<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river flow settled back down to 500 CFS last week, and the water was clean and clear, and steelhead fishing picked up in throttling fashion, said Eric at <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. The fish were fought in the Douglaston stretch but also moved upstream to Altmar, Ellis Cove and other locales. Blue egg sacks were best baits, and sunup and sundown were the times to hook into an average of a half-dozen to a dozen of the sea-run trout. King and coho salmon fishing was all but finished.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Smallmouth bass fishing was rebounding in the Delaware River, but the main focus was on trout, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. Pennypack Creek was producing 5 to 25 trout per trip on meal worms, wax worms, Power Baits, earthworms and spinners. Customers were saying most of the fish they were catching were fat, 12- to 14-inch rainbows. Better places included the areas along Welsh Road, Rhawn Street and Bustleton Avenue. Good feedback also came from Wissahickon Creek, especially along Henry Avenue, where 3 to 6 fish per angler were standard. Core Creek was the place for perch, crappies and bluegills as well as a few largemouth bass and catfish. Anglers were heading to Levittown Lake for both stocked trout and largemouths, and the largemouths were smacking swimming plugs.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

The Delaware River settled down, and decent striped bass fishing seemed to be revving up, said Bill at <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. Live eels were finding the linesiders from Milford to Bull Island, and a 29-pounder was checked in from the Reigelsville area. The Musconetong and Pequest rivers were are also cleaned up, and trout anglers were tying into quality, 2- to 3-pound fish that the state stocked.

A little spark of activity from northern pike was the scene at the Passaic River, said Adrian from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. The cooler nights seemed to finally get the water wolves to open their mouths, and live shiners were finding their mark on smaller northerns from 16 to 24 inches long. Big, 1-ounce, white spinner baits ripped across the surface in the mornings were also inciting action.

Trout fishing improved considerably at the South Branch of the Raritan River, the Ken Lockwood Gorge and the Pequest River, said Ryan from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. Fly casters were landing fish on sizes 2 to 8 Blacknosed Dace and Gray Ghost streamers. The fishing really began to take off after the recent rains. Lake Hopatcong was dishing out more and more largemouth bass and chain pickerel by the day, and tossing Rapala X-Rap lures was the best way to go.

Walleye and hybrid bass fishing was strong at the lake, said Laurie at <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Off any of the points and around the drop-offs in 20 to 25 feet were the most productive places. A nice selection of yellow perch were also on tap, and deep-water jigging was just starting to pick up in the colder weather. A live shiner fooled a healthy sized, 3-pound chain pickerel that was weighed in, and pickerel seemed to become more aggressive in the chill.

Word on the Passaic River’s active pike fishing reached <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield, Mark said. Nick Luna not only grabbed pike of 14 and 20 inches on live shiners right below the falls, but he also picked up a 3-pound walleye there. The Pequest and Paulinskill rivers treated Bob Chare to more than 20 quality trout to 3 pounds while he tossed pink Power Bait and pink salmon eggs. Al Ponner hit up Greenwood Lake and amassed 12 pounds of largemouth bass while casting Senkos inside the coves. A muskellunge feed appeared to be going on at Lake Hopatcong, and a customer named Roman caught a 34-incher while drifting live herring.

Trout were the mainstay through the week, said Chris from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b> in Lebanon. The Clinton stretch of the South Branch of the Raritan was loaded with big, stocker brookies that were 1 1/2 to 2 pounds and plentiful. Panther Martin lures and Roostertails were attracting the attention more than worms. Round Valley Reservoir was offering stellar shoreline trout fishing, with big browns taking live shiners and rainbows swallowing M&M combos or marshmallows and meal worms near the boat launch. Anglers should bundle up and try giving night fishing a try for the shoreline trout, because the fish really turn on when the sun sets.

Trouting was fantastic, said Ron at <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield, and hot spots included Ken Lockwood Gorge and the Big Flatbrook. Size-16 Hare’s Ear Nymphs were hooking an assortment of rainbows, brook trout and brownies from 12 to 15 inches, and the fishing looked like it was only getting started.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Chain pickerel seemed to be settling into a wintertime mode, said Ron at <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Catches of the snakes seemed more predominant than before, and a 3-pounder was weighed in from Farrington Lake that grabbed a live shiner for Chris Reuttinger. “Diesel” Mike stopped by and reported that the Salmon River in Pulaski was great for steelhead fishing, and he claimed six of them to 8 pounds from the Altmar stretch on egg sacks.

Large numbers and big sizes of trout were showing up in the Manasquan River, said Eric at <b>L&H Woods & Water</b> in Wall. The Squankum Falls area and upriver spots seemed to hold better numbers of the fish, and pink and yellow Power Bait and in-line spinners tricked them up. Hybrid striped bass activity was happening in the Manasquan Reservoir during sunup and sundown from boats fishing off the docks. Live herring was the best bait, and boaters had to read the fish on the fish finder to see what depths the schools were holding at.

The Presidential Lakes produced respectable chain pickerel catches and a few largemouth bass, said Dennis at <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River, and live shiners were the deal. Hybrid striped bass were biting about every other day at Manasquan Reservoir, and if you hit it right, you could find the fish easily, because they were coming to the surface and crashing baitfish schools. Best hours seemed to be dusk, and cast out small crank baits or poppers into the breaking schools to find a hook-up.

Trout fishing was strong at the Musconetcong River, said Sean from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> of Robbinsville. The Milford area was producing exceptionally well, and Mepps and Panther Martin spinners were doing the most damage, and nightcrawlers were a close second. Smallmouths were mixed in as well. Largemouth bass and crappie started a fall feeding pattern at both Gropp’s Lake, Dam Site 19 and Mercer Lake. Yum Dingers in gold-flake patterns fished “wacky” style got the most hits.

The Big D’s smallmouth fishing was returning to normal, said Carl at the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. The best action came from the Delaware’s Stockton area and downstream, and Fat Albert lures and Yozuri Pins Minnows were gaining the strikes. Muskie fishing was “on” at Lake Hopatcong, and anglers were trolling Mepps Killer spinners in white bucktail to find fish to 38 inches. Largemouth bass fishing was also on fire at the coves of Hopatcong, and 3/8-ounce, white spinner baits and Mann’s Hardnose soft baits were good choices.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Get ready for some trout fishing, said Ed at <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Grenloch Lake and Oak Pond were great for trout because of state stocking, and meal worms were responsible for limits of quality fish throughout daytime. Largemouth bass fishing improved considerably at Penn Bryn Lake and Lake Worth, and the bucketmouths became more aggressive on their attack on live medium shiners.

Iona Lake and Grenloch Lake gave an upsurge in largemouth bass action, said Lou from the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. The bass were now pursuing top-water lures and shallow-diving crank baits in the mornings and evenings, but the fish could be picked away during afternoons as well. The bucketmouth fishery was just turning into a fall pattern, and anglers should be hitting up the lakes on a daily basis, Lou said.

A trout frenzy on the Maurice River was the hottest bite around, said Steve at <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. The Almond Street, Garden Street and Landis Avenue sections were good bets for pulling on breeders in the 4- to 5-pound class on Power Bait, Roostertails and Panther Martins. Giampetro Park Pond was also a quality place to hit up the fish. Lakes in the area were starting to turn over, so largemouth bass fishing was picking up. Rat-L-Traps, jerk baits and Lucky Craft Pointers were all working. Pickerel were about to get on a serious feed as the water began to cool to their favored range. Lake fishing all around was on an upswing as the waters cleared and the temps dropped to prime range.

Most customers plucked out white perch from the Maurice River, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. A few short stripers were also caught along the river banks, possibly signaling the influx of fall stripers. Bloodworms were scoring well to take both species. The upper stretches of the river were home to decent trout fishing, and baby nightcrawlers worked best.

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