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New Jersey Freshwater Fishing Report 6-7-17

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Plenty of slot striped bass were plucked from the local Delaware River last week, Bill Brinkman from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia wrote in a report on the shop’s website. Slots are 20- to 25-inch stripers that are legal to bag – an angler can bag two per day – from Pennsylvania from the river April 1 through May 31. So the season for them closed beginning Thursday. Currently, an angler can bag one striper 28 inches or larger from the river from Pennsylvania. New Jersey’s regulations are different. Sometimes Bill heard about bigger stripers lifted from the river last week, like a 32-incher and a 31-incher that an angler pasted from the river near Philly airport along with small stripers and catfish. A 27-pound striper was creamed “way down the river” last week.  Farther upstream, lots of 20- to 35-inch stripers were winged from the Turnpike Bridge to Trenton last week. Striper fishing last week slowed somewhat at Lambertville on the river but was good at night at Delaware Water Gap on eels and other live bait. At Lambertville, the river’s smallmouth bass fishing was improving. Shad fishing slowed to five to 15 landed per angler at the Gap last week. The fish were hooked in evenings. A customer said the lower Schuylkill River fished great for 1- to 3-pound catfish and small stripers. Plenty of other fishing was mentioned in the report.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

Shad were still angled from Delaware River, believe it or not, said Andy from <b>Stokes Forest Sports Shop</b> in Sandyston. The fishing’s usually finished this time of year, and the river was currently high, but a couple of customers tied into the shad yesterday. The Big Flatbrook flowed at a good level for trout fishing. Rough weather might’ve kept fewer anglers from fishing than normal, but all customers who fished the Flatbrook reported catching. Trout were hung from up and down the stream. The catch-and-release section tossed up lots. Most customers fish the Flatbrook when trout fishing. Take advantage of the free day of fishing Saturday. No fishing license is required that day.

It’s raining, Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna said yesterday afternoon in a phone call. Fish are biting, and anglers just needed better weather to go fishing. Hybrid striped bass bit at Lake Hopatcong at dawn and dusk. He’d just spoken with an angler who was clocking them every morning. Hopatcong’s largemouth bass fishing was okay, picking the catches, including on suspending crank baits. Weeds grew in the lake, so weedless jigs like blue-and-black with a trailer or a jig ‘n’ pig were fished. Some used chatter baits to connect in the weeds. Largemouth fishing is restricted to catch and release from April 15 through June 15 for spawning. So that’s almost over. Trout fishing’s been great, with plenty of the fish willing to strike. Anglers were really slinging trout at Big Flatbrook. For trout, small, bead-headed nymphs like sizes 16 to 20 pheasant-tails could be fished with a dropper like a zebra midge. Yellow soft-hackles could be fished to imitate sulfur emergers. Shad were still angled on Delaware River including at Delaware Water Gap. A customer fought them two days ago or on Monday. 

Hybrid striped bass and walleyes smashed Bomber and Zara Spook lures at night in the lake, Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong wrote in an email. Mike Rastiello socked several hybrids to 8 pounds 9 ounces on livelined herring. Rob Piotrowski Jr. fished the livelined baitfish and picked up a white catfish that weighed 3 pounds 8 ounces. John Saltzman weighed-in a 3-pound 12-ounce rainbow trout he hooked off the state park on a cast metal spoon. Lots of yellow perch and crappies were seen from the lake.  The Knee Deep Club will hold its Stew Lant Bass Contest on Sunday, June 25, on the lake. The club will hold the Bill Clark Junior Derby and Special Needs Outing this Saturday at Mount Arlington Pond.

Anything to report? James from <b>Behre Bait & Tackle</b> in Lebanon was asked. “Yeah, it’s still raining,” he said! More should be able to be reported after this weekend, he said. Weather is supposed to become warmer and clear then. A tournament will also be held at Round Valley Reservoir during the weekend, and that will also generate fishing news. Currently, water temperatures dropped 5 to 10 degrees from cool weather and rain.

A customer hit a large smallmouth bass and some northern pike on Passaic River on a trip, said Cheryl from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Pine Brook. Most anglers waited for better weather to fish. But if anglers had patience and fished between weather, fish were generally active. Not much was heard about saltwater either, except about some fluke landed during the weekend.

Largemouth bass and chain pickerel were axed from Lake Riviera on killies, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. A few yellow perch and sunnies were nabbed from the lake on worms. Ocean County College Pond harbored a variety of largemouths, pickerel, crappies and sunnies. He heard about no catfish from there recently. Release largemouths through June 15 by law. Lester Lake shoveled up a few cats and some pickerel and sunnies. A few pickerel came from the Toms River at Trilco on killies and spinners. He heard about no largemouths from Trilco. That’s a closed building supply, and no sign identifies the building, but locals know the stretch by the name, located near Garden State Parkway. Pickerel, largemouths and sunnies swam Winding River. A bunch of trout still milled around Spring Lake. A buddy fished for trout at the lake with worms, picked up a couple of rainbow trout but also catfish and two carp, all on the worms. Jeff saw largemouths jumping at the lake and plans to go back for them. A few customers last week said they were headed to Manasquan Reservoir but Jeff never saw them again at the store. He even gave them the shop’s phone number, asking the anglers to telephone if they caught.  Murphy’s, located on Route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

Anglers began switching to top-water lures or weedless hooks this past week to combat vegetation in lakes and ponds, <b>Sportsman Outpost</b> in Williamstown’s Facebook page said. Rubber frogs, rubber mice and chatter baits work well for that, fished at dawn and dusk. One angler landed two largemouths to 4 pounds at Newton Lake on a Live Target mouse. Let largemouths go through June 15 according to law. A kayaker tackled largemouth bass to 4 pounds at Iona Lake on chatter baits. Another angler reeled in six largemouths to 3 pounds at Elmer Lake on Senko worms. An 8-year-old picked up a 2-pound largemouth at Oak Pond on a minnow. In saltwater, summer flounder fishing was steady in back bays, and bluefish still patrolled the bays.

Fishing was pretty steady, said Andrew from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Rain dirtied lakes, but if anglers found clear water, they caught. Largemouth bass bit at all the lakes that held them, including on rubber worms like Senkos, spinner baits, chatter baits and rubber frogs. Largemouths must be tossed back through June 15. Rainbow Lake and Parvin Lake gave them up. So did Maurice River upstream. That can be a great place for the angling. Chain pickerel could be fought from nearly all lakes. Saltwater catches included summer flounder and weakfish. 

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