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<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

The Delaware River was up to its excellent fishing standards, said Bill at <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. The area near the Stockton Bridge gave up a mess of smallies, catfish, stripers and white perch on minnows drifted on a size-2 hook with no split shot under bobbers. One customer bailed more than 50 smallmouths to 15 inches, 8 stripers to 18 inches, 14 catfish to 2 pounds and 4 good-sized white perch. Another angler fished the Point Pleasant stretch and picked up more than 50 fish Saturday and did much better Sunday, including catching several smallmouths from 14 to 18 inches.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Fishing was very good, said Bill of <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg, and the Delaware River and Merrill Creek Reservoir were shining spots. From the Big D, Chris Farley Jr., 7, landed a 2-pound 9-ounce channel cat, and Jamie Sinko released a 6-pound 12-ounce northern pike. Ronald Sigafose also fished the river for a 4-pound 10-ounce tiger trout. At Merrill Creek Jim Stout scored a 7-pound 2-ounce lake trout, and Margo Rumfield reeled in a 4-pound 3-ounce smallmouth bass.

Anglers were a bit tight-lipped, but a decent northern pike bite was going on at the Passaic River, said Adrian at <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. The pump station off Fairfield Road and the Little Falls stretch were solid with activity on white spinner baits dragged across the surface. Large carp from 6 to 15 pounds were taken in the Little Falls area on Uncle Josh carp bait balls.

A sustained walleye fishery was in store for anglers hitting Greenwood Lake, said Kevin at <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. The walleyes were chasing suspended Husky Jerk plugs, mainly in rainbow color, that were cast over the weed beds, and yellow perch were sometimes in the mix. Also on Greenwood Lake, largemouth bass were biting around the deep-water docks in the 8- to 12-foot depths, going after Senko worms and jig-n-pig combos.

Stripers were biting, and none was super big, but many weighed 3 to 5 pounds, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. They were hitting herring off the points and drop-offs in 20 to 25 feet of water.  A few walleyes in the 4-pound range were taken over the weekend, and were mainly boated on herring and nightcrawlers. Lots of crappie and bass action was on tap, and Stan Stelmack bagged a 3-pound 12-ounce largemouth, and Lou Marcucci checked in a 3-pound 9-ounce smallmouth. Other determined anglers were trolling for muskies along the weed lines, using big plugs and spinner baits dragged across the surface.

Wanaque Reservoir was the hottest ticket, said Steve at <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. The deeper waters held quality largemouths and smallmouths, and Nick Banningo cast out small 2- to 3-inch tube-baits rigged Texas style to land a bunch of bass. The key to success was to use weighted presentations to get to the bottom, where bass were hunkering down to keep cool from the beating heat of the mid-day sun.

Bass fishing cooled off in the South Branch of the Raritan, because the summertime heat made the bite sluggish, said Chris of <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. But that meant anglers just had to work harder. Senkos in watermelon and black-and-red connected with a half-dozen largemouth bass to 3 pounds for Kelly Herlihy, who also took four smallmouth bass to 3 1/2 pounds on the baits. A few crappie were found at the stick piles on the Clinton stretch of the Raritan, where the slabs grabbed chartreuse marabou jigs. Hybrid striper action was now mostly nocturnal at Spruce Run Reservoir, and live herring trolled in 8 to 12 feet were working off Camper’s Point to put a few of the brokensiders in the boat.

Trout anglers began to land a few rainbows willing to bite in the Big Flatbrook, said Ron from <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield. A size-18 pheasant tail nymph was the fly of choice, and most trouters were releasing their catches back into the deepwater pools, and early morning sessions were best.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

The Mount Hope pond was a good spot to find plenty of sunfish and a few largemouth bass on popper flies, said Jim from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. But recent rains brought out hordes of water snakes on the pond, scaring off many anglers! Ken Lockwood Gorge was giving up the only trout news, and small nymphs were scoring rainbows there. On the Duke’s section of the D&R Canal, smallmouth bass were chasing down Rebel crawfish lures as well as red and black Senkos. The Millstone River was a hotbed for bronzebacks.

Largemouth bass could be fought in the late evenings on top-waters, said Eric at <b>L&H Woods & Water</b> in Wall. Manasquan Reservoir, Spring Lake, Old Mill Pond and Wreck Pond doled out bucketmouths, but they seemed to be a bit more sluggish, so a slower presentation with lures was in order. New freshwater lures hit the shelves this past week, including the River to Sea line of plugs that includes a dragonfly imitation that will work well for largemouth bass feeding on the surface.

Lake Como saw yellow perch and largemouth bass give up a bite, said Greg at <b>Brielle Bait & Tackle</b>.  Both species ate up live shiners fished under bobbers. Manasquan Reservoir’s docks held bucketmouths tight to the pilings in the 10-foot depths, and black Senkos rigged wacky-style and drop-shotted around the pilings were scoring. Deal Lake put out its fair share of largemouth activity, and early mornings were prime time.

The Delaware River was stacked with a variety of fish, said Frank at <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> of Robbinsville. One bowfisherman found that out while hitting the Lambertville stretch. He turned on the flashlight at night and witnessed thousands of catfish, walleye, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, small stripers and shad in the shallow, 4-foot depths, and the fish were lining up like a buffet line, feeding on some unknown type of bait under the cloak of darkness. Anglers should turn to fishing the river at night to see what comes up.

Chain pickerel went off at Prospertown Lake, said Carl at the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown, and the picks attacked top-water poppers and Spittin’ Image lures. The Delaware River north of Lambertville was loaded with smallmouth bass chasing 2-inch tubes, and Lake Mercer and Carnegie Lake both put out largemouth bass on Yum Dingers fished over the grass beds in the early mornings. Panfish at those lakes were inhaling Trout Magnet lures.

<b>South Jersey</b>

The annual catfish tournament was held at <b>Creek Keepers</b> of Blackwood and was a success, Ed said. A 19-pound flathead was the heaviest cat and was taken from the Delaware River by Hakin Smith. Second place went to Joe Tropea with an 11.6-pound channel cat from the Big D, and third place went to Ed Ott with his 9.7-pound channel, also taken from the Delaware. Lots of 3- to 5-pound catties also came in. Blackwood Lake continued to dish out largemouth bass for anglers livelining shiners, and New Brooklyn Lake was providing a steady pickerel chew.

The best activity seemed to be with chain pickerel in the lakes, said Lou at the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Malaga Lake and Parvin’s Lake both produced the duckbills on live shiners, small crank baits and spinners. The pickerel were biting all day long, but bass anglers should focus on the pre-dawn and dusk hours to get a strike, because the bass were moving and actively feeding in the cooler hours.

It’s an early morning and late evening deal for largemouth bass, said Steve at <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Daretown Lake, Malaga Lake, Parvin’s Lake and the tidal portion of the Maurice River were all prime-time areas to hit. Top-water frogs, Senkos and Berkeley Power Worms were the top attractions. Catfish held aggressive in the Maurice River and the Cohansey River, picking up stink baits fished along the river bottoms.

Anglers were targeting 3- to 5-pound catfish that swam the Maurice River, said Ki of <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. Lots of the whiskerfaces were sucking down dead herring and stink baits. White perch gave anglers plenty to do on the Maurice as well, and bloodworms or FishBites sent out underneath a bobber nabbed most of the whiteys.

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