<b>NEW YORK</b>

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

Salmon River’s steelhead fishing was slowly but steadily improving, said Jay Peck from <b>Jay Peck Guide Service</b>. He concentrated on fishing for huge trout farther west in upstate New York. But his guides reported somewhat better steelheading on the Salmon than before. Early in the week, the river ran at 335 cubic feet per second and 540 or 550 farther downstream at Pineville, because of runoff. Rain and a warm spell were forecast for mid-week, and that would likely raise the river and also chill the water, because snow in the area would melt and run into the Salmon.  The colder water could stall catches a moment, until the conditions subside and the fish acclimate. Trips fished the upper Salmon with nymphs including stoneflies and sometimes egg flies, and the lower river with streamers. Fewer steelheads swam the lower river, so the streamers allowed trips to cover more water, swinging the flies quartered across the flow. More steelheads held in the upper river, but they were “crabbier.” The nymphs – bug imitations – could help make them bite. Farther west, at creeks and rivers around Rochester, Jay’s trout fishing continued to be affected by low water. That area typically gets less precipitation than Salmon River does, because Salmon River gets lake-effect rain and snow from Lake Ontario. Jay hoped rain forecast for mid-week would raise the western New York creeks and streams. The area could use a flood. The trout are usually browns, but rainbow trout were actually more common in the past week. Jay focuses on the trout this time of year because the fish are in, and those waters usually freeze in winter, preventing the angling then. He takes advantage while he can, and steelhead fishes on the Salmon afterward, throughout winter, because the Salmon is a larger river that never completely freezes. No waters froze yet this season at either location. The trout are huge, the reason anglers fish for them. They grow large because they summer in the lake, migrating to creeks and rivers in fall to early spring, because forage is more abundant there that season. The trouting was challenging in the low and therefore clear water. Trips needed to cover lots of water to connect. A trip Monday with Jay banked three of the trophies: two browns and a rainbow. His trips banked a couple of Atlantic salmon in the western New York waters on Friday and Sunday, a surprise bonus. His trips fished mostly egg flies for the trout, but the fish began to hit streamers. Light tippets were used. 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>

The weekend could be a time to get after trout, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. Rain Tuesday and Wednesday could raise trout streams, after the streams were very low, and the fish could be acclimated for the weekend. The higher water might not last, but the weekend could be a time for the angling. Worms and salmon eggs should catch. So should small spoons like sizes 0 or 00 and spinners. For fly anglers, midges, San Juan worms and egg flies should work.  Anglers began to jig for landlocked salmon at Lake Aeroflex and Tilcon Lake with blade baits and spoons. No results were heard, but the salmon are usually hooked this time of year, before the cold of winter. Few seemed to fish for largemouth bass at lakes anymore this year. Nobody mentioned trying for them. Nothing was heard about Delaware River. Last week’s report from Kevin said walleyes were angled from the river at the Delaware Water Gap.

A few walleyes were jigged from the lake during the weekend, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Not a lot of anglers were around, but a few hooked walleyes in deeper water off points, mostly on Rapala ice-fishing jigs. Marcin Supinski weighed-in an 8.15-pounder, and Jack Dziduch stopped by with a 7.9-pounder. Walleyes were also boated a couple of days last week. They bit then stopped biting for no apparent reason. Not many other catches were heard about. Yellow perch were nabbed in shallow water. Rental boats are still in the water, the store will be open maybe another week, depending on weather, before being closed for a seasonal break. The doors are reopened for ice-fishing.

Not a lot was heard about fishing, including because of the rainstorm yesterday and today, said Joe from  <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Pine Brook. A few anglers always buy supplies to fish Passaic River. They landed yellow perch and white perch. Some will surely try for northern pike that the river’s known for. The rain would probably raise the river, previously running somewhat low. From saltwater, customers reported terrible surf-fishing Monday.

Some of the water was drained from Lake Carasaljo, said Virginia from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Customers bought worms to fish the lake, saying they caught well. The lower water seemed to corral the fish, improving catches. Spring Lake was included in the New Jersey’s winter trout stocking last week, and some good-sized were reported angled from there. Chain pickerel and yellow perch were fought from both the upper and lower lakes at Lake Riviera. Yellow perch were also plucked from Ocean County College pond, and catfish were hung there in evenings, mostly on nightcrawlers fished along bottom with split shots. Murphy’s, located on Route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

The last couple of times Matt from <b>Harry’s Army Navy</b> in Robbinsville fished Delaware River, he’d maybe land one or two smallmouth bass, he said. If the river doesn’t freeze, the smallmouths can be hooked all winter. So can walleyes from the river. But currently, the Delaware ran low, and fishing there didn’t seem worthwhile. Anglers he spoke with reported similar results. Largemouth bass should still bite in lakes. Anglers just need to fish slowly for them in the chilled water, like with a jig or a blade bait. Fishing for crappies was probably good at lakes. They’re active in lower water temperatures. Matt mostly fished the striped bass migration in saltwater. Striper fishing was good for boaters and surf anglers pretty much from Point Pleasant Beach to Long Beach Island. On a trip he joined Monday, 24- to 28-inch stripers were boated mostly on cast rubber shads and popping plugs, a couple on the troll. A few bigger, maybe up to 20 or 25 pounds, were known to be around lately.

A customer reeled up five largemouth bass yesterday, said Brian from <b>STC Sports</b> in Gibbstown in a phone call. Then he put the angler on the phone, and the angler said he headed out early that morning to a deep hole at Mantua Creek. First, he fished a Rat-L-Trap, thinking the bass might hit on a reaction strike on the rainy, windy day. But none bit, and he began fishing a square-billed, 6-inch crank bait, worked painfully slow, he said, along bottom. The fish, up to 3 pounds, all smacked that lure, and seemed to be lying right along bottom. He noticed that one was very cold to the touch and had mud on the belly. All the bass looked fat and healthy. Striped bass fishing seemed to slow on Delaware River that produced lots of small in recent weeks for shore anglers. No reports rolled in about them, and that seemed to mean the angling tapered off. Nobody reported trout fishing, but maybe just nobody tried for the trout. Brian boated for tog or blackfish on the ocean out of Absecon Inlet. The four anglers on the trip limited out on the fish in 70-foot depths. The fish preferred green crabs, though the anglers fished both green and white crabs.

Largemouth bass fishing was good, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Great reports about the angling came from Parvin Lake, Davis Mill Pond and Mary Elmer Lake. Jerk baits caught well. Jigs hooked the fish, and Rat-L-Traps clocked them fairly well. Union Lake gave up great smallmouth bass fishing. A few customers chased trout, including at South Vineland Park Pond. The pond and Shaw’s Mill Pond were the county’s, Cumberland County’s, waters included in New Jersey’s winter trout stocking last week. But Iona Lake and Maurice River were included in the state’s fall stocking in October. A few good reports were still heard about trout catches at Iona, and the Maurice is always a good bet for finding trout now. Iona is in Gloucester County, and the Maurice is in Cumberland. From saltwater, a few striped bass catches finally began to be reported from South Jersey, mostly from boats on the ocean. Anglers hoped that was the beginning of the migration arriving. Blackfishing sounded okay, mostly from boats on the ocean, not so much from along surf jetties anymore. The tautog depart the jetties for deeper water as the ocean cools for the season.

Back to Top