Thu., March 28, 2024
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New Jersey Freshwater Fishing Report 8-8-18

Delaware River was blown out because of rain, said Andy from <b>Stokes Forest Sport Shop</b> in Sandyston. Otherwise, the river’s anglers would probably fish for smallmouth bass or catfish. A few striped bass had been landed from the river but were small, like 18 inches. Big Flatbrook ran high today because of rain yesterday. But the stream recovers quickly, and might be a little high tomorrow, but clear. A couple of customers left to fish for trout on the Flatbrook today, but came back, because of high water. It should be fishable by tomorrow or so. The trout anglers have been fishing midges and terrestrials. Sometimes sulfurs and blue-winged olives hatched, but were small or sizes 18 or 20. If anglers want to nymph the river, Copper Johns and pheasant-tails usually work. Fishing at lakes seemed slow in hot weather.

Trout streams ran high, but trout were hooked from them, said Brian from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Succasunna. Be careful, and if the water is 70 degrees or warmer, don’t fish, he warned. Trout can die during the fight in warm water. High water drops the temperature temporarily. Some anglers avoid trout fishing in summer, only fishing in fall to spring, when the water is coolest. Musconetcong River ran high, Brian knew. South Branch of the Raritan River looked a little high, he saw. Most trout were nymphed on standard patterns like hares ears and pheasant-tails. Nothing was heard about Delaware River, maybe because the river probably ran high. Brian would assume smallmouth bass could be angled from the river on hellgrammite or crawfish patterns when the water was fishable. This is a time of year for the smallmouth fishing. At lakes, much largemouth bass fishing was on weedless tackle like jigs with Keitech soft-plastic baits. The bass began to be rubber-frogged. Chain pickerel could be top-water plugged at lakes. 

Matt Wood fished from shore and plugged several sizable catches including a 7-pound 12-ounce hybrid striped bass and a 7-pound 7-ounce walleye on Bombers on the lake, Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong wrote in an email Thursday. Drew and Phil Togno downrigged several hybrids to a 6-pound 8-ouncer. A 4-pound 12-ouncer was their second-biggest. Max H., a Junior Member of the Knee Deep Club, nailed a 4-pound 3-ounce largemouth bass from the lake on a shiner. The club’s next tournament will be for catfish from 6 p.m. Saturday to 12 noon Sunday on the lake.

Passaic River yesterday was flooded over the banks and into the parking lot, said Cheryl from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Pine Brook. Still, a couple of customers were known to angle largemouth bass and smallmouth bass from the river lately. A no-wake regulation was in force on Lake Hopatcong during the weekend because of high water. So no fishing news rolled in from there. Kids who kept stopping at the shop were catching largemouth bass all the time from local ponds or lakes. They worked tackle including crank baits, Rat-L-Traps and rubber frogs. Largemouths seemed able to be caught. In saltwater, fluke fishing might’ve been improving. Larry from the shop bagged two sizable on his latest trip on a party boat. He only hooked throwbacks on his previous two trips. Fluke anglers seemed to cherry-pick some big. Some party boats mixed in sea bass fishing on fluke trips. A customer reported nabbing big crabs, big ones, on Navesink River.

Fishing for largemouth bass and catfish was probably best, said Virginia from <b>Hook House Bait & Tackle</b> in Toms River. Lakes held pretty good levels of water because of rain. Fishing early in mornings and in evenings was best. But fishing was generally good. Early in the fishing season, some anglers complained about tough fishing. Currently, the largemouths were often hit on tackle that was rigged weedless like Senko rubber worms or small soft-plastic baits like a 4-inch Keitech on a small jighead. The bass were also rubber-frogged, another way to fish weedless. Lures like the frogs were fished across the tops of lily pads. Or they or other bass lures were fished off the edges of the pads. For catfish, Spring Lake, Ocean County College Pond and Lake Riviera fished well. Dead killies, clams or nightcrawlers were baits to dunk. More news about bass: smallmouth bass fishing was okay at Manasquan Reservoir. Actually, most of the smallmouths were hooked while anglers targeted largemouths or other fish. Small jigs or small spinnerbaits like from Strike King could clock the smallmouths. Largemouths were also tugged from the reservoir. Kayakers or boaters used fish-finders to locate structure or deep holes to find the largemouths. But there are a few locations where shore anglers can tie into largemouths, like along the dock at the ranger station. Virginia has angled good fishing for largemouths from shore at the reservoir. Yellow perch fishing was good at Lester’s Lake, across from Ocean County Mall. The perch bit in the Toms River at Trilco, too. Nightcrawlers could catch them.  Kids reeled in sunfish like crazy at lakes, and the sunnies were growing large. Worms, small killies or Trout Magnets lit up the panfish. No shiners have been stocked for a moment now. They were difficult to keep alive even at the store in summer’s heat. A couple of dozen might be found floating the next morning, after the store was closed at night, this time of year. Killies are stocked, and customers raved about killies. Killies stay alive much better and can catch nearly any fish. Hook House, located on Route 37, also owns <b>Go Fish Bait & Tackle</b> on Fischer Boulevard in Toms River.

Fishing exploded at lakes, Mike from <b>Creek Road Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn wrote in an email. This was after slow angling in a stretch of stormy, windy weather. Now, good-sized largemouth bass were reported yanked from lakes in Medford, Deptford and Sewell on Keitech Noisy Flappers, a frog with legs that create commotion, and Keitech Swing Impacts, a swim bait. Crappie fishing was great at lakes on Mister Twisters and Cubby Minnie Mites. Lots of pickerel bit in ponds in the Pine Barrens. Shiners and Storm swim baits will attract them. In Delaware River, loads of striped bass and perch chewed. On fire, he said. Throw the Cubby Mites, Storm shads, bloodworms or nightcrawlers to hook them. Those caught best. Snakeheads, the invasive species, were on a tear in the tributaries and other waters connected to the lower Delaware. Z-Man chatter baits worked well to smash the snakeheads. Anglers fished lighter colors with hints of chartreuse to catch the snakeheads.

Fishing was hit or miss last week, but some ponds and lakes produced, a report said Sunday on <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown’s Facebook page. Weather was rough much of that week. The waters that produced included Garrison Lake, Oak Pond, the DOD Ponds and Maskills Mill Pond. At Garrison Lake, a 6.8-pound largemouth bass was clobbered on a Mister Twister. Catches were also reported from Deptford and Franklinville lakes. At Deptford Lake, an angler pulled in five largemouth bass on minnows. At Franklinville Lake, another eased in good yellow perch fishing on trout worms. For largemouths at lakes, rubber frogs, Swim Senkos, Whopper Ploppers and jerk baits were popular. Anglers fishing bait for various catches connected including on nightcrawlers, neon worms and minnows.

Was a good week of largemouth bass fishing at Union Lake again, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. He’s been reporting productive fishing from there in past weeks. Some big were hung lately. At lakes in general, largemouth fishing included a good top-water bite. Whopper Ploppers were hot for that. Panfishing was fair at lakes. Nightcrawlers were fished under bobbers for them. A bunch of anglers targeted snakeheads, the invasive species, at tributaries or ditches off Delaware River. Snakeheads will jump on top-waters like rubber frogs. From saltwater, good summer flounder fishing was reported from the ocean and a little from Delaware Bay. Was good to hear about flounder from the bay after sometimes the fishing was tougher in recent years.

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