<b>PENNSYLVANIA</b>

The Delaware River put out super hot smallmouth bass fishing, said Bill from <b>Brinkman’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Philadelphia. The stretch above Callicoon gave up 25 smallies, mostly 10- to 12-inchers, for one angler who worked a Rebel crawfish. At Bull's Island smallmouth fishing was solid from the dam to the walk bridge, and small striped bass were in the mix, with white grubs and fathead minnows hanging both. Boaters who drifted from Frenchtown to Bryan nailed plenty of smallmouths, including catches in the 30 to 40 fish range. Grubs in pumpkinseed and black were best lures there. One customer fished the Point Pleasant area, picking up 40 smallies, 11 catfish and plenty of bluegills on nightcrawlers, minnows and leeches. The Water Gap area was really productive, not only with smallmouths but also with big striped bass that hit live shiners in the evenings. One angler released three stripers 29, 31 and 37 inches long.

<b>NEW JERSEY</b>

<b>North Jersey</b>

Merrill Creek Reservoir was a hotbed of activity from trout that fed in the mornings, said Bill from <b>Bill’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Phillipsburg. Paul Murray tackled a 4-pound 4-ounce brown trout and a 7-pound 3-ounce lake trout there. Lance Conover hit the reservoir for a 5-pound 5-ounce brownie. The Delaware River held catfish and both smallmouth and largemouth bass, and Chris Farley Jr., 8, fished the Big D to bank a 6-pound channel cat. Donald Pierson muscled out two channel cats 7 pounds 9 ounces and 6 pounds 4 ounces. Pat Storm reeled in a 3-pound 9-ounce smallmouth, and Jim Berger scored a 4-pound 12-ounce largemouth. Andrew Farley, 4, wrestled in an 8-pound carp to boot.

A surge in pike fishing went down on the Passaic River, said Adrian from <b>Fairfield Fishing Tackle</b> in Montville. Anglers caught sunfish, and when the panfish were on the hook, big northern pike attacked them near the Route 80 Bridge. Large, noisy spinner baits dragged across the surface also got whacked.

Nighttime was the right time on Lake Hopatcong, said Dom from <b>Ramsey Outdoor</b> in Paramus. Both walleyes and hybrid striped bass smacked heavy surface lures such as large Jitterbugs, and the more noise and splash anglers could create, the better. Split Rock Reservoir also had a good feed going on, as smallmouth and largemouth bass took Husky Jerks and Senkos rigged wacky style.

A week of varied catches on the lake, said Laurie from <b>Dow’s Boat Rentals</b> in Lake Hopatcong. Striped bass action was decent, and Dan McErlean and son weighed in a 7-pound 4-ouncer taken on herring. Big largemouths were also checked in, and two identically weighed 4 pounds 15 ounces, and Pete Rathjens and Dan Crouch caught them. Monster channel catfish gobbled up anything from hot dogs to chicken livers, nightcrawlers and live or dead herring. The Knee Deep Club held its annual catfish derby, and some true whoppers were fought. Top honors went to Jim Archambault with a humongous, 17-pound 8-ounce channel cat! Bill Hand drilled a 15-pound 4-ouncer, and Joey Grieco, 11, nailed a 13-pounder. Tom Kennedy waxed a 14-pound 7-ouncer. Most of the larger kitties were found in the shallower sections of the lake.

Budd Lake put up good numbers of largemouth bass, said Al from <b>Meltzer’s Sporting Goods</b> in Garfield. A 4-pound 14-ounce bucketmouth was top catch from the lake, and scores of 1- to 2-pounders were taken on Senkos, live shiners and 4-inch Fin-S Fish. Lake Hopatcong offered steady walleye and hybrid striped bass fishing on live herring or top-water poppers worked 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Trout anglers found fish in the Paulinskill and Pequest rivers on nightcrawlers and meal worms.

Round Valley Reservoir was the top spot, said Chris from <b>Lebanon Bait & Sport Shop</b>. Customers anchored in 50 feet just inside the launch cove with spotlights under the boat for night fishing. Rainbows to 3 1/2 pounds, brown trout, large sunfish and crappie were all attracted, and frozen shrimp was best bait, though Power Baits worked for the rainbows as well.

The Manville and Hillsborough sections of the Raritan River served up solid smallmouth fishing, said Ron of <b>Ray’s Sport Shop</b> in North Plainfield. Silver and black-backed Rapalas and size-1 Clouser minnows were the ticket. Bass anglers hit the shores of Round Valley Reservoir in the evenings to pull on bronzebacks that chased top-water poppers and Rapala crank baits.

<b>Central Jersey</b>

Waters were low at Spruce Run Reservoir, but anglers there got into decent nighttime fishing nonetheless, especially around Camper’s Point, said Nick from <b>Efinger Sporting Goods</b> in Bound Brook. Nightcrawlers stuck yellow perch and catfish in the dark. Trout anglers headed to Ken Lockwood Gorge with Phoebes and Mepps spinners to pull on the fish.

Lake Riviera and Forge Pond were places to target, said Dennis from <b>Murphy’s Hook House</b> in Toms River. Both pickerel and crappies ate up fathead minnows, and the pickerel also grabbed live shiners. A few reports came in about anglers trolling hybrid striped bass at Manasquan Reservoir on small crank baits. Sundown through the night hours to about midnight was the best time.

Largemouth bass were hungry all around the area, said Sean from <b>Harry’s Army and Navy</b> in Robbinsville. Gropp’s Lake, Lake Assunpink and Mercer Lake all gave up the fish when the sun dropped. Shaky-headed plastics with curly tails were best offerings when drop-shotted through the weed beds. Look for the bucketmouths to really get active as air temps begin to drop. Smallmouth bass were on a tear in the Delaware River, especially north of Trenton, and Yozuri Pin’s Minnows were the lure of choice.

Largemouth bass opened their big mouths at Carnegie Lake, Mercer Lake and Lake Assunpink, said Tony from the <b>Sportsmen’s Center</b> in Bordentown. Lake Assunpink was most productive of the three, with average catches of six to eight bass a day from 2 to 3 pounds. Live shiners and nightcrawlers were the baits to use. Pickerel anglers looked to Plainsboro Lake to find the toothy predators.

<b>South Jersey</b>

Tuckerton Lake continued to please with a wide variety of fish, said Scott from <b>Scott’s Bait & Tackle</b> in Mystic Island. Live shiners drew the attention of perch, largemouth bass and sunfish on most days. Larger pickerel will chase after a Mepps spinner or a large shiner.

Largemouth bass fed along the grass beds in the tributaries, said Rick from <b>Big Timber Bait & Tackle</b> in Brooklawn. The deep edges of Woodbury Creek at National Park, the mouth of the Schuylkill and the mouth of Big Timber Creek were all major hangouts for the bucketmouths. Medium-sized shiners were most productive baits. Haddon Lake had a fair crappie happening, especially by the dam. Try using small, curly tailed grubs under a float. Small striped bass were picked up from the Gloucester City pier on the Delaware River, and lots of catfish swam the Big D, and dead baits and stink baits got engulfed from the bottom.

Fishing was all about largemouth bass, said Ed from <b>Creek Keepers</b> in Blackwood. Both mornings and evenings were most productive, and live shiners and Senko worms were the offerings. Collins Lake, Lake Rene, Lake Arial, Penn Bryn Lake and Atsion Lake were all places to be. The upper Mullica River also housed largemouths.

A variety of warm-water species were on tap, said Lou from the <b>Sportsman’s Outpost</b> in Williamstown. Two customers fished Union Lake to come up with two smallmouths, a hybrid striper, largemouth bass and pickerel, all on Rat-L-Traps. Oak Pond was a good place for one angler, who beat largemouths to 3 pounds on Bomber crank baits and Senkos. Private ponds held some monster largemouth bass, as one report had Bells Lake give up a bigmouth in the range of 11 to 13 pounds! If you can get permission to fish the waters, that might be in your best interest.

Thunderstorms put lots of water back in the local lakes, said Steve from <b>Blackwater Sports Center</b> in Vineland, but kept many anglers inside, too. Water temps dropped from the rains, and bass anglers were better served plying the more tannic, cedary holes of Malaga Lake, Iona Lake and Cedarville Lake. The best methods were to slow-drag rubber worms on the bottom or use the new flick shake worms, fishing them in a flip-n-jig style. Catfish sniffed out stink baits on the bottom of the Maurice River.

Most customers focused on catfishing on the Maurice River, said Ki from <b>Huck’s Place</b> in Millville. Larger channel cats to 7 pounds could be dusted on dead whole or cut herring around the higher tides. Largemouth bass pounced on shiners at Union Lake.

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