<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river kept running very low at 100 CFS, but kings were hitting with intensity from the ballpark section downwards, said Eric at <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski. The salmon were a good mix of 8- to 15-pounders, and lots of 15- to 25-pound fish were starting to move in. Mornings were best, and pink egg sacks were the hot bait of the week. The area awaited significant rainfall to allow the kings to really invade the river system.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Smallmouth bass fishing was still the top billing on the Delaware River, said Bill at <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. But strong winds made it a bit tougher to fish. Bill and wife Helen boated 36 smallies, including a dozen between 14 and 18 inches, along with nine catfish from 1 to 3 pounds while casting Senkos in watermelon and cinnamon colors. One customer was wading in the Treasure Island area, tossing live minnows, and pulling in roughly 200 smallmouths over the weekend, and the larger ones hit smoke and cotton-candy colored grubs. Another was out early in the week, fishing the main river south of the Walt Whitman Bridge, and he picked 11 smallies to 3-1/2 pounds that smacked chrome Rat-L-Traps. Another angler and his son were out Tuesday, fishing Dredge Harbor to catch some bass, but they also grabbed 27 crappies to 14 inches, and 2-inch slider grubs were the ticket.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

</b>North Jersey</b>

Fishing was much better in the last week or so, said Bill at <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. Smaller smallmouths and smaller walleye were on a very good bite in the Delaware River, and quite a few trout were also taken in the local streams. On the Big D, Ralph Griffin claimed a 4-pound 2-ounce smallmouth, and Paul Simons lifted out a 5-pound 5-ounce walleye. John Lecause fished the river and scored a 21-pound striped bass, and Randy Mink bagged a 7-pound 9-ounce Delaware River channel cat. Mark Laros fished the Musconetcong River and walloped a 3-pound 9-ounce rainbow trout, and Lisa Carter, 10, nailed down a 4-pound 4-ounce smallmouth bass from Merrill Creek Reservoir.

Determined anglers were hunting down northern pike on the stretches of the Passaic River, especially around the Route 46 Bridge, said Adrian of <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. Large live shiners and big spinner baits were finding pike from 5 to 8 pounds, and the water wolves seemed to be getting more active as water temps dropped.

Kayak anglers were hitting Split Rock Reservoir to pull on largemouth bass, said Dom of <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. Senko worms and small, suspending Rapala crank baits were working well to trick bass to 2 pounds. Other bass anglers were concentrating on the coves at Lake Hopatcong to load up.

Hybrid striper fishing seemed to gain more fuel, said Laurie at <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Lots of the brokensiders in the 7- to 8-pound range were caught from Pickerel Point to Sharps Rock and then over to the Yacht Club on Bertrand’s Island, and live herring were the bait of choice. Bill Condon weighed in an 8-pound 9-ounce hybrid, and Patrick Mack scored with a 9-pound 2-ounce rocket. Folks dropping down herring were also hooking up with walleye in the 3- to 5-pound class along with pickerel, smallmouths and some yellow perch to boot. Lou Marcucci checked in a nice, 3-pound 11-ounce largemouth.

Rivers were ultra-low in the area, said Mark at <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield, so most of his customers were targeting bass at Lake Hopatcong. Still, bass fishing was quiet this past week because of the upcoming full moon, but once it passes the largemouths should be on a tear. Try throwing live shiners or top-water chug bugs to get a strike.

Spruce Run Reservoir and Lake Hopatcong were producing hybrids like crazy, said Chris at <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. Live herring trolled or simply cast out around the rock jetties were getting whacked. Rivers and streams such as the South Branch of the Raritan River and Spruce Run Creek were gin-clear and producing wary brown trout on size-18 or smaller white fly imitations on 1- to 2-pound tippets.

Most of the rivers needed a good dousing of rain to fill them up, said Ron at <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield. But a few fly rodders were picking away at trout during the dawn and dusk hours, casting small terrestrial and streamer patterns into the deeper pools. One angler fished Spruce Run Reservoir and tied into small northern pike and largemouth bass while casting a size-3, silver Mepps spinner.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

The wild, spring-fed trout streams in the northern regions were holding wild brownies, said Ron at <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Size-14 Parachute Adams flies were hooking the scrappy fish. Any wild trout caught should be released, and most times they’re too small to keep anyway. The Delaware and Raritan Canal gave up a 3.5-pound largemouth bass for Wesley Clay on a nightcrawler under a bobber.

Cooling air and water temps will mean that trout season will be right around the corner, said Eric at <b>L&H Woods & Water</b> in Wall. Spots such as the deeper waters of Spring Lake and the Manasquan River should see an increase in trout activity in the upcoming weeks. Power Bait, Roostertails and Phoebe lures will be best bets to get a trout to strike. Pickerel could be found on a daily basis at Deal Lake, where weedless frogs and worms will work to get them to attack from under the weed beds.

Weeds in local ponds and lakes were beginning to clear up, said Jim at <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. That allowed more anglers to catch better quantities of largemouth bass. Johnson’s Pond at Ocean County College offered a good show of chain pickerel and largemouths during the twilight hours on shiners and fat nightcrawlers.

Freshwater action was electric lately, said Ryan at <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Lots of lunker bucketmouths were reported caught at Gropp’s Lake, and gold-flaked Yum Dingers and Venom Too-Wackee Craws in black and blue colors fished wacky style and worked down slowly and deeply in the water column were fooling 5- and 6-pound bass. Line Road at Lake Mercer was the hot spot to tie into a mess of crappie, and pink and white curly grubs will hook the slabs. Allentown Lake gave up a quality pickerel presence, and chrome Snap Beans were getting solid strikes. Word had it that more short stripers were now showing up in the Delaware River, so larger ones weren’t too far behind.

Smallmouth bass were the talk of the town, said Carl at the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. The Delaware River was red hot for smallies, and Joe Kasper tallied up 38 bronzebacks on blue and chrome Pin’s Minnows. Other anglers were heading to Neshaminy Creek to cast small poppers and find smallmouths to 4 pounds.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Everybody was targeting pickerel, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Atsion Lake put out solid action on live shiners, and New Brooklyn Lake was also holding the picks very well. Bank anglers hitting New Brooklyn were also tying into a good number of catfish as they tried for the picks.

Water temps cooled enough to get largemouths going again, said Lou at the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Malaga Lake and Parvin Lake could produce some decent bucketmouths that chased small poppers and Rapala crank baits reeled in just under the water surface. Look for the bass to really get active in the upcoming several weeks.

Largemouth bass should get on the feed now that the waters were cooling down, said Jeff from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Spots such as Daretown Lake, Parvin Lake and Cedarville Lake were a good bet to try to tackle a lunker.

Sporadic shots of short stripers were pushing through the Maurice River, said Ki of <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. But anglers were waiting for the fall run of linesiders that should begin moving with more intensity on the waning full moon starting this week. In meantime, bank anglers were hooking into white perch and catfish in the river, and bloodworms were best baits for the whiteys, and cut bunker or dead herring were the key to the catties.

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