<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river through the past month was flowing low or 100 to 180 CFS, but late last week the water was finally let out to 1,000 CFS, said Suzanne at <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. The banks filled up, and the fish spread out, and anglers had to work somewhat harder to find the steelheads and kings, because of the deeper pools and stretches or more water to cover. But the river was scheduled to be dropped somewhat to 750 CFS by middle of this week. Kings seemed to move upriver, even into the Black River stretch, but steelhead could still be found at Douglaston, and blue egg sacks and Glo-Bugs fooled them. Right before the water was let out, steelheads were being slammed at Douglaston at the Bobber hole and the Shoe, mostly during the mornings.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

The Delaware River was too muddy and high to fish over the weekend, but smallmouth fishing was hot before, so it should rebound , said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. Byram along the Pennsylvania bank was reportedly the most productive spot, and minnows, worms and grubs were the baits to toss. Most customers reported catching 20 to 30 fish—a mix of smallies, catfish and bluegills—on each trip. One customer picked up 23 smallmouths on crank baits and lizards while fishing from the shoreline. A number of customers drifted from Frenchtown back to Byram, where one group pulled more than 40 fish to 15 inches on fathead minnows. Another group threw out poppers and grubs to find 65 fish, mostly 10- to 12-inch smallmouths and a few 14- to 16-inchers.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Heavy downpours last week put the kibosh on most stream fishing, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. The Big D was still muddied up but should be fishable any day. Before the rains big breeder trout were hitting in the Musconetcong and Pequest rivers, and that should go on again as the waters settle down.

Pike anglers welcomed the cold snap, said Adrian at <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. Look for the northerns in the Passaic River to get on the feed, and large, live shiners should draw attacks. The Rockaway and Musconetcong rivers were filled to normal levels, and their trout fishing should be excellent once the rivers were cleared up. Lake Hopatcong anglers were chasing hybrid stripers at deeper waters during the night on live herring.

Trout fishing picked up in a big way after last week’s storm, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. Ken Lockwood Gorge was a good spot for fly fishers, who drifted terrestrials and bead-headed nymphs. Largemouth bass anglers were heading to Monksville Reservoir to deep-drop Senkos, working them slowly and landing bigger-sized fish to 4 pounds. White spinner baits were also working to attract bass along the drop-offs, because the bucketmouths were becoming aggressive because of the cold weather.

Lots of yellow perch and pickerel bit in the lake during the weekend, considering the rains Saturday and the windy conditions Sunday, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Walleye and hybrid stripers gave up action in the Elba Point and Davis Cove areas for anglers fishing with live herring in 20 to 25 feet. With the cooler weather, jigging should start to pick up in the deeper water on ice-fishing Rapalas and Gotcha jigs. Quality channel cats to 5 pounds were weighed in as a direct result of the state stocking 7,000 in the lake last week. Crappies were caught at the Brady Bridge area during late afternoons on small jigs tipped with live fatheads. The last day of the season for the shop’s boat rentals will be Sunday, and afterward the store will be open in the mornings for bait and tackle. If you want to come later in the day, call ahead to make sure someone is around. After the lake freezes for ice fishing, the store will keep steady hours again.

Greenwood Lake was a largemouth bass go-to spot after the cold front, said Al at <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. One customer claimed eight bass to 2 1/2 pounds while working Senkos around the dock pilings. Bill Bloodgood took three bass, and his also weighed up to 2 1/2 pounds. One angler fished the Paulinskill River to clean up on trout along the Columbia stretch while casting salmon eggs and nightcrawlers. He tied into 23, two of which were rainbows 18 and 20 inches long.

Trout anglers were very happy after the rains, said Chris from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b> in Lebanon, and the state was resuming stocking today and tomorrow. Water temps in the Central and South Jersey lakes and ponds scheduled for stocking were in the low 60s, suitable for 3,290 trout to be put in, and these trout were larger because of an extended stay at the hatchery. Productive areas should include the South Branch of the Raritan River, the Pequest River and the Musconetcong River, and Power Bait in pink or orange will work well. Fly casters will want to lay out small, bead-headed nymphs or scud patterns.

The south and north branches of the Raritan River were just clearing up yesterday and should be primed for trout fishing any moment, said Sean at <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield. Flies to throw include sizes 18 to 22 pheasanttail nymphs, size-14 peacock caddis and sizes 12 to 18 scuds. The Big Flatbrook will also be a good bet to pull on rainbows.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Rains replenished local streams such as the South Branch of the Raritan and the Pequest, said Ron at <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Cooler air temps will spark a trout frenzy for stream anglers fishing Roostertails and nightcrawlers. Round Valley should produce action near the boat launch on meal worms.

The Manasquan River gave up trout action, said Andrew at <b>L&H Woods & Water</b> in Wall. The Squankum Falls and Bryce Park sections were the places to find rainbows to 18 inches. Fly rodders were hanging trout on sizes 8 to 12 wooly buggers in white and on sizes 14 and 16 pheasanttail and hare’s ears nymphs. Be on the lookout for sea run brown trout where the feeder creeks empty into the Manasquan River. Trouters were also picking up fish in the Toms River on salmon egg flies.

A wild hybrid striper fishery went down at the Manasquan Reservoir, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. One customer reported seeing hybrids busting the surface near the rock wall west of the tackle shop, and the fish were hitting small crank baits on top as they fed aggressively on baitfish. Largemouth bass were picked out of the reservoir as well, chasing down spinner baits. Bass anglers should start to slow-work jig-n-pig combos in black and blue around the trees at the reservoir, because the action should really get going, now that the waters were getting colder. Trout hounds were hitting up Allaire Park to find rainbows on drifted garden worms with a size BB split shot. The Presidential Lakes were serving up plenty of pickerel and some largemouths for those casting live killies and shiners.

Cold waters were starting to break down and get rid of all the weed growth at local ponds and lakes, said Frank at <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> of Robbinsville, and that should make largemouth bass fishing a lot easier. Anglers should concentrate on the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes for bucketmouths and use Senko worms or deep-diving crank baits along the drop-offs to locate feeding fish. The Delaware River was still muddy as of Tuesday, but its smallmouth fishing was expected to bounce back once it cleaned up.

Delaware River anglers were washed out recently, said Carl at the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown, but he expected a full recovery of smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing when the waters cleaned up this week. Customers in the meantime were plying the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area lakes to fight pickerel that smacked live shiners.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Lake Worth continued to offer up the best largemouth bass fishing, said Ed at <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Customers were pounding its waters with live shiners to grab bass to 3 pounds. The mid-40-degree air temps predicted for nights this week should help ignite the largemouth bass to really get active, and bigger bass should get aggressive in local ponds.

Lakes were too muddy to fish productively by the beginning of the week, but the fishing should really kick in by week’s end, said Jeff at <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Parvin Lake, Malaga Lake and Union Lake should all boast good catches of bucketmouths on Rat-L-Traps, and the fishery should become more consistent by the day. Look for the bass to begin schooling up, and concentrate on working the groups of fish steadily. Chain pickerel were the main target at the local sand washes, and the Maurice River was holding a steady supply of white perch.

Most anglers were eagerly awaiting the fall influx of striped bass into the Maurice River, said Ki of <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. Frigid air temps were expected to drop water temps down into the low 60s, so striper anglers might just get their wish later this week. White perch were keeping anglers busy in the meantime in the Maurice, and buckets could still be filled for tasty dinners. Cast out bloodworms on small float rigs on the higher tides.

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