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<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

The upper Delaware River kept giving up smallmouth bass, said Bill of <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. One customer fished the Frenchtown section to catch 35 smallmouths from 12 to 15 inches on Zoom worms in watermelon. Washington’s Crossing was the scene of even better bronzeback fishing for one angler, who picked up more than 50 fish to 16 inches in a few hours. Some carp fishing was going down at the Frankford Arsenal. Anglers drilled 20- to 30-pounders that inhaled corn meal, corn, bagels and carp baits. Largemouth bass attacked top-water poppers, plastic worms and buzz baits at Dredge Harbor, where evening hours put out bucketmouths to 15 inches.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Fishing was very good all over, and lots of big channel cats were being caught in the Delaware River, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. Barry Hagan nailed a 5-pound 8-ounce cat, and Mike Stires bagged a 5-pounder and a 10-pound 6-ouncer. Ronald Beam landed a 5 pound 6 ouncer, and Jared Kerr checked in a 9-pound 6-ounce cat and a 10-pound 2-ouncer. John Contagna took a 22-pound 4-ounce striped bass from the Big D. Merrill Creek Reservoir served up a 9-pound 2-ounce lake trout for Tom Tharp, and Terry Hoffner wrestled in an 18-pound tiger musky from Oxford Furnace Lake.

Channel cats were also on the prowl in the Passaic River, said Adrian of <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. Nightcrawlers and dead shiners were drawing strikes from channels to 6 pounds all throughout the river. Most local lakes were weeded up, hardly fishable at the moment, but Lake Hopatcong’s largemouth bass were chasing white spinner baits and plastic frogs cast around the weeds.

Smallmouth bass were eating up live shiners at Lake Hopatcong, said Kevin at <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus, and most of the activity took place from evenings through nights. At Monksville Reservoir largemouth bass were smacking Hula Poppers, and the West Branch of the Delaware River was a hot spot to toss small Rapala crank baits for smallmouth bass.

A good number of smallmouth bass were stirring up the lake, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Plenty of 1- to 2-pounders were swallowing herring on a bobber in the 15- to 20-foot depths. Ed Mackin weighed in a 3-pound 5-ounce smallmouth, and hybrid stripers to 8 pounds were also taking live herring off the points in 20 feet. Walleye to 5 pounds were starting to hit again, becoming active during the nighttime hours, striking herring and nightcrawlers. Yellow perch and crappie swarmed the entire lake, inhaling small jigs tipped with fathead minnows.

A few anglers tried to get away from the heat and headed to Black Lake in the Adirondacks, said Steve at <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. The lake was home to smallmouth and largemouth bass, both up to 16 inches, that jumped on Yo-Zuri chug bugs and shallow-diving plugs. On the local scene, Ramapo Lake was holding largemouth bass, and mornings and evenings were the best times to tie into one.

Spruce Run Reservoir was dishing out hybrid stripers during the late evenings, said Chris from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>, and a few brokensiders to 6 pounds were reportedly caught. Smallmouth bass turned on at Lake Hopatcong, aggressively pouncing on Senkos and small crank baits around the points. The Clinton stretch of the South Branch of the Raritan River was the place to find a few crappies and largemouth bass to 3 pounds on Senkos fished along the banks.

Anglers were able to find some trout, said Sean at <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield. The Pequest River became a bit more fishable because of rains, and Wooly Buggers in sizes 10 to 12 were tricking up a few rainbows. Fly casters got into solid crappie fishing at Farrington Lake on emerger patterns in size 12.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Spruce Run Reservoir’s hybrid striper fishing was the talk of the week, said Jim at <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Anglers who trolled herring in the 10- to 12-foot depths were hooking up from the evenings through nighttime. One customer reported livelining a yellow perch to take a quality northern pike at Spruce. Otto Gisele fished the South Branch of the Raritan and tied into a whopper, 5.5-pound smallmouth bass.

Largemouth bass and yellow perch could be reeled in from Lake Riviera at dusk, said Greg at <b>Brielle Bait & Tackle</b>. Killies or small shiners fished either on a free line or under a bobber worked best. The Asbury Park side of Deal Lake held decent chain pickerel that sucked down nightcrawlers and crappie that were going after small hair jigs tipped with curly tailed grubs.

Fairly heavy action with largemouth bass took place at Lake Assunpink, said A.J. at <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> of Robbinsville. One kayaker cast tiny, top-water poppers and scored 2- to 3-pound bucketmouths from 8 a.m. until noon near the launch ramp. Dam Site 19 on the big lake was a magnet for carp anglers who threw corn and dough baits to tie into quality beasts to 10 pounds during the evenings. The Lambertville stretch of the Delaware River was home to loads of smallmouth bass that hit best on Yozuri Pin’s Minnows.

Smallmouth bass fishing was going strong in the Delaware River, said Bob at the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Yum and Zoom grubs were hanging the fish, and so were Rebel and Rapala crank baits. Mercer Lake was a spot for nice muskie fishing, and largemouth bass anglers were finding lots of action at Prospertown Lake and Assunpink Lake during the heat of the day. But anglers should go deep down and drop rubber worms along the bottom, where the waters are cooler.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Blackwood Lake was the most heavily fished place of the week, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Yellow perch were the main attraction, but a few largemouth bass showed up, and both species were hitting live shiners. Panfish anglers had fun while tossing garden worms, pulling sunfish and bluegills from the spillway.

It was mostly a take-your-kids fishing mindset, said Lou at the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Kids were having a ball fishing Malaga Lake and Franklinville Lake, floating nightcrawlers on bobbers to hook a mixed bag of small largemouth bass, yellow perch and plenty of panfish. Anglers eagerly waited for rains to fill in many of the lakes that dropped pretty low in recent weeks.

Lake levels were falling, and many anglers were concentrating on hitting the rivers and canals, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. The Salem Canal gave up a bunch of bucketmouths for anglers casting flippin’ jigs. The tidal portion of the Delaware River produced largemouth activity, and white spinner baits worked well. In the tidal stretch of the Maurice River, bass were hounding rubber worms and buzz baits ripped across the surface.

Catfish action really got rolling in the Maurice River, said Ki of <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. Anglers were sending dead herring or shiners along the river bottom on circle hooks and egg sinker rigs to allow the cats to take the bait and run with it before the hook was set. Channels to 6 pounds were hitting the scales. There was still a mild white perch bite throughout the river, and bloodworms were taking the slabs.

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