<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

The Delaware River’s smallmouth bass fishing was really off the hook, said Bill at <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. With dirtier water moving in from rainfalls, white Zoom grubs worked well for Bill himself to grab 50 smallies to 16 inches long. Berkeley power grubs in both cotton candy and smoke also worked. Most of the bronzebacks were ranging 8 to 12 inches, but larger ones to 18 inches could be found. The area in the fast water under the Route 202 Bridge at Byram was also a hot spot, and so were the underwater ledges above Point Pleasant. Yesterday was a banner day for two customers who cast watermelon-colored grubs and tallied up more than 100 smallmouths during a full day of fishing.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

High water temps made bass fishing sluggish, said Bill of <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg, but the warmth sparked a catfish bite in the Delaware River. Several Delaware catties were weighed in, including a 7-pound 12-ounce channel cat that Jordan Mann tackled, a 7-pound 3-ounce flathead that Teddy Slack hooked, and an 8-pound channel that Lincoln Powell claimed. Kyle Roberts also showed off a 25-pound 5-ounce striped bass he pulled from the Delaware.

Stream levels were on the rise because of the rains, said Adrian from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville, and that’s good news for trout fishers. Delaware River anglers were big time on the smallmouths and also small striped bass up into the Water Gap area, and small Rapala crankbaits  took both species. Kayakers who hit Split Rock Reservoir scored well on largemouth bass while trolling small crankbaits in open water or casting to the weeds with weedless frogs.

Lake Hopatcong gave up the most action with smallmouth and largemouth bass, said Kevin at <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. Senko worms and Rapalas were connecting, and the rains helped fly casters have better luck while trout fishing in the Pequest, because of rising water levels. Trout anglers will now be back on the rivers again, and the best bet was to toss Trico patterns, bead-headed nymphs and terrestrial patterns.

A mix of stripers, smallies and lots of crappie were the catch, said Laurie at <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. The way to go for crappie was to send out live herring or cast small jigheads tipped with a Fin-S Fish. Waters from 15 to 20 feet were the productive depths, and rock piles were holding most of the action. The best way to liveline herring was to use a slip bobber that suspended the bait 12 feet down.

Greenwood Lake put out largemouth bass for anglers casting around the weeded areas, said Steve at <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. The rainstorms cooled water temps in the streams, turning on a trout bite.

Fly anglers were happy that stream levels were rising, said Chris at <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. In the upcoming weeks they should see trout going after size-14 bead-headed nymphs in the South Branch of the Raritan River. Catfishers were pulling on the whiskerfaces at Spruce Run Reservoir, especially around the Spruce Run River inflow. Hybrid striper fishing was hit or miss in the evenings, but when found they were feeding on the surface, and top-water poppers were the way to go for explosive strikes.

Cooling rains put trout fishing in the limelight, said Ron at <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield. Both mornings and evenings were producing nice rainbows to 15 inches in the hatchery stretch of the Pequest River. Best flies there were size-14 Hare’s Ear nymphs. The Toms River special region was holding brook trout to 12 inches that bit size-10 Mickey Finn streamers. Spruce Run Reservoir was the spot for fly rodders throwing size-10, orange poppers to play with bluegills and sunfish during the daytime.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

The North Branch of the Raritan River and the Lamington River proved spectacular spots to angle for smallmouth bass, said Jim at <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Lil’ Joe poppers in olive, black and orange-tiger-striped patterns were fooling the smallies during evening hour sessions. On Spruce Run Reservoir channel catfish were caught on dead shiners fished off the dirt jetty where Spruce Run Creek enters the impoundment.

Nightcrawlers were flying out the door, said Eric at <b>L&H Woods & Water</b> in Wall. Most customers were heading to Lake Osborn to pick up chain pickerel and largemouth bass. Rains made the lakes pretty muddy, meaning float rigs were making baits easier to see when dropping the worms on the bottom. The store is now carrying the super-hot Dragonfly poppers that River to Sea makes. These imitations are candy for top-water-feeding largemouths.

Lake Riviera was serving up a mess of largemouth bass and chain pickerel for anglers livelining killies. said Jeff at <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. The Toms River itself was home to chain pickerel that chewed best on live killies. Largemouth bass were sometimes biting in the Manasquan Reservoir, and Senko worms fished around the logs and sticks were the top method to hook up.

Largemouth bass fishers were concentrating on the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes, said Sean at <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> of Robbinsville. Yum Dingers in watermelon or green pumpkin were getting attention around the edges of the lakes. Catfish were hungry in the Delaware River, and channel cats to 10 pounds were reportedly eating up stink baits and dead herring around the Trenton area.

The Delaware River was smokin’ for smallies from Frenchtown to Trenton, said Carl at the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Fly casters were dropping in Wooly Buggers and streamer patterns, and spin casters had luck throwing Rebel crawfish and Rapala Countdowns in gold with black backs, and some quality smallies to 6 pounds were coming up. A largemouth bass fishery was going on at Manasquan Reservoir, and jigs were scoring well when cast around the timberwood. Try using a trailer hook with a small grubtail for even more hookups.

<b>South Jersey</b>

New Brooklyn Lake was the pickerel place to be, said Ed at <b>Creek Keepers</b> of Blackwood. Medium shiners simply cast out under a bobber were all that were needed. Rainstorms were filling lakes to normal levels and were also giving lakes a much needed cool down, so area largemouth bass may become active this week.

Wilson Lake was hopping with largemouth bass, said Lou at the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Larger, 3- to 5-pound specimens were the fare for fishermen casting Mann’s Minus-1 plugs in chartreuse. Lots of large shiners and nightcrawlers were sold, and that could be a sign that bass were starting to become more active in the cooler late summer.

The tidal portion of the Maurice River was a place to catch largemouth bass, said Steve of <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland, and jigs and Senko worms were the most productive. A showing of small striped bass were also in the mix in the Maurice, and they were more apt to hit crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps. The Crystal Sandwash was producing largemouth bass as well, but the ticket there was to go deep in the water column, working 4-inch Fin-S Fish on leadheads right off the bottom.

Catfish put a bend in rods on the Maurice River, said Ki of <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. Stink baits were the No. 1 choice and white perch were on the feed again, and although it wasn’t back-to-back action, the ones being caught were real bruisers. The big whiteys were inhaling grass shrimp and bloodworms mainly on the higher tides.

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