<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Adirondacks</b>

Ice-fishing conditions were probably the best all winter on the lake, said Jeff from <b>FISH307.com</b> in Lake George. Cold returned, after a warm spell, so all the “muck” disappeared, he said. No ice was lost, and the ice was now slippery, and anglers needed to wear creepers. George’s lake trout fishing was absolutely outstanding. Perch, pike and occasional salmon also came from the lake. A new ice-fishing tournament, Jake’s Fishing for a Cure, will be held on Lake George this weekend, and anglers can register at the store or at the beach on Saturday morning. A tournament will also be held on Schroon Lake this weekend, and catches there were similar to Lake George’s. The store will be open early for the contests, and all ice-fishing baits, a large supply, are stocked.

<b>Salmon River</b>

Four or five feet of snow fell in past days, and now winds blew strongly, said Mike from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. That all kept anglers from fishing for steelheads on the river. The snow was like a blizzard on the upper river, though Pulaski only got dusted, the store’s Facebook page said. The steelheading was very good during a warm spell last week. The river recently flowed at 800 to 900 CFS, a pretty good level for fishing, Mike said. That was after the river flowed low previously. By Tuesday, the flow was raised to 1,200 CFS, and was scheduled to be raised to 1,500 today, the Facebook page said.  For ice anglers, perch fishing slowed on Oneida Lake. Fewer of the fish bit than before, and ones that did were mostly small. Mostly northern pike were landed on the lake, and not many walleyes were. Mostly pike and a few perch and crappies were cracked on the ice at Sandy Pond. Nothing was heard about ice-fishing farther north, like at Chaumont Bay. The store stocks bait and tackle for fishing on both the river and the ice.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Capt. Dave Vollenweider from <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b> from Montvale emailed <a href=" http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/pdf/2014/trout_changes14.pdf" target="_blank">proposed changes to this spring’s trout stocking</a> (pdf) in New Jersey, because of the fish disease furunculosis at the Pequest hatchery last fall. The state is proposing to shorten this spring’s stocking to four weeks, instead of seven, and not stock trout in some waters traditionally stocked, and stock the fish in others that aren’t usually stocked. The Fish and Game Council will vote on the plan at the council’s monthly meeting on March 11 at the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area, and visit the state’s <a href=" http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2014/trout_policy14.htm" target="_blank">Web page for the proposed policy</a> for further info.  Dave usually kicks off his fishing season with trout fishing on streams with lures, a specialty for him, in spring.  The lures attract large trout that he targets, and are fun to fish, and streams usually run high in spring, keeping the lures from snagging on bottom debris like logs.

Though weather became warmer a moment, trout streams didn’t thaw much, said Brian from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. That and snow on the ground usually kept anglers from fishing them. But the spring-fed Pequest River, probably free of ice, could probably be fished for trout with flies like midges. Anglers hope for a chance to fish the streams when ice thaws but before the waters are closed to fishing for spring trout stocking. Anglers kept ice-fishing, often on larger lakes like Hopatcong and Big and Little Swartswood, but also on small lakes. Mostly pickerel and perch were taken from the ice, but largemouth bass also seemed to come from Hopatcong. Trout were probably eased from the ice on Lake Aeroflex.

Because ice-fishing conditions were excellent on the lake, the Knee Deep Club is trying to plan another ice-fishing tournament, Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong wrote in an email. The contest is planned for Sunday, March 9, on the lake, and tell friends, she said. For info, visit the club’s website, or telephone the store after Friday “for more definite info,” Laurie said: 973-663-3826. At press time, no info was seen on the club’s site, unless that was missed. The club previously held an ice tournament two weekends ago on the lake. The lake currently held 15 to 18 inches of ice, and forecasts are calling for cold weather this week. Perch and pickerel were caught from the ice at shallower waters, just less than 10 feet, on jigs tipped with grubs or tip-ups with shiners. Dan McCarthy IV reeled in several perch that weighed more than a pound apiece, and the largest weighed 1 pound 5 ounces. His brother Justin McCarthy on the trip nailed a pickerel just less than 2 pounds, his personal best. Tony D’Alaurio caught and released a beautiful, Laurie said, 5-pound 6-ounce largemouth bass that swam away in excellent shape.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Some of the trout streams thawed because of the warm spell, said Darrel from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. But they ran high because of the melt. Someone said South Branch of Raritan River became clear from ice but ran very high. The main Raritan ran very high Tuesday morning, and the color wasn’t the worst possible, but was brown. Now weather turned cold again, and that should be good for ice-fishing on lakes. But trout streams will probably be difficult to fish, either because of cold or high water, until conditions settle. Until then, anglers can fish for trout on spring-fed, limestone streams that maintain a steady temperature that prevents ice. Darrel fished one, Little Lehigh River, on Saturday, during the weekend’s mild air temperatures. High, off-color water made the fishing tough that day, and he banked one trout on a sucker-spawn fly. But he knew an angler who totaled 68 trout on the river Friday in better conditions on small, brown stoneflies. Darrel guessed he would’ve caught more on his trip if he had the stoneflies to fish. Snow was deep along the banks, keeping Darrel fishing at one place on the stream. Trout catches were heard about from Saucon Creek, a tributary of Lehigh River, on Sunday.

<b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River will be opened Friday through Sunday, Dennis said. The shop’s been closed for a winter break, and garden worms will be stocked, and nightcrawlers should be. Killies were difficult to obtain, but a half-gallon will be carried. Fresh clams and bloodworms will also be on hand for saltwater fishing. Nobody was heard about who fished freshwater, but, again, the store was closed. Ice cleared from waters, including Toms River, by Saturday in the brief warmth. A few anglers fished saltwater at Oyster Creek, the warm-water discharge at Forked River power plant. A few striped bass and winter flounder, both out-of-season, and speckled trout chomped there. Striper season will be opened Saturday in rivers and bays. The store will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Dennis will open an additional store at the former Go Fish Bait & Tackle on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River this year, probably starting March 14.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Anglers still ice-fished, though Karl from <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown didn’t know whether he’d recommend that, he said. Ice might’ve started to be thin, but 6 inches supposedly covered lakes at Assunkpink Wildlife Management Area. Largemouth bass, chain pickerel and crappies were slid-in there on shiners or small flash or hair jigs. Delaware River became mostly free from ice in the recent warmth. The river ran somewhat high, but if the waters stay ice-free, and the flow calms, walleyes will probably be reeled-in from the Delaware, Karl thinks. The Trenton power plant kept generating warm water into the river, and small striped bass were caught and released there on 4-inch, albino-shad-colored Fin-S Fish. Smallmouth bass were socked there on shiners. Farther north, good trout fishing was stabbed at Pequest River, mostly on flies like sizes 18 or 20 pheasant-tail nymphs or 16 or 18 glow bugs in various colors. 

A few fished Rainbow Lake in the warmer weather around the weekend, according to Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland, Jeff from the shop said. But no results were known, and weather is becoming cold again. A largemouth bass tournament is reportedly scheduled on Parvin Lake this weekend that's usually the first bass tournament of the season each year. But whether ice cleared from the lake was a question, and weather seemed too cold to hold the event. The store is trying to stock minnows, and will carry them as soon the baitfish are available, but minnows failed to pot recently. Nightcrawlers are on hand.  

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