<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

No great reports rolled in about Delaware River’s striped bass fishing anymore this season, Bill Brinkman from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia wrote in a report on the shop’s website. Most anglers who fished the river locally reported catching several small catfish and some small stripers in a trip. Most of the stripers were hooked on bloodworms. “Way down river,” Bill wrote, an angler clammed a 33-inch striper and a 29-incher. The angler also landed four smaller stripers and 22 catfish 2 to 6 pounds on the trip. An angler fishing the river near the Navy yard bloodwormed 11 small stripers and a bunch of white perch on an outing. Rain sometimes affected the upper river. But when the water wasn’t high or dirty, stripers were angled on the upper from Trenton to Delaware Water Gap. Sometimes the fish were big. One angler said striper fishing picked up at the Gap last week. Catches on the upper river also included walleyes and smallmouth bass. A drift-boater socked 25 smallmouths, four walleyes and a bunch of small stripers on the river from Upper Black Eddy to Bull’s Island on a trip. Another angler fought five shad in an evening “way up river,” Bill said.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Customers trout-fished at Ken Lockwood Gorge, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. Plenty of trout swam the stream, and sulfurs hatched from the water in evenings. Anglers at first during the day might fish flies like yellow soft-hackles or other sulfur-emerger patterns, switching to the dry-fly imitation when the hatches come off at 6 or 7 p.m. Someone said a stonefly hatch was “off the hook” the other day. Trout fishing had begun to be “sketchy” in warmth and especially low water, and then rain helped. Cooler weather including nights in the 40 degrees are forecast for about the next week, and that should help. At lakes, a few largemouth bass still spawned. Fishing for largemouths is limited to catch-and-release through next Wednesday for spawning. The fish should be coming off beds and onto the feed. Fishing for them should be becoming good. Nothing was heard about hybrid striped bass and walleyes from lakes, and rough weather sometimes, including sometimes during the weekend, seemed to decrease participation. But surely the fish will bite at Lake Hopatcong at night or first thing in morning, like off points on livelined herring. The fish push to shallows at night to forage on spawning herring this time of year.

“They’re catching everything out here,” Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong wrote in an email. Lures and livelined herring caught, and anglers could fish Mepps spinners around the islands, just outside the weeds, and hook all kinds of fish, including walleyes, trout, perch and crappies. Stan Stelmack fished herring in early mornings, reeling in several walleyes 4 and 5 pounds. Hybrid striped bass and smallmouth bass also bit for anglers. Smallmouths are limited to catch-and-release through next Wednesday for spawning, like largemouth bass are, mentioned above. Kenny Stelmack weighed-in an 8-pound 1-ounce hybrid that grabbed a herring drifted across the main lake. Ralph Yannarelli and son Pat picked up several hybrids 5 to 6 pounds and some walleyes and trout on herring on a trip. Knee Deep Club will hold a bass tournament for largemouths and smallmouths Sunday, June 26, on the lake. For info, anglers can see the club’s website or can telephone Dow’s: (973) 663-3826. New Jersey will hold a free fishing day Saturday. No fishing license will be required, so grab a friend or two and go, Laurie said.

Anglers headed out for largemouth bass on ponds, and a couple left to fish Lake Hopatcong for the fish, said Cheryl from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Pine Brook. How they fared was unknown, but they bought Senko rubber worms and Keitech swim baits for the angling. Live Target sunfish lures were newly stocked for largemouths. Whether they worked was yet to be seen, but they were beautiful lures that looked like sunnies and swam like crippled sunnies. One anglers landed a musky at Monksville Reservoir during the weekend. Passaic River near the store ran low last week, but a little “up” this week from rain. Customers fish the river for catches including northern pike that are stocked and carp.

Trout streams ran low, and rain spiked them higher at moments, but then the water came back down, said Scott from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Now that spring trout stocking finished, hardcore anglers were the trout fishers. They mostly fly-fished in the lower water, and sulfur imitations and Light Cahills were main flies cast. Largemouth bass in lakes began to come off the spawn and be hungry. Angling for them should be “turning around.” Hybrid striped bass hit at night at Spruce Run Reservoir and Lake Hopatcong.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Manasquan Reservoir and Lake Riviera put out good largemouth bass fishing, said Virginia from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Crappies, pretty good catches, were angled from the Toms River at Trilco, mostly on nightcrawlers and killies. 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. Anglers could pound sunnies, lots, at Ocean County College Pond. That could be fun for kids. Bring worms. Spring trout stocking ended, but plenty of trout could be found on the Toms at Riverwood Park and toward Jackson. Virginia and family fished for them. Murphy’s, located on Route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

Chain pickerel gave up great fishing at Grenloch Lake, said Ed Jr. from <b>Creek Keepers Bait & Tackle</b> in Blackwood. Anglers bought minnows for the catches, and one customers been lighting up catfish, big, up to 10, 12 and 13 pounds, at Grenloch at night for weeks. The angler fished chicken livers for the cats. Ed and family nailed crappies like crazy at Glen Lake in Woodbury Heights on minnows. They also hooked a few largemouth bass and yellow perch on the minnows, and copped catfish on nightcrawlers at the lake. A couple of anglers bought minnows yesterday from the store, reporting back that they locked into good largemouth bassing. No location was mentioned. A few small striped bass were played on Delaware River at National Park. In saltwater, large stripers were beached from Brigantine’s surf. Summer flounder were taken from back bays on the shop’s frozen spearing. A few blues were fought in saltwater, not the abundant blues like earlier this spring.

At lakes, largemouth bass were pretty active, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Some pretty good fishing for them happened, often on spinner baits. But top-water fishing for them began to produce, like on popper lures and buzz baits. But fishing for largemouths with all different lures or baits was pretty good across the board. Bluegill fishing was terrific at lakes, simply on nightcrawlers. Catfishing began to turn on at places like Maurice River and Delaware River. White perch fishing seemed a little spotty in brackish waters like the Maurice and like tidal creeks near Fortescue. In saltwater, Delaware Bay’s drum fishing slowed a little, but still caught. Reports about good summer flounder catches finally came in, from back bays. Not much was heard about flounder from Delaware Bay yet this season. But some big striped bass were angled from the bay. The striper fishing was “hanging in.”

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