<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Adirondack Mountains</b>

Weather warmed, said Anthony from <b>FISH307.com</b> in Lake George. Yesterday morning was 40 degrees, and rain fell throughout that night. But ponds and small lakes were still ice-fished. Only bays were frozen on Lake George, and customers yesterday morning were headed to fish the ice on Warner Bay. That’s a smaller bay along George. Schroon Lake was open water, except its bays on the northern end began to freeze. What effect the rain would have on any of this would be seen. Anglers hoped the rain would melt sloppy snow and create black ice on some of the lakes. Glen Lake was fished on the ice, and Anthony fished there last week, reeling in a good-sized crappie, two largemouth bass and a couple of dink yellow perch. He mostly hoped to land trout from the lake, and fished rosy reds just under the ice on tip-ups. Someone nailed a 36-inch northern pike from Glen Lake. A 40-some-inch tiger musky came from the ice at Durant Lake. Many ice-anglers headed to Eaton Lake to try for trout and landlocked salmon. A friend yanked in crappies and yellow perch from Brant Lake through the ice on Monday. Anthony also fished Glen Lake last week in colder weather, and people drove four-wheelers along thicker ice on the east side then, but in the middle of the lake, ice was too thin for them to risk driving. Baits stocked include medium shiners, larger pike shiners, and grubs. FISH307.com is both an online store, carrying all the ice-fishing gear, and a brick-and-mortar shop, stocking all the gear and all baits available for the ice.

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

Rain fell at the beginning of the week, boosting the water level at some of the western New York rivers and creeks, said Jay Peck from <b>Jay Peck Guide Service</b>. He fishes those waters, around Rochester, for large trout that migrate from Lake Ontario for winter. The waters have been in a drought, and he hoped the rain would help, but it was too soon to tell. Weather warmed, and Monday was 50 degrees.  Two hours to the east in upstate New York, Salmon River flowed at 335 cubic feet per second, and the river’s number of steelheads, also migrating from the lake for winter, was increasing, and fishing for them was picking up. The upper river held good numbers. Prospects looked good for the angling, and he was supposed fish for the steelheads for some days later this week. Snow was melting, and he hoped that wouldn’t cool the river enough to slow the angling during the trips. Although the change from recent cold back to warmer weather could be annoying to anglers, the warmth could be good for steelheading. If Salmon River rose because of the snow melt, the rising water could trigger more steelheads to migrate in. Stoneflies hooked the steelheads. When water rose, egg flies caught. Many salmon eggs filled the river this fall, so egg flies worked more often currently than last year at this time. Fewer salmon eggs filled the river last year in fall, the season when salmon spawn in the river. 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>

Capt. Dave Vollenweider from <b>Live to Fish Guide Service</b> trolled eight rainbow trout and a lake trout at Round Valley Reservoir on Monday, he wrote in an email. All were hooked on leadcore line, except one was caught while flat-lining. The water was 39 degrees, and the day was rainy, gray and raw, “but the fish didn’t seem to mind,” he said!

A few anglers ice-fished on Budd Lake before the warmth yesterday, said Don from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. But the ice was less than 1 ½ inches thick, and the middle of the lake was open water, and the fishing seemed unsafe. Not much was heard about fishing open water at lakes. Trout stream levels seemed fine, at least where Don lives near Rockaway River, after low water earlier this year. Some customers bought PowerBait, so anglers seemed to trout fish. Still, the store for the moment was stocking no worms, until demand picks up, Don noted. Nothing was heard about fishing in upstate New York on ice or, for steelheads, in rivers and creeks. One customer was from Syracuse, visiting family in the shop’s local area for the holidays. She said lots of snow fell at Syracuse. Most customers geared up for blackfishing in saltwater. That was fairly popular. The shop had good business for the holidays in the fishing department. Most customers bought rods and reels for gifts. A few bought lures.

Some of the lakes to the north, including Lake Tranquility, other lakes in Andover Township and some ponds were ice-fished by a few for a few days, said Keith from <b>Hi-Way Sports Shop</b> in Washington. But weather now warmed, and often anglers could neither ice-fish or cast from shore or boat, because of thin ice around lake edges. The middle of lakes was open water. Customers departed to fish Merrill Creek Reservoir this morning, picking up shiners for bait. Many went trout fishing in yesterday’s warmth at places like Pequest and South Branch of the Raritan rivers. Results were yet to roll in about either fishing. Mike’s Shrimp Salmon Eggs in pink caught trout well recently, and always do.

Four inches of ice had formed off the state park on the lake, Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong wrote in an email. But that became thinner now because of warmth and rain. Perch, crappies, bass and pickerel had been reeled through the ice. The shop’s crew hopes cold weather returns soon, and several anglers fished open water earlier this month on the lake, boating walleyes from deeper water on Rapala ice-fishing jigs. Jack Dziduch jigged a 7-pound 9-ouncer and several 5- to 6-pounders. Marcin Supinski landed walleyes to an 8-pound 14-ouncer, including several from 4 to 6 pounds. Tom Sarnacki tackled the fish to a 7-pounder.

A couple of customers left to fish Passaic River for northern pike, said Cheryl from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Pine Brook. One was going to cast Blue Fox spinners and chatter baits, typical tackle for the angling. The river ran lower than average but not terribly low. The Passaic is one of a few waters stocked with pike in New Jersey. No ice-fishing was heard about. Saltwater anglers fished for blackfish and sea bass, boating the blackfish closer to shore and the sea bass farther out. One customer talked about jigging the sea bass on heavy jigs like Ava’s. Sea bass season will be closed beginning on New Year’s Day.

Anglers in North Jersey had been ice-fishing, said Matt from <b>Harry’s Army Navy</b> in Robbinsville. The ice might’ve become too thin in warmer weather since, but catches of crappies and largemouth bass had been made on the hard water. Some of the lakes in South Jersey gave up largemouths and panfish occasionally, nothing crazy, from open water. For the bass, Matt would probably fish jigs, Rat-L-Traps or jerk baits very slowly. He did no fishing on Delaware River for smallmouth bass recently, and the river’s flow was about average, but could use precipitation to raise the level. If a warming trend happens, the river could be fished for the smallmouths. If the water is 34 or 35 degrees, the bass aren’t really going to bite. Matt was yet to fish for trout in North Jersey this season. But some of the rivers and streams in North Jersey turned out trout fairly well. Many anglers fly-fished for them, using midges. Saltwater anglers pretty much sailed for blackfish and sea bass. Sea bass season will be closed beginning on New Year’s. Surf anglers still picked small striped bass on “small stuff,” he said. Nothing crazy, but a couple could be picked here and there.

Crappies were tugged from local lakes continually, turning on as the water becomes colder, said Bryan from <b>STC Sports</b> in Gibbstown. Either small jigs or minnows are usually fished for them. Trout were lifted from Swedesboro and Greenwich lakes on PowerBait, inline spinners and small crank baits. Nobody really fished for largemouth bass at lakes, and weather wasn’t the greatest for anglers to try in the past week. Yesterday was warmer, and the shop was busy with anglers. Saltwater anglers boated for blackfish, catching including at Reef 11 and Ocean City and Cape May reefs on green crabs. Nobody mentioned striped bass fishing in saltwater recently. Weather wasn’t so conducive for that either.

The shop was closed for the holiday, “and we just thawed out,” Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland said yesterday, a warm day. So, not much news was heard. If anglers fish, chain pickerel and crappies might be the best bet. They bite in cooler water, and minnows are a best bet to hook either. Small jigs can also work well on the crappies. Although largemouth bass can become sluggish in lower water temps, anglers can always coax a few into biting. Maybe try fishing suspending jerk baits or drop shots for them. A few customers fished for blackfish in saltwater, scoring okay.   

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