<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

Salmon fishing was just starting to gain momentum, said Jim at <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. The Salmon River was very low, flowing at 100 CFS, when it should be around 180 CFS. But that didn’t stop cohos from trickling into the river’s mouth and the estuary. Most weighed 2 to 8 pounds, but a few 10- to 14-pounders were around. The salmon were pushing up in spurts, until more rains fill up the river and allow more fish to move en masse. Single egg patterns, egg sacks and dodger flies were all working.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

The wild smallmouth bass fishing kept going in the Delaware River, said Bill at <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. One customer fished the New Hope area over the weekend and picked up more than 250 fish in three days on minnows and grubs. Thirty of the fish measured longer than 15 inches. Another customer was fishing the Yardley area on Monday before rains fell and fought more than 50 fish in the 12-inch range, all on minnows. The Treasure Island area was also a top producer, and grubs, spinners and minnows took fish to 16 inches there. Some anglers were drifting the stretch from Frenchtown to Point Pleasant, where one group with four guys picked up more than 100 fish on Saturday. The Bull’s Island area not only gave up smallies but also a few striped bass that began to hit, and one gang of customers reported landing 20 stripers to 18 inches on bloodworms, just below the Stockton Bridge.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

The Passaic River needed more rain to fill up its stretches, but determined pike anglers were plucking fish out, said Adrian at <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. Large spinner baits and large shiners were both working to take the water wolves, though anglers had to be persistent. Lake anglers were heading to Lake Hopatcong to pull on the whole array of largemouth, smallmouth and hybrid striped bass.

Greenwood Lake was hot, said Kevin at <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. Largemouth bass at the lake were blowing up on top-water frogs dragged across the weed beds. Streams were running low in most parts of the state, but anglers fishing the Musconetcong River in the Point Mountain section were pulling on rainbows that grabbed small, bead-headed nymphs and terrestrial patterns in the afternoon hours. Scuds and shrimp patterns would also work well into the fall season here.

The Knee Deep Club held a walleye contest at the lake this weekend, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. The top three places went to Joe Tekula with a 6-pound 5-ounce fish, Carl Plavoet with a 5-pounds 6-ouncer and John Fernandez with a 4-pound 11-ounce ‘eye. Lots of other walleyes were caught that ranged in the 4-pound-plus class and mostly chased live herring. Though not entered in the contest, Roy VanVarick scored a 5-pound 5-ounce marble eye. Hybrid striper anglers were finding fish to 8 pounds that were hitting in the Bertrand Island area, and the brokensiders were sucking down live herring. Both smallmouth and largemouth bass continued to harass herring as well, and some were quality bass reaching 3 pounds that could be found on any given day.

Most anglers were heading to Lake Hopatcong to do battle with hybrid stripers, said Tom at <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. Nighttime was the right time off the points, and shiners and herring hooked the bass from 8 p.m. till 3 a.m. Be sure to bring light sticks to attract herring schools to the boat during the night.

Lake Hopatcong put out plenty of largemouth and smallmouth action, said Chris at <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. The T-N-T Classic Tournament posted up a 4.1-pound smallie to win the event. Bass were hitting on Senkos and Jig-n-Pig combos worked around weeds that were off the shoreline. Northern pike became more aggressive along the South Branch of the Raritan River, because crystal-clear water conditions moved in. Live shiners and large crank baits were finding pike in the Clinton stretch.

Trout fishing picked up since the cooling temps set in, said Ron at <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield. Spruce Run Creek gave up 10 brown and rainbow trout from 8 to 12 inches for a fly caster tossing size-14 H&L dry flies. Anglers should be ready to bag a bunch of trout from the shoreline of Round Valley Reservoir as the rainbows start to cruise the shallows and rocky points by this point in the season. Fly fishers should be throwing wooly buggers, and spin casters should concentrate on chucking Mepps spinners and Rapala crank baits in silver and black.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Chimney Rock Reservoir looked very clean and fishable, said Ron at <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. He cast out Muddler Minnows there to score a few largemouth bass. Round Valley Reservoir anglers should be on the rainbows any day now, and salmon eggs and spinners will work from the banks of the boat launch and park entrance areas. The shop will host a book signing by renowned fly tyer Charlie Meck at 6:30 p.m. this coming Tuesday, and be sure to stop by and get a few pointers.

Customers were getting excited for trout to start biting again, said Mickey at <b>L&H Woods & Water</b> in Wall. Spring Lake should be giving up action in the coming days, and salmon eggs and nightcrawlers cast far and fished under bobbers will work well. Roostertails and small crank baits should also be in the toolbox.

Pickerel were on a feed in the Trilco section of the Toms River, especially toward the underpass of the Parkway, said Dennis at <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Spinners and live shiners connected with the little snakes. Lake Riviera was giving up a good number of picks, along with a few largemouth bass and crappies. The key to fish the lake was to cast about 10 feet off the banks where there’s a 14-foot channel just within reach, where the largemouths were hunkering down. Kayakers were fishing the back of Forge Pond to tie up with white perch, pickerel and largemouths on live shiners.

As cooler air temps moved in, anglers were aggressively hitting the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area lakes for largemouths, said Frank at <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> of Robbinsville. The good news was that the prevalent algae blooms were beginning to break up with the cooler weather, making the lakes much more open and fishable. Try using top waters in the mornings and Senkos and crank baits once the sun comes up.

A monster smallmouth bass blitz was tearing up the Delaware River, said Carl at the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. The stretch from Upper Black Eddy to Trenton was on fire with the bronzebacks to 5 pounds. Zara spooks were working in the mornings, and after sunup the action was switching to Yozuri Pin’s Minnows. Chris Gatley and his charter scored more than 50 smallies, including a good show of 3- and 4-pounders. A recent kid’s fishing tournament at some Lawrenceville ponds had children bringing in plenty of small largemouth bass and bluegills.

<b>South Jersey</b>

With fall-like air temps, lake fishing picked up a bit, said Ed at <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. New Brooklyn Lake was doling out chain pickerel on a regular basis for those livelining shiners. Newton Creek pumped out a few largemouth bass and catfish. One angler fishing Grenloch Lake managed to boat a trout on a live shiner, meaning the trout might be getting the feedbag on again. The spillway at Blackwood Lake provided plenty of fun for kids fishing for sunfish and small largemouth bass.

The 22nd Annual Kid’s Fishing Tournament took place at Wilson Lake, said Lou at <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. More than 80 kids took part to hook a wide selection of yellow perch, largemouth bass, pickerel and sunfish. High hook racked up four bass, and most kids used nightcrawlers and shiners for bait. So the children exhibited a good cross-section of what can be caught in the lake now.

Cooling air temps put largemouths on the chew at Parvin Lake, said Steve at <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland, and crank baits and spinner baits plucked bigmouths from the waters. Davis Mill Pond began to produce, and shad-colored and blue/chrome crank baits got attention. Pickerel were becoming active in local ponds, and in-line spinners and jerk baits were drawing strikes.

Anglers on the Maurice River should start seeing striped bass moving in and getting hungry, said Ki at <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. As the water temps cool, bloodworms will be the top producer to bag a linesider on the higher tides. But in the meantime, white perch and catfish were the main fare at the present moment.

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