<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

Waters were low and clear on the Delaware River, making for good wading, and several customers reeled in 12- to 15-inch smallmouth bass and short striped bass in the Yardley area, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. Both species hit fathead minnows and white grubs. The Bull's Island area also produced decent numbers of smallmouths, and one customer loaded up on 35 of the bronzebacks to 15 inches, four stripers and plenty of catfish while casting fatheads and grubs. The stretch at the mouth of the Tohickon was another smallie spot, and one angler who fished there picked up 17 of the bass over three mornings, all on smoke-colored Berkley Power Tails.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Large stripers still got pulled from the Delaware River, and so did big carp, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. Tim Nolf fished live herring to land a 16-pound 5-ounce striper, and Jerry Jones tangled with a whopper, 25-pound 5-ounce linesider. Ronald Bryson hauled in a 15-pound 12-ounce carp that scarfed down carp bait. Trout fishing was a bit quiet in torrid water temps, but Charles Wydman tricked up a 3-pound 6-ounce rainbow trout from the Musconetcong River. Look to trout fish after rainstorms, when the fish will be on the feed.

The Passaic River was a little murky from rains, but anglers still banked a few carp on strawberry carp bait, said Adrian from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. Most anglers, however, headed to Lake Hopatcong to hook into pickerel and largemouth bass, mainly on live shiners, rubber worms, Senkos and chartreuse spinner baits. They could also find plenty of trout at local streams such as the Flatbrook, and Power Bait attracted strikes.

Trout fishers fared better after rainstorms, when the days cooled, said Kevin from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. Sizes 18 to 20 sulfur flies worked well in the evenings to hang some. Greenwood Lake offered fairly decent largemouth fishing, but Lake Hopatcong’s fishing was more consistent. Live herring swum there not only took bucketmouths but hybrid bass as well. From 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. was best for hybrid fishing, and although herring scored, the fish could also be caught on Zara Spooks and other popper-type lures.

Walleyes were the happening species on the lake, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Live herring fooled a bevy of marble-eyes to 7 pounds. For nuts and bolts proof, Tommy Fernandez nailed a 7-pound 4-ouncer, Jason Cummins a 5-pound 15-ouncer, Jim Archambault a 4-pound 14-ouncer, Donald Dunne a 4-pound 7-ouncer, Tony Farina a 4-pound 6-ouncer and Lou Marcucci a 4-pound 4-ouncer. Although action centered around walleyes, hybrids striped bass also chased live herring, and monster channel cats were also caught. Marion Glowala weighed in a 16-pound 2-ounce channel kitty. Tom Foley rounded out the varied catches with a 28-pound 47-inch muskellunge he boated while trolling! Hopatcong was hot!

The Highlands Lakes put out outstanding largemouth bass fishing, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. Al fished the waters himself, and Senkos in green pumpkin were the ticket to bail 18 largemouths to 5 pounds and six smallmouths, all before 10 a.m. Lake Hopatcong gave up bigmouths to 3 ½ pounds, especially around the River Styx area. Trout anglers found luck on the Ramapo River, with rainbows hitting salmon eggs drifted along the bottom with a size-BB split shot.

Smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing were best bets, said Chris from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. The bronzebacks inhaled hellgrammites on the South Branch of the Raritan River, and the bucketmouths hounded top-water poppers at Spruce Run Reservoir. At Spruce, hybrid striper fishing was on the rebound after the full moon, and live herring got whacked. Good crappie fishing was on tap at the coves, but the slabs were spread out, and anglers had to put in the time to find the schools. Chris fished the South Branch and cast a mulberry fly to tussle with a 15-pound carp. Eels, cats and snapping turtles were also hooked from the river at night on dead bait.

Trout action was centered on the pre-breakfast and post-dinner hours, said Ron from <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield. With thunderstorms happening almost every day, ant and beetle patterns in size-16 worked well, with the rains washing the terrestrials into the waters. Farrington Lake was a decent spot to locate largemouth bass that chased down top-water poppers in the early mornings.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Most customers hit the Delaware River, said Nick from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Earthworms took hybrid stripers and catfish in the Trenton area. At Round Valley Reservoir, largemouth bass sucked down nightcrawlers at the coves, and the key was to fish them 3 feet under a float. At Spruce Run, a few hybrids attacked Kastmaster spoons tossed out from the boat launch area during the evenings.

Largemouth bass and pickerel fishing was consistent through the week, said Jeff from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Lake Riviera, the Trilco stretch of the Toms River and the Winding River were hot spots. Jeff fished the Winding with killies and Baby Bass Green Senkos, nabbing bucketmouths to 5 pounds. Lester’s Lake also served up bass and picks but also catfish that Hoovered nightcrawlers from the bottom. Largmouth fishing should be picking up on Manasquan Reservoir, and anglers should focus on the stump fields and rock piles near the spillout area, where the bass should actively grab Texas-rigged Senkos.

A summertime bass-fishing pattern set in, said Eric from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. It was a top-water thing in the mornings and evenings, and Senkos worked best during sunup. Lake Assunpink was electric, and Shaky Heads and Sweet Beavers took the lake’s bass to 5 pounds around the coves. Gropp’s Lake and the pond behind the Mercer County Vo-Tech Center were bass-friendly. Quality smallmouth bass fishing was available on the Delaware River from Trenton and up. Tube jigs and Yozuri Pins Minnows in silver with tan or black backs were the menu.

Early morning bass fishing was going down on Lake Assunpink, said Tony from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Most chomped on nightcrawlers and live shiners fished under bobbers. Carnegie Lake and Mercer Lake were also bass producers, especially right after rains. Pickerel, some up to 4 pounds, pounced on nightcrawlers at the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area lakes.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Tuckerton Lake doled out sunfish, pickerel, yellow perch and largemouth bass, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Mystic Island. Pickerel anglers could cast out spinner baits, drag them noisily across the surface and get a vicious strike from the chainsiders, the main fare for many who plied the lake.

Quality bass fishing spread out to all the local lakes now, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Lake Worth dished up fish to 5 pounds with some consistency, and Blackwood Lake gave up serious numbers of 1- to 3-pounders, and Clementon Lake offered both quality and quantity. Live shiners, wacky-rigged Senkos and Hula poppers were all productive. The secret was to fish from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Great action also came from snapping turtles, big brutes that chased down bobbers as soon as they hit the water!

Weed mats started to cover the lakes and ponds, said Lou from <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. But bass and pickerel were on the take, if anglers threw top-waters or weedless lures over and around the mats. Grenloch Lake and Wilson Lake held decent numbers of both species, and Union Lake was a favorite bass spot.

Solid bass fishing all around, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland, but angling was now moving into a finesse type of deal. Senkos and rubber worms slowly twitched produced. Other good lure choices included the new Yum Money Minnows and the Reaction Strike Fatheads. Sunset Lake, Daretown Lake and Malaga Lake were places to work Spro frogs and Zoom Horny Toads, whereas the Salem Canal was a flip-n-jig locale. Anglers at Union Lake could get into a steady pull of larger bass to 4 pounds on top-waters in the early mornings.

Catfish were the mainstay on the Maurice River, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. Nighttime anglers cast Mr. Catfish dough baits to come up with lots of fish in the 2- to 5-pound class. The river was also home to a bunch of white perch that eagerly ate up grass shrimp on the higher tides. The whiteys could be found almost everywhere.

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