<b>NEW YORK</b>

<b>Salmon River</b>

The river ran at a steady 500 CFS, said Eric at <b>All Seasons Sports</b> in Pulaski, and was 34 to 35 degrees. So the best steelhead fishing seemed to happen in the milder, mid-morning hours, when the sun was up for a good two hours or so. Four to six fish in the 6- to 8-pound class was the average per angler per trip, but some bruiser 12-pound steelies were around. Egg sacks in blue, white and chartreuse worked well, and so did stoneflies in sizes 10 to 14 and glow bugs. Try the upriver sections around Altmar for the best opportunities.

Anglers with <b>High Hook Guide Service</b> mostly fished the upper river for steelheads, but the whole Salmon held the fish, Bill Ferman said. Not too many brown trout were around, but a few rainbows were. Fishing on the creeks was possible but not ideal, because rains somewhat flooded them. But slush that formed in the mornings on the creeks during the last cold spell was no longer a problem, and days were relatively warm. Four or five inches of snow covered the ground farther inland, like around Altmar, and less covered the area closer to Lake Ontario. Spin casters threw natural or imitation egg sacks, and Bill prefers pink or blue, but chartreuse will also work. Fly-rodders favored stoneflies. The river ran at 500 CFS, good conditions for fishing. Steelhead angling lasts all winter on Lake Ontario’s tributaries, as the fish spend the season there before spawning in spring. Rainbows, the freshwater version of sea-run steelheads, do the same, but fewer rainbows are stocked. Brown trout move up the rivers in fall a short time to spawn, and that run was coming to an end this year. All the fish are stocked, but the Salmon River and other tributaries have become a world-class fishery for all the species, and also for salmon earlier in fall. High Hook both wades and drift-boats for salmon, steelheads and trophy brown and rainbow trout with both spinning gear and fly rods.

<b>SAS Guide Service</b> took a drive Saturday to check out the Lake Ontario tributaries between Sodus and Buffalo, and occasional brown trout and rainbow trout were banked, but the fishing was spotty, Paul Auguscinki said. But on the Salmon River on Thursday and Friday a mix of streelheads and brown trout turned out decent catches for his trips. On Sunday, after the trip to the other tributaries, SAS found fishing tough on the Salmon, for whatever reasons, maybe because of angling pressure and 34-degree waters that might’ve made the fish lethargic. SAS fished the middle part of the river to avoid crowds, and most anglers concentrated on the stretches at Altmar, the 81 Hole and the lower river. SAS Guide Service spin fishes for salmon, steelheads and trophy trout on wade and drift-boat trips, and enjoys teaching anglers the techniques that will help them learn how to hook up themselves, in hopes they can return on their own to catch.

<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

December’s trout stockings will have anglers heading to Levittown Lake and Core Creek in the next few weeks, said Carl from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. Cold, ideal temperatures for trout will also push freshwater anglers toward the fishing. The Delaware River still produced catches. Walleyes were waffled in the Point Pleasant area, and yellow perch and a few scattered largemouth bass hit at Dredge Harbor on grubs and small jigs.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Trout were on the feed in the Musconetcong and Pequest rivers, and smallmouth bass should be willing to wrap their lips around crank baits at Merrill Creek Reservoir, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. Try Rapala Countdowns in gold with black backs.

Recent trout stockings kept customers busy, said Adrian from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. Barber’s Pond and Verona Park Lake were loaded with the fish, and nightcrawlers, salmon eggs and Power Baits bought strikes.

The Denville stretch of the Rockaway River, especially near the hospital, gave up decent trout action, said Dom from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. Water levels were perfect, and garden worms floated downstream along the bottom got inhaled.

Walleyes were the main attraction on the lake, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Plenty of 4- to 6-pound marble eyes came up for anglers who deep-jigged with ice-fishing Rapalas and Mister Twisters off Nolan’s Point, Elba Point and Chestnut Point. Shiners sent down in the shallower areas also got whacked, both by walleyes and hybrid striped bass to 6 pounds. A 9-pound 12-ounce walleye was the biggest weigh-in this past week.

The Musconetcong River was the hot spot for trout, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. He scored a limit of the fish while drifting salted minnows in the currents, using no weight, twitching the bait as it flowed downstream.

Shoreline trouters at Round Valley Reservoir kept pulling out rainbows from the boat launch area, said Chris from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. Early mornings offered more strikes than daytimes, and Power Baits in pink or yellow floated just off the bottom were the best presentation. Trout also gathered in the deeper pools of the South Branch of the Raritan River, and small, bead-headed nymphs got sucked in during mornings. Try fishing a tandem rig with the nymphs for a better shot at hooking up.

A trip to Ken Lockwood Gorge served up a healthy catch of rainbow and brown trout, lots more rainbows, on a little of everything—nymphs, midges, streamers and a few on dry flies—last week, said Bill Hoffman from <b>Skylands Angler</b> from Clinton. So it was great to connect with each type of fly. Size-18 midges and sizes-12 to -16, bead-headed, hare’s ears nymphs hooked up. The types of streamers didn’t really matter, but the color did. Dark colors like purple worked well this season. Bill wasn’t asked what types of dry flies were cast. Leaders in size 5X were fished, and anglers could probably get away with a little heavier. Short leaders with the streamers did the trick fine. This time of year brings on some ideal conditions for trout fishing, including cold waters the fish prefer, less lethargic fish than in warm waters and less fishing pressure that makes the trout less spooky. Skylands Angler guides fly-fishing trips on the trout streams of western New Jersey, namely the Musconetcong and Pequest rivers and Ken Lockwood Gorge on the South Branch of the Raritan River. Bill aims to teach anglers, whether beginners or advanced, how to fish the rivers, even so they can come back and catch on their own. That includes fly selection, how to fish the flies, casting lessons and all aspects. He’s also available for trips for other fish like largemouth bass, if anglers want to fly rod for them. Skylands Angler fishes all year long, including in winter for trout.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Trout anglers creamed rainbows on the Pequest River, said Mike at <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Fly casters found fish with size-20, gold-ribbed hare’s ears and size-20, dun midges from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Most fish ranged 15 to 17 inches, and remember that a 15-inch minimum size and one fish is the bag limit for trout on the artificial-only stretch between the two bridges. Catch the shop’s Grand Sale on Orvis, Sage and Avet products. Stop in and load up.

Lake Riviera was the best bet around for a tug on the line, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Chain pickerel, a mess of them, sunfish and a few largemouths swam the waters. The picks and bucketmouths crashed Mepps in-line spinners and Rapala crank baits. Also look to the Trilco stretch of the Toms River for solid fishing for the chainsiders.

Crappies were really on a tear, said Sean at <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in  Robbinsville. The Assunpink Wildlife Management Area Lakes and Gropp’s Lake doled out double-digit catches on tiny, 1/16- to 1/32-ounce jigs tipped with white or yellow Mister Twister grubs. Look for crappie fishing to keep improving so long as skim ice stays off the lakes.

Chain pickerel were the bulk of the catches on lakes, said Tony from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. The Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area lakes were a hopping spot to tie into the water wolves. Picks were also latched into with consistency at Lake Mercer, and a few largemouth bass chased down shiners there. Rising Sun Lake put out a fair number of largemouth bass that also ate up shiners. Respectable catches of crappies could be pinned down at Carnegie Lake on small hair jigs and grub tails.

<b>South Jersey</b>

A few bigmouth bass could be cornered during mid afternoons when the sun was high, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. Wilson Lake, Greenwich Lake and Stewart Lake were productive, and killies and shiners put a bend in the rod. The chew was slow, but the bass were still around to play with. Winds and rough weather kept most from angling the Delaware River, and that often becomes the story at this time of year.

Trout action seemed alright at Mullica Hill Pond, said Lou from the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. A few customers repeatedly bought up garden worms to head to the pond for keeper rainbows.

Pickerel fishing was the hottest ticket at this time of year, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland. Sunset Lake, Cumberland Pond and the Menantico sandwash ponds all held quality, 1- to 3-pound picks hitting shiners and suspended jerk baits. Occasional largemouth bass rapped crank baits, and Malaga Lake and Mary Elmer Lake were the two top choices to try. Trout casters played with leftover breeders at Iona Lake, Mary Elmer Lake and the Maurice River on Power Baits.

Striped bass most definitely hung out in the Maurice River, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. The weather or time of year might keep anglers scarcer than at other times, but if anyone’s looking to head out, this is a place that deserves attention. Bloodworms or bunker chunks produced fish, and white perch also schooled the river, and frozen grass shrimp was a favorite choice.

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