<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River and Western N.Y. Rivers</b>

Fishing for the big brown trout in Lake Ontario’s tributaries, in upstate, western New York, was fairly demanding, because of low water, said Jay Peck from <b>Jay Peck Guide Service</b>. He fishes for them at the tribs around Rochester, like Oak Orchard River, and rain fell in surrounding locations. But not much rain fell around Rochester. The browns slowly trickled up the Oak Orchard, and stopped migrating to the creeks with less water. Rain raised the Oak a little, and the creeks a touch. But Jay’s trips just worked harder for the catches, and did bank the trout, including a monster, a 17-pound male, on Sunday, and a 14-pound hen on Tuesday. Most of the trout weighed 6 to 8 pounds, and they grow huge because they summer in Lake Ontario. They migrate to the rivers and creeks in fall to spawn, and spend winter and early spring there, because forage is more abundant than in the lake during those colder seasons. Jay’s trips mostly fished egg flies for the trout, in small sizes or 10s and 12s, because of low water. The Oak was 46 degrees, and the creeks were about the same, but fluctuated 4 or 6 degrees. The temps were normal for the time of year. Air temperatures were in the 50s the last few days, and days this season have been fluctuating between warmer and colder. This weekend is supposed to be colder. Farther east, around the Salmon River, rain fell somewhat more abundantly. That raised the river to 600 cubic feet per second a moment. The river was back down to 350 early in the week, but was supposed to be raised to 750 Monday night. That would change everything about the Salmon’s steelhead fishing, Jay expected. That would likely cause a fresh run of steelheads to migrate to the river from the lake, and would probably flush lots of salmon eggs into the moving water. Jay expected egg-fly fishing to take off for 24 to 48 hours for the steelheads. Spawning of salmon, the source of the eggs, was practically finished in the river for the season, and fishing for the steelheads, before the water was raised, had begun to produce on streamers, stoneflies and nymphs more than egg flies. But steelheads would probably go on a serious egg bite in the higher water, because of the flushed eggs. The reservoir that feeds the river was filled to a good level, was in good shape. Rains in the past week raised the North Branch of the Salmon River that feeds the reservoir. Water needed to be released from the reservoir, as a result. Previously, steelheads slowly trickled into the lower-stretches of the river from the lake. Lots of the fish swam the upper river, but were wary there, because they had spent time in the river and saw lots of anglers. Light leaders and small flies needed to be fished, and anglers needed to be on their game. But when they fished like that, they caught. Also before the river was raised, anglers needed to cover lots of water to hook steelheads. An angler who stayed at one pool would have slow fishing. Before the flow was increased, Jay’s trips fished small egg flies or sizes 8 and 10 on the upper river, and cast streamers, like 2-1/2- to 3-inch Intruders, on the lower. Spawning takes place mostly in the upper river, so egg flies are effective there, until the eggs dissipate. Salmon migrate to the river from the lake in fall to spawn, and die in the river afterward. Most died by now. Steelheads migrate to the river afterward in fall, spend winter in the river, spawn there in spring, and return to the lake for summer. They don’t die after spawning. Steelhead fishing lasts all winter on the river, and can be world-class. Jay will fish for the brown trout until the western New York rivers and creeks freeze. He’ll fish for steelheads then, too, and will target the steelheads throughout winter and the beginning of spring. Salmon River is a larger river that never completely freezes, so the steelheading lasts throughout winter and into spring. Jay specializes in fly-fishing and catch-and-release, and books trips that fish with conventional tackle with his other guides.  

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

A trip with anglers aboard last Wednesday whacked 10 hybrid striped bass, including several 8- to 10-pounders, on Lake Hopatcong, said Capt. Dave Vollenweider from <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b>. The fish were hooked on chicken livers fished just off bottom in 25 feet of water. One almost spooled a reel, and another pulled the line all around the boat, tangling in the other lines, and took care to land. These were big fish, and hybrids are tough fighters. Twenty large white perch were mixed in. The day was cool, and few boats fished the lake, unlike more might on a weekend. A previous hybrid trip aboard, also on a weekday, but in warm weather, only landed one hybrid. Two trips before that landed18 and 38, respectively, on cooler days aboard. Maybe the lower temperature was a reason for the better trips, but that was difficult to say. The hybrids needed to be found. This current trip caught nothing in the first 4 hours. Then the boat was anchored at structure elsewhere, and the bite lit up. Hopatcong is large, and if nothing bites in 25 or 30 minutes, anglers should move. Dave did something to attract the fish that he didn’t want to reveal. His trips fished with 6-pound test on 7-foot crappie rods. Anglers often fish heavier gear for the hybrids, but the lighter tackle’s a blast. The lake was 54 to 55 degrees, the same as in some time. Dave will keep fishing for the hybrids, and whether boat launches will remain open for the season might be the only issue. The launch he used currently is supposed to be closed at the end of the month, for instance. Dave fished solo for muskies on Monksville Reservoir on Sunday, but none bit. Fishing for them isn’t easy, but friends have tackled some very large muskies at Monksville around Thanksgiving, and Dave caught his biggest there. He’ll keep fishing for muskies, until cold weather becomes severe. 

Trout banked from Musconetcong River were heard about, said Brian from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. Most were reported nipped on Trout Magnets, and not a lot of customers headed out for trout, but some did, landing the fish. Trout streams levels weren’t bad, the last he heard. The streams probably remained low, but not as low as earlier in the season. Rain began to fall at times, after dry weather previously. Fly anglers fishing for trout bought patterns including eggs, Prince nymphs, hares ear nymphs and blue-winged olives, all small. Walleyes were jigged at Lake Hopatcong on blade baits. Customers most often geared up for steelhead fishing in upstate New York and saltwater fishing. In saltwater, striped bass in Raritan Bay seemed small now, after big were caught there previously. Big stripers seemed to get walloped farther south currently, like from Belmar to farther down. The migration seemed to swim south this past week.

A customer last week wormed carp on Passaic River, said Cheryl from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Pine Brook. Nobody talked about northern pike fishing on the river recently, but the pike could definitely be fought from the river. The water was warm. The river was low, but not drastically, like a month ago. Customers who surf-fished in saltwater beached throwback striped bass at Sandy Hook this week. They cracked good-sized keepers last week. “They come and go,” she said.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Customers fished for the fall crappie bite at Farrington Lake and a couple of small lakes, said Braden from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. They tangled with a mix of the trio crappies, yellow perch and sunfish, and lots of small largemouth bass mixed in. Little was heard about trout fishing on streams, and maybe Braden just didn’t speak with customers who angled for them. But trouters caught on small, non-weighed or non-bead-headed nymphs in sizes 16 to 20. One angler bought size-22 hooks to tie flies. Trout bit small patterns. Brown and rainbow trout cruised Round Valley Reservoir’s shoreline, swiping M&M combos, marshmallows and meal worms, off bottom. A couple of customers boated hybrid striped bass at Lake Hopatcong on chicken livers.

From <b>Barracuda’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Riverside, customers mostly targeted trout, mostly at Crystal Lake, but also at Sylvan Lake, and the angling was good, Dom said. The lakes were included in the fall trout stocking, and yellow PowerBait caught best. The bait wasn’t so popular the past couple of years, and is sort of an old classic. But that’s what caught this season, and yellow seemed key. One angler beat the fish on yellow Trout Magnets. A few throwback striped bass were played on Delaware River. Somewhat of a fall run, not much, developed, and the fish were bunker-chunked or clammed. Fall striper fishing used to be better on the river in past years, and was slower in recent falls. A few of the fish bit currently. The Delaware’s flow was about average, and the water was a little warmer than usual, because of the mild autumn. Fishing for largemouth bass and crappies wasn’t heard about often anymore this season. Most customers fished for the trout and stripers.

Largemouth bass anglers had so-so fishing at lakes, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Good reports came from Mary Elmer Lake and Wilson Lake. Union Lake’s largemouthing was okay. Largemouth anglers fished with jigs. Spinner baits still clocked the fish somewhat. Crank baits sold alright for the fishing. Crappies seemed to bite alright at Union, and minnows were often sold for them. Chain pickerel fishing was great at different lakes. Pickerel bite well in all different temperatures, including colder water. While fishing slows for some species as waters chill, pickerel fishing can remain good. Nothing solid was heard about trout fishing in a week or so. Trout were the news after the fall trout stocking last month. In saltwater, not much was popping with striped bass yet this season locally. But fishing for the southern migration of stripers was fully on farther north in the state.

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