<b>North Jersey</b>

Trout streams probably ran somewhat low, and the water temperature probably failed to drop, said Brian from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. Trout anglers usually avoid fishing the streams if the water climbs above 68 degrees, because fighting a trout in the warmth will kill the fish. But tricos probably came off in early mornings, especially on the Big Flatbrook, but also Musconetcong River and some others. Isonychias, especially brown drakes, probably hatched in evenings, though that hatch was probably winding down for the season, if it hadn’t ended. Light Cahills could hatch in evenings. So could the bug that anglers call “the white fly” that sizes 8 and 10 Light Cahills can imitate. Brian forgot the name, but most anglers probably think the white fly is a large Light Cahill, though it’s not. Boaters jigged rainbow trout deep in Round Valley and Spruce Run reservoirs. One customer talked about catching the fish, and Brian didn’t remember what on, but wanted to say a Cleo. Hybrid striped bass were hooked from Lake Hopatcong on chicken livers in evenings. Largemouth bass jumped on Senko rubber worms and Keitech soft-plastic baits in lakes. The bass began to hit rubber frogs and other top-water lures like Jitterbugs and poppers in mornings and evenings. Nothing was heard about smallmouth bass from Delaware River, but the smallmouths were probably active. Crawfish imitations are fished for them.

Passaic River fished well for northern pike, yellow perch and occasional crappies, said Joe from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Pine Brook. The water level wasn’t bad or wasn’t especially low, like rivers can become in summer, and rain replenished the Passaic recently. The water was somewhat off-color, because of the rain. Largemouth bass fishing was good on Lake Hopatcong  on soft-plastic lures in weeds. Drop-shotting worked. Hybrid striped bass were cracked at Hopatcong on livelined herring. From saltwater, fluke fishing sounded fairly good.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Spruce Run Reservoir put up hybrid striped bass, good catches, said Braden from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. The hybrids were hooked at dawn, dusk or in the dark, but also during daytime.  During daytime, the fish grabbed slowly-trolled herring or drifted chicken livers. Catfish also bit the livers. Passaic River’s northern pike fishing was good on spinner baits and F18 Rapalas. Largemouth bass were active in local ponds. Good largemouthing was reported from Manasquan Reservoir. At Lake Hopatcong, largemouths were buried in weeds. Anglers walking Delaware and Raritan Canal, along the tow path, clocked 2- and 3-pound largemouths, casting to every weed patch. Good catches of chain pickerel were in the mix.  Not much was heard about trout, and anglers mostly stopped fishing for trout until water cools, because fighting the fish can kill them in the heat. Smallmouth bass were socked on the South Branch of the Raritan River at Three Bridges. The fishing was more about numbers than size, and the bass were often beaten on top-waters, like ultra-light Rapalas or small Jitterbugs, because of slime in the water. But they were also whacked on the unusual Mister Twisters in black at rocky areas.

Kids played bluegills at Ocean County College Pond on worms, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River.  Worms kept being bought for that at <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River that Murphy’s, on Route 37 in the town, also owns. Only two or three parking spaces remain at the pond, after construction in the recent past, though more parking was available previously. Hybrid striped bass were nailed at Manasquan Reservoir on livelined shiners and drifted chicken livers. Shiners are no longer stocked at Murph’s, until probably September, because of demand. Catching the hybrids on the livers has worked the past couple of years. The livers could be fished with No. 2 split shot and size-4 hooks. A few catfish were lifted from the lake at Pinelake Park in Manchester below the falls. Anglers lost tackle in a chain-link fence in the water there, but made the catches, when they could avoid that. Killies, nightcrawlers and a few garden worms are stocked at Murphy’s. Dennis wasn’t asked about baits stocked at Go Fish.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Lots of smallmouth bass were cranked from Delaware River at Lambertville, New Hope and Scudders Falls, said Karl from <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. The river no longer ran high and muddy, and the smallmouths smashed 3-inch white or pumpkinseed twister tails on jigheads. Many catfish got yanked from the river, just about anywhere. Good baits for them included chicken livers and nightcrawlers. Largemouth bass were rubber-frogged at Assunpink Lake in the cove in the back in the pads.

Just a couple of customers stopped by Wednesday morning, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers Bait & Tackle</b> in Blackwood. They’d been catching chain pickerel at Atsion Lake on minnows. Small largemouth bass attacked minnows at Puppyland Lake. Largemouths at lakes also punched top-water lures like rubber frogs and rubber worms like Senkos.

Freshwater news was slow in the heat, but Salem Canal’s largemouth bass fishing was reported, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. That was one of the only places heard about, and the bass fishing held steady there. Jigs, Senkos and other small rubber worms, like 4 inches, were often fished there. A few anglers made off with largemouths from Delaware and Maurice rivers on spinner baits and shallow-running, square-billed crank baits. Moving water like that seemed to produce, and lakes were hot. Panfishing, like for bluegills, was just fine at lakes. Anglers drowned worms and caught the fish. White perch fishing was great on brackish rivers and creeks. In saltwater, summer flounder fishing was decent on the ocean. That angling was definitely improving. Not many flounder seemed bagged from Delaware Bay.

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