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<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

The surge of smallmouth bass fishing kept going in the Delaware River, said Bill at <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. One customer fished late in the day last week and picked up eight smallmouths to 16 inches off Bull’s Island on live minnows, and he also reeled in several 2- to 3-pound catfish. The fast water above the bridge at Bull’s Island was productive, and that’s where another customer found 19 smallies to 14 inches, eight catfish to 21 inches and a small walleye. The Dingman’s Ferry area was also a good spot for smallie anglers fishing with leeches and grubs, and that’s where and how one customer bailed more than 100 of the fish in two days. The lower Delaware’s fishing was slow for the most part, and just a few catfish, perch and small stripers were hitting. The biggest cats weighed 2 to 5 pounds, and most of the stripers were less than 20 inches.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

There was lots of action on the Delaware River, said Bill of <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. All fish seemed to be feeding on baby shad. Mike Riffert fished the river and nailed a 5-pound 3-ounce smallmouth bass, and Jerry Anderson tried the river for a 6-pound 3-ounce walleye. Bruce Smith hit the river to lock up on a 23-pound striped bass. On Merrill Creek Reservoir Bill Gatewood landed a 3-pound smallmouth bass, and Victor Wannatta drilled a 7-pound 9-ounce lake trout. Wade Fichtal fished a local farm pond and banked a 3-pound 6-ounce largemouth bass, and Randy Williams plied the Pequest River and caught a 3-pound 5-ounce rainbow trout.

Passaic River anglers focusing on northern pike were greatly rewarded, said Adrian at <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. One patron was dragging large, white spinner baits across the surface near Nico’s Tavern and the pump station and ended up battling three northerns going 5, 7, and 17 pounds. The pike seemed to be biting during the morning hours, and anglers should be pulling large surface buzz baits or should be livelining large shiners. Remember to use a wire leader to avoid a bite off from the toothy critters.

Split Rock Reservoir gave up plenty of smallmouth bass, said Kevin at <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. Smallies to 16 inches and a few largemouths in the 15- to 18-inch range were chasing down Senkos in pumpkin and black that were fished suspended over weed beds. Monksville Reservoir held largemouth bass activity in the stick piles and stumpy areas, and ¾-ounce black and blue jigs tipped with pork rinds worked best. Fly casters who threw small popping bugs in the local ponds were hooking into largemouth bass, and waters along the bank sides were holding the greatest number.

The lake was boiling over with activity, said Laurie of <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Everything was hitting, she said, including perch, crappie, catfish, smallmouth and largemouth bass, stripers and walleye. Most fish were caught on herring along with some jigs and stick baits. Matthew Schroeder checked in a crappie weighing 1 pound 8 ounces.  Fish weighed in for the Knee Deep Club’s Striper Tournament over the weekend included Gary Bruzaud’s 7-pound 8-ounce striper, Kenny Stelmack’s 7-pound 6-ouncer and Stan Stelmack and Dominic Sarinelli’s pair of 7-pound 5-ouncers. Knee Deep’s next contest is for catfish and takes place in August. Interested parties can call the shop for info.

Smallmouth bass were on the chew in Greenwood Lake, said Steve of <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. The lake was pretty well weeded up, so anglers were going deep and pulling Rat-L-Traps across the underwater shelves to find a smallie. Other lures getting attention included Angler Select worms that can be cast out and drop-shotted underneath the weeds.

Spruce Run Reservoir’s hybrid bass fishery was a pick, said Chris from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>, but trolled herring seemed best for a hook-set. Travis Kugleman worked over the area of Campers Point with downriggers and flat lines for four hybrid releases. Smallmouth bass were on a tear in the South Branch of the Raritan River, and hellgrammites and crawfish were pulling fish out during the evenings when the day cools down. Largemouth bass were also hitting at Spruce Run, but weeds had the coves pretty choked up, making weed-less frogs the best choice to cast. Bigger trout were stocked at Round Valley Reservoir, and average days could produce 16- to 18-inch rainbows and lakers to 24 inches on trolled herring.

Farrington Lake was dishing out a good catch of crappie, said Ron of <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield. Fly rodders were chugging poppers over the brush piles to get a strike. Anglers looking to find largemouth bass were targeting Farrington Lake and Round Valley Reservoir in the early mornings, and the action was mostly finished by 8 a.m., because of harsh, mid-day temps.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Largemouth bass were pulled from the shores of Round Valley Reservoir, especially near the boat launch area, said Sean of <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Senko worms were best baits when rigged wacky-style and twitched slowly. The South Branch of the Raritan River was hot for smallmouth bass, and Matt Swantkowski tossed out live shiners for a good show of the bronzebacks topped off by a whopper, 5-pound 1-ouncer.

Manasquan Reservoir was the place to be, said Roy of <b>L&H Woods & Water</b> in Wall. That’s where largemouth bass were sucking down Senko worms worked around the trees and stump piles. No time of day was best, and the bucketmouths seemed hungry all day long. White perch were crushing crank baits in 7- to 10-foot depths, and yellow perch were grabbing Rapala Countdown minnows and B-Bombers in perch patterns.

Most angling was done in the evenings to avoid the unrelenting sun, said Greg at <b>Brielle Bait & Tackle</b> in Brielle. Mac’s Pond was the spot for largemouth bass and catfish, and both were inhaling nightcrawlers. Forge Pond and Lake Riviera were holding plenty of largemouth bass to 3 pounds that were hitting top-water lures such as Hula Poppers in the dusk hours. Trout anglers were actually finding some action in the Toms River, where the stretch near the Route 9 Bridge was doling out the fish for those casting white Roostertails.

Good lakes for largemouth bass fishing included Carnegie, Prospertown and Rosedale, said Sean at <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> of Robbinsville. The early mornings were producing best, and scumfrogs and Yum plastic frogs cast onto and dragged off the lily pads were getting the most attention from feeding bass. Black and brown were best.

Crappie were aggressive at Farrington Lake, said Carl at the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Small, 1/16-ounce jigs tipped with twister tails scored the most damage, and Rosedale Lake was serving up plenty of largemouth bass on buzz baits, plastic frogs and Jitterbugs. Round Valley Reservoir was a good bet for lake trout, and spoons trolled in the 60-foot depths were putting anglers into lakers to 10 pounds. Live herring were also working well, and the Delaware River offered a steady pick of both catfish and small stripers around the power plant area.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Good catches of crappie and sunfish came from the spillway from Blackwood Lake, said Ed of <b>Creek Keepers</b> of Blackwood. For the most part, simple bobber rigs baited with nightcrawlers, meal worms or garden worms were pulling them in. Grenloch Lake produced a true water wolf of a pickerel: a 6.5-pounder that came into the store this week and was taken on a live shiner.

Malaga Lake was the place for a steady pull of chain pickerel, said Lou of the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Live minnows on a float rig were drawing the strikes, but were also attracting largemouth bass and a few crappie. The local private lakes and campground ponds were holding a mess of panfish in the shallows, and small popper flies and garden worms were hanging the scrappy fighters.

Dawn and dusk were the prime times to look for largemouths, said Steve at <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Sunset Lake and Clark’s Pond held a decent pull of the bucketmouths on Zoom Horny Toads, Zara Spooks and Senkos in black, watermelon and June bug patterns. Malaga Lake was the scene of some crappie concentration, and small jigs tipped with fathead minnows were the best bet to hook up. Panfish were putting up a fuss at Shaw’s Mill Pond, and bluegills there were sucking down nightcrawlers under bobbers. The tidal portion of the Maurice River doled out some bucketmouth activity as well, and crank baits and spinner baits were getting the nod. Delaware River anglers were finding that the lower portion of the river system was hosting a good largemouth bass chew, and flip-n-jigs were the hot ticket.

The Maurice River’s white perch bite was going off the hook, said Ki of <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. The whiteys were chewing on bloodworms and FishBites under floats in the Port Norris area and around the Maurice River Bridge. Catfish ate up dead shiners and dough baits along the bottom of the river, especially during the night.

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