<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river ran low, at 285 CFS, clear and cold, so steelhead fishing was slow from the waters, said Eric from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. If anglers caught, they banked the fish from the upper river, usually on egg sacks or stoneflies. Any reason the stream level was dropped so much? Eric was asked. “Just waiting for more water, I guess,” he said. The government controls the flow at the dam at the reservoir, and the river ran especially low this past fall, because of drought. In recent weeks, the level was up, at a better level for fishing. Daytime temperatures reached the high 20s, but felt like 10, in winds.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Looked like winter was returning, Bill Brinkman from Philadelphia’s <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> wrote on his Facebook page on Monday. He was talking about forecasts for colder weather this week. “What a shame,” he said, because a few more striped bass than before began to be reeled from Delaware River. A 36-incher was banked downstream from Tacony-Palmyra Bridge on fresh bunker, and a 24-incher and four sizeable catfish were landed toward Rancocas Creek on bloodworms. So, striper fishing was slow on the river. However, great news was heard. The “shad stakes,” Bill said, were loaded with 30- to 38-inch stripers in Delaware Bay. A minnow netter also caught and released stripers larger than 30-inchers along the bay. Those fish should swim up the river for the spring spawning migration. “(But) where the (heck) is spring?” Bill asked.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

A few walleyes and smallmouth bass were picked from Delaware River, said Joe from <b>Stokes Forest Sport Shop</b> in Sandyston. Nothing crazy, he said.  Rubber worms 7 ½ inches on a ¼-ounce jighead or shiners are usually fished for them along bottom. If the hooks don’t snag bottom, no fish are nailed. Anglers mostly waited for the opening of trout season on Saturday. The river’s shad migration usually arrives by mid-April locally or when dogwoods begin to bloom. Its striped bass migration usually arrives locally when the shad migration ends.

From <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna, Greg fished a local pond, only managing nine sunnies, he said. He fished with Trout Magnets, and usually yanks crappies and yellow perch from the pond this time of year. Weather’s been cold, and when will this wind stop?  he asked. Anglers fished Lake Hopatcong, but little was heard about catches in the weather. Greg pasted perch, lots, from Hopatcong two weeks ago. Trout season will open on Saturday.

The Knee Deep Club stocked more than 1,100 trout, 12 inches or larger, in the lake during the weekend, Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong wrote in an e-mail. Trout season will open on Saturday, and weather forecasts, so far, called for sunny skies and 57 degrees. Sounded like a perfect day to troll shallow waters with Phoebes and Rapalas to catch the trout, she said. For perch or crappies, fish the shallows in the Brady Bridge area, casting small Rapala Husky Jerks or small rubber Jigs or Rufus Jr.’s under a bobber.  Or fish fathead minnows or worms for them. Chain pickerel smashed trolled, small stick baits on the lake. The Knee Deep Club will hold a trout tournament on Sunday, April 21. For info, anglers can check the club’s tournament or call Dow’s at 973-663-3826. The shop is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily this month. Bait is stocked, and boat rentals are available.

Anglers began to fish Passaic River “pretty hard,” said Nick from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. Fishing the whole stretch from Garfield to Paterson, they scored well on northern pike on some days, catching two, three or four, including big ones, and the fishing was slow on others. Shiners socked most, but No. 4 Mepps spinners caught okay.  Walleyes were vertical-jigged from Greenwood Lake, Mark from the shop told Nick, Nick said. Crappies were copped from North Creek at Greenwood on Berkley Gulp Alive 1- or 2-inch minnows from a jar. Crappies and perch were plucked from both Pompton Lake at the main bridge and Lake Hopatcong at Brady and River Styx bridges. Fishing for Hopatcong’s largemouth bass was slow in a tournament in cold waters. A bunch were caught, but were small, on Rapala X-Raps or jigs. Largemouth fishing was also slow at Cranbury Lake in a tournament in 45-degree waters. A 7-pounder, landed on a jerk bait, won. Lakes were probably two weeks colder than usual, and needed to reach 50 degrees to make a substantial difference in largemouth fishing. Lakes including Dahnert’s Pond and Barbour’s Pond were closed for trout stocking, but will be opened on Saturday for the opening of trout season.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

On Pequest River at the Trout Conservation Area, Darrel from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook bailed at least 50 trout last Wednesday and 75 on Friday on midges, he said. Those numbers might sound crazy, he said, but lots of trout were stocked, and all an angler could want could be caught. He took his son and grandson back to the river, and the grandson had never-before fished, and fly-rodded three on midges. The son landed two, and both hooked more that got off. Another angler fly-rodded Ken Lockwood Gorge on Friday, landing 28 trout, mostly small, but some 15- and 16-inch rainbows, on midges. River levels became somewhat low, and the waters were cold. Some waters, including these mentioned above in this report, were open to catch-and-release trout fishing, though trout season is closed until opening starting on Saturday. Darrel heard little about fishing on lakes, and from what he understood, not much news came from lakes.

Customers geared-up for the opening of trout season on Saturday, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Trout streams were clean, levels were good, and weather was good for the fishing. Crappie fishing became better and better on most ponds and lakes, including Assunpink Lake and Lake Riviera. Chain pickerel fishing was “on par,” Dennis said, on shiners and killies. Pretty much all freshwater baits are stocked, including killies and the different trout worms. Shiners will be stocked Friday.

<b>South Jersey</b>

No striped bass were reported migrating Delaware River so far, said Tom P. from <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Karl from the shop said loads of shad migrated the river at Lambertville, Tom said, but Tom heard nothing else about shad. Oakford Lake in New Egypt served up largemouth bass, chain pickerel and crappies on shiners. But sometimes the better-sized bass jumped on Rat-L-Traps. Assunpink Lake teemed with crappies, loads, that swiped fathead minnows or small jigs, like 1/32- or 1/64-ounce, with Gulp grubs, Mister Twisters or that sort of thing. All kinds of shiners were sold to anglers heading for chain pickerel on lakes. Customers last week hit Farrington Lake for picks and northern pike, though nothing was heard about the fishing since.

<b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b>, previously located in Brooklawn, was moved to Westville, at 600 Gateway Boulevard, Rick said. Westville is just across Big Timber Creek from Brooklawn. The phone, 856-456-6622, will be working starting today. The new store is open and stocked, and nearly all baits will be carried by Friday, including bloodworms, the different trout worms including meal worms and nightcrawlers, fresh clams, green crabs and all the frozen baits for saltwater. Minnows are already on hand. Whether shiners will be stocked by Friday is unknown, but if not, they’ll be carried by the middle of next week. Hardly any sizeable striped bass were caught from Delaware River yet, and the river was cold and dirty. Throwbacks were caught and released on the river, and the only keeper stripers heard about were a few taken along the causeway bridge at Ocean City. Catfish were cranked from Delaware River. Crappie fishing was good at Cooper River and Wilson Lake. Trout season will be opened on Saturday.

A few striped bass were banked on Delaware River, but weather wasn’t great, said Matt from <b>Shag’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Pennsville.  The shop’s striper tournament was held through the weekend, and four of the bass were weighed-in for the event. Winners were Chris Orange with an 18.7-pound striper, Jack Sutton Sr. with a 14.4-pounder and Nick Meddings with a 10.1-pounder. Though striper fishing was yet to take off, anglers fishing the river for stripers kept saying they hooked big catfish. Bloodworms are mostly fished for the stripers in the early season and are stocked. Chunks of fresh bunker become popular for bait for the bass when waters become warmer, and the menhaden is stocked almost daily.

Back to Top