<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Adirondacks</b>

Ice-fishing conditions were great, but a storm is forecast to dump 8 to 20 inches of snow from today until 11 a.m. tomorrow, said Jeff from <b>FISH307.com</b> in Lake George. Daytime temperatures reached the mid-30 degrees to low 40s lately, and 2 feet of ice covered lakes almost everywhere in the Adirondacks. On Lake George, bigger perch were hooked through the ice than before, because the perch began to spawn, feeding better than previously. George’s lake trout fishing was terrific on the ice, and the seasons will be closed for walleye and northern pike fishing starting Monday. All ice-fishing baits, a large supply, are stocked. The store is starting to be transitioned for spring fishing. The shop’s staff would like anglers to square away any parts or repairs needed for downriggers and trolling motors, before that business becomes busier. The store is fully staffed with three techs for that.

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river ran low, probably at 285 CFS like before, but its steelhead fishing was pretty good, said Mike from <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. The upper river was mostly fished, because of deeper water. Flies were often fished, but sometimes egg sacks were. The steelheading is coming into the prime season on the river. The fish winter in the river, and are caught there that entire season, though cold, snow and ice can hamper the fishing at the height of the cold months. April and part of May can offer some of the best angling for them. The fish spawn in the river in spring, and return to Lake Ontario for summer, usually by June. They return to the river in fall. Lakes held plenty of ice, and catches from the ice were slowing down, like usual late in the season for the angling.

<b>NORTH JERSEY</b>

Fourteen-inch ice could still be found at places like Lake Hopatcong, said Brian from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. Ice anglers at Hopatcong hung perch, crappies and pickerel, and the conditions and fishing seemed similar at most lakes in the area. Anglers seemed to start to “itch” to fish streams for trout, but nothing was really heard about the angling yet. Bugs like early black stoneflies and blue-winged olives might not be so abundant on streams so far. But they might hatch late in the day in weather like on Tuesday this week, when the temperature probably reached 60 degrees.

One customer fished Musconetcong River on Saturday, nailing an 18-inch rainbow trout and three 16-inchers, a good catch, on zebra midges, said Darrel from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. The angler said the water was 40 degrees and a perfect level. The level was surprising, because higher, dirtier water was expected, because of melting snow and ice from warmer weather. The customer saw only two other anglers working the river. Another customer fished South Branch of Raritan River in the Ken Lockwood Gorge area, banking one sizeable rainbow. Darrel checked the South Branch’s gauge online Tuesday morning, and the water ran high at 163 CFS, so was probably off-color. But at least the gauge worked, after it was frozen about a month. A couple of customers headed to ice fish early this week on lakes, and fishable ice might’ve remained farther north in the state. But much ice probably melted closer to the store. This was a sort of in-between time for ice anglers. Catch the <b><i>Fishing Festival Sale</i></b> that’s under way through Sunday.  Abundant discounts include 25 percent off all rods for every type of fishing, including fly-fishing, surf-fishing, trolling, casting and jigging, unless the rods were previously marked down; 25 percent off all rod-and-reel combos; 20 percent off lures and soft-plastic baits; 20 percent off salmon eggs and fly lines; up to 50 percent off spooled Power Pro at $.07 per yard and 2- to 17-pound Berkley Trilene XL and 20- to 40-pound Berkley Big Game at $.02 per yard; and more.

A few chain pickerel and white and yellow perch were plucked from Toms River at Trilco, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. The picks were taken on killies, and the perch were mostly grabbed on worms along bottom. 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 was about all that was heard about freshwater. Nobody mentioned trout fishing. A few throwback striped bass were caught and released from saltwater at Oyster Creek, the warm-water discharge from Forked River power plant. Even the creek was cold after this cold winter. Business was okay during the weekend at the store, and anglers started to stir around in the warmer weather. Garden worms and killies are stocked, and shiners will probably be carried starting Saturday for the season. Bloodworms and fresh clams are on hand. Dennis will open an additional store at the former Go Fish Bait & Tackle on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River, probably starting today through Sunday. That will continue to be the store’s name.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Anglers still ice-fished locally during the weekend, though Karl from <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown wouldn’t recommend that the ice was safe, he said. One angler talked about 5 to 6 inches of ice on a local pond during the weekend. But there was also open water by then, and chain pickerel were fought in the Pine Barrens at open water on ponds and streams. Shiners will catch them well, and so will small Kastmasters and Little Cleos. A few walleyes were heard about that were whacked from Delaware River at the Lambertville wing dam on 3-inch, black twister tails on jigheads, just heavy enough to bounce bottom. The weight varied day to day, depending on the river’s flow. The Trenton power plant sometimes discharged warm water into the river, and sometimes didn’t. When it did, smallmouth bass were sometimes hooked there on shiners and Savage Gear crawfish. Trout were nabbed at Pequest River’s Trout Conservation Area on Yozuri Pins Minnows and Snap Beans or sizes 18 to 20 pheasant-tail nymphs and midges.

Lakes began to thaw well, and anglers started to fish during the weekend, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. But not a lot of catching was heard about. Fish will be sluggish in the cold water, and fishing minnows, if minnows can be found, and nightcrawlers will be best for catching. No minnows are stocked, but the shop is working on that, and nightcrawlers are on hand. Artificials were also fished, and lots of suspending jerk baits were sold. Jigs were sometimes bought. Anglers started to pick up Rat-L-Traps, and those will start to move more frequently. From saltwater, nothing was reported about striped bass yet.

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