<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

Steelheads from 5 to 12 pounds were stationed way up the Salmon River now, said Suzanne at <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski, and the stretches at Altmar, the Two-Way Bridge and upriver were holding most of the fish. The river was running at 500 CFS, enough for boats to drift effectively. Blue and pink egg sacks worked well, but the steelies were also starting to take white patterns, because the weather was colder. Fishing was also hearting up on the Oswego River for both brown trout and steelies.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

The best news from the Delaware River was that the lower river was giving up plenty of catfish, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. Nightcrawlers, herring, chicken livers and shrimp were attracting the whiskerfaces, and some reported catching upwards of 10 cats to 4 pounds. One customer fished off the ramp down the street on Monday and pulled in eight fish to 3 pounds, all on herring. Another fished near the Tacony Bridge for 11 catfish and two small stripers. The Salem area was the place to hook good numbers of white perch to 1 pound on No. 1 hooks on top and bottom rigs baited with bloodworms or nightcrawlers. The Byram area along the Route 29 wall served up five smallies and two walleyes for another angler who fished bucktails tipped with minnows.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

A couple inches of snowfall came through early in the week and was expected to spark trout fishing, said Adrian at <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. Most customers were transitioning from bass fishing the lakes into hitting the streams, such as the Pequest and Big Flatbrook, to catch the quality, breeder trout that were stocked. The rivers should be running “strong and healthy” for Thanksgiving Day anglers, Adrian said.

Winter trout stocking resumed during the week, and both the state lakes as well as lakes off the beaten path, such as Silver Lake, should be smoking for trout, said Kevin at <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. Salmon eggs and meal worms should be best baits, and San Juan worms and size-16 egg flies should work for fly casters. Yellow perch were bending plenty of rods near the state park cove at Lake Hopatcong, hitting white Mister Twister grub tails.

High winds and snowy, slushy rains kept lots of anglers in during the weekend, said Laurie at <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. But the few anglers who did fish connected with walleye and hybrid stripers while jigging off the points with Gotchas and ice-fishing Rapalas. On Monday Laurie woke to about 3 inches of snow, and probably 5 or 6 inches fell by the end of the day, and that got talk started about the ice fishing season right around the corner. Come on ice!

Lake Hopatcong accounted for the bulk of the action, said Mark at <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. One customer nailed seven walleyes to 5 pounds at the lake while jigging with ice Rapalas. Mike Effer dropped down jigs off Brady Bridge to clean up on smallmouth bass and yellow perch. Greenwood Lake should be a great spot for walleye and largemouth bass, though Mark heard of few people taking advantage yet.

Trout fishing for ‘bows and browns was still very good at Round Valley Reservoir, said Chris at <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. M&M combos or marshmallow and meal worms dunked at Ranger’s Cove were finding good catches. Nice largemouth bass were taken at Spruce Run Reservoir around herring schools. The bass attack in general was most definitely on, and Skip Smith fished a small pond in Sussex County and drilled 15 quality bass to 4 pounds on a jig-and-pig combo.

Trout fishing and trout streams were in good shape, said Ron of <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield. The Big Flatbrook was a consistent bet, but Lake Aeroflex was getting stockers put in this week, and anglers should concentrate there. The Round Valley Reservoir shoreline’s fishing got a little slower, but rainbows were still actively feeding on Power Baits. Stream anglers should toss size-14 to -18 bead-headed nymphs or Mepps No. 1 spinners in gold.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

The Pequest River was on fire for rainbows and brookies, said Jim at <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. One- to 3-pounders were common catches, and bigger ones to 5.5 pounds were checked in. Nymphs and Estaz patterns in size 8 were top producers. Round Valley trouters were fighting rainbows that hit silver spoons trolled deep-down to 90 feet. Trout were also hitting at Ranger’s Cove at the valley on meal worms.

Trout fishing seemed to go well on the Manasquan River, said Brian from <b>L&H Woods & Water</b> in Wall. One customer muscled in a 4-pound rainbow from the Squankum Falls section. Largemouth bass anglers were pulling on the last of the bigmouths from Old Mill Pond.

Largemouth bass anglers got a lively injection of action, said Dennis of <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. The Ocean County Mall and Ocean County College ponds offered up bass to 5 ½ pounds, and Senkos fished wacky-style brought in the fish in the late afternoons. Trout fishers had good luck at the Riverwood Park section of the Toms River, where rainbow-colored Power Bait hooked plenty.

The Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes doled out serious crappie activity, said Eric from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> of Robbinsville. Berkeley Power tubes in the 1-inch pink and white pattern took plenty of slab-sized fish. One-eighth-ounce Little Joey jigs were also hot tickets for a hook-up. The Delaware River maintained a sustained walleye bite from Lambertville to Trenton, and crank baits cast during the middle of the day were picking up the ‘eyes and also a few smallmouth bass.

A wild muskellunge fishery opened up on the Delaware River north of Trenton, said Carl from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Muskie in the 30- to 35-inch range were inhaling white, 1-ounce spinner baits and 9-inch, wooden Pikie plugs in sucker color, and the Washington’s Crossing area was happening. Pickerel were littering the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area lakes, and live shiners were the key.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Although largemouth bass fishing slowed down a bit, trout fishing was in overdrive, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Oak Pond was giving up rainbows to 5 pounds for anglers fishing nightcrawlers, and Grenloch Lake also held a number of quality ‘bows. George Barton took a trip to Grenloch and nailed a 3.5 pounder on a meal worm. The chill in the air definitely had the trout on the feed.

Trout fishing at Iona Lake was the go-to word from Lou of the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Warren and Sam Avis were pulling on decent trout to 3 pounds on nightcrawlers. Pickerel were rounding out the local lakes’ catches, with Parvin Lake and Sunset Lake were holding good numbers of the toothy critters.

The chill in the air quashed much of the largemouth fishing, said Jeff at <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. But the expected mid-week rise in temps to 65 degrees should put the bucketmouths back in action. Try your hand at Sunset Lake or Parvin Lake with Rat-L-Traps or Senkos.

A good run of striped bass finally pushed up the Maurice River, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. Although most of the fish were shorts, they were actively feeding, and bloodworms or bunker chunks could tie you into a half-dozen shorts on a day out. White perch were still on the prowl in the river, and anglers could load up on tasty fillets for dinner.

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