<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Adirondacks</b>

Lake trout cruised all over the lake, like usual, said Anthony from <b>FISH307.com</b> in the village of Lake George. Yellow perch bit well in the lake. The lakers swam shallower than before. They were even hooked right underneath the ice, and he caught some there. The lakers hit Swedish pimples or tube lures, but also loved perch jigs. At one place, his trip intended to fish for perch, but lakers began swiping the jigs, before perch did. Not a lot of anglers fished the ice. No customers arrived yet at 7:30 a.m. today, when he gave this report in a phone call. Anthony wasn’t on the ice in past days, but guessed the ice was becoming very wet, and very thin along the edges. But four-wheelers were driven onto the ice during the weekend, he thought. Daytimes reached 40 degrees or the mid-40s, and this morning was 20 degrees. Shiners, cut baits and hunts are stocked. No suckers were carried, and suckers became difficult to obtain everywhere, he thought. No more will probably be stocked this season.

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

Salmon River ran low, clear and cold, and weather warmed, melting snow, but not enough to raise the river yet, said Capt. Rick Miick from <b>Dreamcatcher Guide Service</b>. Snow fell when he gave this report at mid-day Tuesday in a phone call. But he began to frequently fish the river for steelheads. He had off today and yesterday, but booked trips for the fishing the next four days. Trips hooked four to eight steelheads apiece, and the number landed varied. One angler hooked six, landing none. Plenty of steelheads, 20 per hole, filled the river. They were “picky” in the clear, cold water, and seemed to turn on an hour, and turn off, until biting again. Very small egg sacks, not golf-ball sized like usual, caught the fish. A few grabbed Berkley PowerBait Worms in pink and a couple of other colors. But the steelheads bit the worms most aggressively. Not many bit trout beads at all, and Rick was surprised about that. He’s finished ice-fishing for the season, and a few anglers struggled to ice fish. Plenty of ice covered Oneida Lake, but unless a four-wheeler was used to drive onto the ice, escaping the wet on top, trudging onto the ice was difficult. Most ice-anglers called it a season. Rick begins concentrating on steelheads now.

Ice mostly melted off rivers that Jay Peck from <b>Jay Peck Guide Service</b> fishes in western New York, he said. He fishes the rivers, located around Rochester, for large brown trout from Lake Ontario, and fly-rodded three of the fish on Oak River on Monday. The trout swim the rivers and creeks in fall to spring, spending summer in the lake. They grow large because of the time spent in the lake. Abundant forage attracts them to the rivers and creeks in fall to spring. Jay equally fishes Salmon River, farther east in New York, for steelheads, and more about that angling in a moment. First, the trout rivers and creeks in western New York had been frozen, impossible to fish, until now, this season. Some were still frozen, but should melt soon. The Oak, when Jay fished it, had not only cleared of ice, but had risen to a medium flow, because of snow melt. That was higher than since summer, and all of this water flow is typical of the seasons. Flows run low in winter, because precipitation is snow, not rain that would raise the levels. As snow melts in spring, rivers and creeks rise. The Oak was a little off-color, but that failed to affect the angling. But the river was cold, “liquid ice,” Jay said, because of snow melt. He’s fishing for the trout with egg flies and white Zonker flies, and the trout bit, but softly. Rivers and creeks will be cold until snow is finished melting. At this time of year, conditions will continually change on rivers and streams, because of the changing season that can include cold, warmth, rain and snow or ice. Jay could report conditions on a river like the Oak on one day, and conditions, like the flow or water temperature, could change on the next. Snow 1 ½ feet deep blanketed the ground along the rivers and creeks in western New York. That was down from 4 feet previously. Days reached 40 degrees in the past week, and Monday was 50. Rain was supposed to fall that night, and weather was supposed to become cooler in the days afterward, in that area. Salmon River flowed at 335 cubic feet per second, the last time Jay checked. So it remained low, but Jay expected the river to rise, probably to about 750, soon. Plenty of steelheads swam the upper river, and Jay began to hear confirmed reports about the fish showing up at mid-river. The upper river remains clear of ice in winter, because of fast water from the reservoir dam. The lower river had been choked with ice this winter, preventing fresh steelheads from entering the river from Lake Ontario. The lower river became clear of ice now, and the fresh fish should shoot up. Stoneflies are filling the Salmon, and Jay’s trips are catching the steelheads on them. He specializes in fly-fishing and catch-and-release, and his other guides fish with conventional tackle. The season is changing, and that’s good. Spring is a great season for all of this angling, before all of these fish return to Lake Ontario for summer. Watch a video of Salmon River “waking up,” including shots of the stoneflies.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Snow began to melt, said Capt. Dave Vollenweider from <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b> from Montvale. Lots of snow covered his property this winter, but began to recede. He had hoped to fish for trout on streams this winter, and during some years does, late in the season. But trout fishing became prohibited starting Monday in stocked waters, and the rivers were frozen until recent days, during this cold winter. The streams looked good for fishing recently, he heard. The waters were closed for stocking, like every year, and will be opened starting April 4, opening day of trout season. The fishing is still allowed on some waters, and check regulations. Only rainbow trout, not brooks or browns, will be stocked this spring, because of the virus at the hatchery this past year. But, reportedly, nearly 600,000 rainbows will be stocked, and the fish will weigh up to 7 pounds. Dave usually kicks off his guided trips each year with plugging for trout on streams, once the season is opened. He prefers the lures, often Rapala Countdowns in size CD3, because they’re fun, effective and attract large trout. Spring is the best time to fish the lures, because of higher water. That prevents the plugs from snagging on debris like logs. Lakes were still frozen, and Dave’s friend, a tournament largemouth bass angler, wondered whether lakes would be clear when the friend’s first tournament is slated, on one of the first days of April. Dave looks forward to crappie fishing on lakes in the early season. As soon as lakes hit 50 degrees, crappies go wild. Muskies are also one of his specialties, and muskies could be fished for early in the year. But Dave is usually so busy with trout and crappies then. Late May and June, after muskies spawn, is a favorite time to fish for muskies, for him. Dave also fishes for walleyes on unique trips at night on lakes starting in June. The trips pitch lures to walleyes that swim lake shallows at night that time of year, foraging on herring. Walleyes, large, delicious fish, smash the lures along the water surface. Dave will give a talk for the Anglers/Hunters Association at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 16, at Russian Hall at 4 Woodhull Avenue in Little Falls. He was unsure yet what he’d talk about, but probably muskie fishing or fishing structure. Catch Dave at a table for his Live to Fish Guide Service at the Pequest Trout Hatcher Open House and Sportsmen’s Flea Market on the weekend of March 28 and 29. Stop by to talk, and he’ll probably bring photos and other materials, like maybe maps.

Ice remained on lakes, and 20 inches might cover the middle at some, but edges were becoming soft, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. Ice-fishing was probably becoming “precarious,” and not a lot was talked about the angling. Some fished Budd Lake on the ice this weekend. Ice on rivers just began to break up. Fishing was kind of in between seasons. But yellow perch fishing should take off, as soon as lakes open. Perch become aggressive this time of year, feeding before spawning. A friend’s son last week landed a bunch of perch from the ice, and the fish looked ready to spawn. They might be spawning when lakes open up, but the angling should be good. Blade baits fished slowly will hook them. So will small jigs and Husky Jerk lures.

A handful of ice-anglers still fished the lake, Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong wrote in an email. Ice 12 to 14 inches remained, but some ice began to open along the shorelines. A mixed bag of fish were landed, and most seemed to be hooked off Woodport. Justin McCarthy tackled a 4-pound 1-ounc chain pickerel. Max Hughen came up with a 2-pound 6-ounce largemouth bass.

Reports about crappies and yellow perch caught rolled in from the ice on Lake Hopatcong off Woodport, said Nick from from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. One angler said as much as 20 inches of ice could be found. But some lakes, like small lakes in towns, thawed. Still, Budd Lake gave up perch and crappies from the ice. The bait supplier said Musconetcong Lake turned out perch and bass from the ice. Crappies and perch chewed from the ice on Greenwood Lake. Another angler reported perch he was catching at one of the creeks, either North Creek or Belcher’s Creek, Nick was unsure, at Greenwood, in open water. The angler said the perch are up in the creek. Nothing was heard about ice-fishing on Delaware River for catfish and walleyes anymore. Nick doubted that ice remained fishable. Ice cleared from Passaic River, near the shop. Nick imagined anglers will begin fishing for northern pike there in the next week or two. Catch deals at Meltzer’s booth at the Saltwater Fishing Expo from Friday to Sunday in Somerset at the Garden State Exhibit Center. Nick’s largemouth bass fishing club is looking for new members, and email him if interested, at Daiwa710@aol.com.

Passaic River flowed high, practically into the parking lot, said Cheryl from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Pine Brook. Nobody will probably fish it, until the level drops. Not much fishing happened during this transition in seasons. But customers had the “itch” to fish. A couple of weeks will probably pass before many do. Lake Hopatcong held ice, but that probably began to break up, she thought.  Saltwater anglers waited for the ocean to warm a few degrees. The water probably wasn’t quite 40 degrees. Water 39 ½ degrees was reported from Raritan Bay.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Customers continued to buy ice-fishing supplies, but not many reports talked about the angling, said Ron from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Nobody mentioned trout fishing yet, and the angling was closed on many waters for spring stocking starting Monday. Those waters will be opened back up starting April 4, opening day of trout season. Take advantage of the store’s <a href=" http://efingersports.com/media/PDF/fishing-festival-2015.pdf" target="_blank">Fishing Festival Sale</a> through Sunday. Discounts include: 20 percent off soft-plastic lures, including Gulp, salmon eggs, fly boxes and tackle boxes and bags; 25 percent off in-stock Tsunami and Fenwick rods; up to 50 percent off PowerPro line, for 7 cents per yard, for empty spools only; 2 cents per yard for Berkley XL line 2 to 17 pounds and Berkley Big Game line 20 to 40 pounds, for empty spools only, limited to six per customer; 25 percent off rod-and-reel combos; sales on select surf plugs and gear; and sales on select reels from Penn, Daiwa, Abu Garcia, Ross and Lamson. The sales will also be effective at Efinger’s exhibit at the Saltwater Fishing Expo from Friday to Sunday in Somerset at the Garden State Exhibit Center.

At <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River, anglers bought shiners to fish for chain pickerel at Trilco on the Toms River, Dennis said, but no results were heard. 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. The river there is known for pickerel. Customers had been ice-fishing, but that pretty much was wrapped up. Some ice remained on ponds. Murphy’s is open daily for the  fishing season, and shiners are stocked. Dennis hopes to stock killies this weekend, but wasn’t sure if that would be possible. The minnows don’t pot well in the cold. Murphy’s also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River. Go Fish was opened this weekend, for the first time this year, from Thursday through Sunday. That will probably be the schedule another week or two, before Go Fish is opened daily for the season.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Lakes began to thaw, said Karl from <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Assunpink, Stone Tavern and Rising Sun lakes, in the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area, held slush on top. Farther south, Pemberton Lake was open water, giving up crappies, on shiners or small, 1-inch twister tails, in pink or white, on jigheads, under a float. Some of the ponds in the Pine Barrens were open, serving up chain pickerel, on small Rapala lures. Delaware River became open, but ran high and dirty.

Lakes iced out, at least, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Anglers began to catch a little. They hooked chain pickerel at lakes. They also landed a few largemouth bass on lakes, and the largemouthing was a little slow, in cold water. But the bucketmouths seemed to be “waking up.” Sounded like anglers mostly tried for the bass with jerk baits. White perch fishing was pretty decent on brackish rivers, like the Maurice and Cohansey, and tidal creeks, or any of the Delaware Bay tributaries. Bloodworms worked well on the perch, and are stocked. Minnows are stocked, “finally,” he said. A few anglers began to search for resident striped bass, or juvenile stripers, yet to migrate, in Delaware River. Some were caught that were heard about. “Nothing tremendous yet,” he said. Large, migrating stripers will arrive in the river in spring to spawn. That angling is impending.

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