams in February last year, and hardly any other anglers fished the waters. Catch Dave’s article on trolling that’s scheduled to be published in On the Water magazine’s January issue. Live to Fish Guide Service guides trips for muskies, walleyes, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, panfish, trout, carp and more. Lakes fished include Greenwood, Lake Hopatcong, Monksville Reservoir, Echo, Mountain and Furnace. Rivers fished include the Flatbrook, Pequest, Paulinskill and Ramapo.

Trout streams ran a little higher than before, finally, said Mike from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. That was because of rains during last week’s storm. Not much was heard about trout fishing, but if anglers fish for them, Power Bait or midges will probably catch. Most customers who freshwater fished traveled to upstate New York to fish for steelheads on the Salmon River and other Lake Ontario tributaries. Many customers fished saltwater for striped bass and blackfish. Many small stripers seemed to swim the state’s northern coast, and sometimes that happens toward the end of the migration. But larger stripers reportedly schooled beyond 3 miles from shore, where striper fishing is closed. Maybe they’ll swim back inshore. Blackfishing sounded good.

Though Passaic River ran low, anglers could probably wrestle northern pike there if they found the honey holes, said Larry from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Pine Brook. The pike bite pretty much year-round, and will probably swipe shiners or big spinners or buzz baits. A few customers bought Power Bait to fish the winter trout stocking at Verona Park Lake. One angler bought worms to fish for trout someplace. A couple of customers trolled a few trout at Round Valley Reservoir, mostly on small spoons. One boated good-sized rainbow trout at the impoundment.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Stream fishing for trout was decent, said Darrel from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. The waters were very cold, about 34 degrees, and clear, but stream levels were okay. They had been low, then last week’s storm raised them high. The waters came down since, but not as low as before. Trout were finicky in the cold, clear waters, so light leaders like 6X or 7X and small flies like midges, small pheasant-tail nymphs and small bead-headed nymphs were fished. Trout sort of stayed in feeding lanes in the cold, not moving much. Trout were tugged from waters like Musconetcong, Pequest and South Branch of the Raritan rivers. Lake fishing was kind of slow this time of year. But trout were landed from shore at places like Round Valley Reservoir. Live bait like shiners drew them to hit in the cold.

From <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in the town of Toms River, Jeff pasted chain pickerel from the Toms River at Trilco on spinners, he said. Trilco is a closed building supply, and no sign identifies the building. But locals know the stretch by the name, located near Garden State Parkway. That area of the river gives up pickerel practically year-round. One customer was headed to Spring Lake for trout fishing. Another was going to fish Manasquan Reservoir, but no results were heard about either trip yet. Shiners are stocked, but won’t be restocked when they run out, until demand picks up for the season. Nightcrawlers and trout worms are carried.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Fishing was good on Delaware River for walleyes, sometimes perch and a few walleyes at the wing dams, said Karl from <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. The rain that fell slowed the bite at least a moment. But when the walleyes were active, they jumped on Rapala Countdown lures in size 5. Sometimes the Trenton power planet generated warm water into the Delaware. Then largemouth bass and smallmouth bass were hooked on small Rapalas or a shiner under a float. A little crappie fishing happened at Farrington Lake at the aqueduct on small shiners under a float.

Sporadic weather, like last week’s storm, then cold, then warmth, made fishing somewhat hit or miss, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. But chain pickerel were sometimes active. Minnows will sock them best, and tons of the baitfish were sold. Largemouth bass were picked up occasionally from lakes, sometimes on jigs, sometimes on suspending jerk baits. Rainbow Lake sounded productive to fish. A little was heard about Union Lake giving up catches. White perch were reeled from brackish rivers on bloodworms or grass shrimp. In saltwater, striped bass finally started to be bagged from Delaware Bay’s southern end and the ocean, later than expected. Blackfishing sounded good along the coast.

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