New Jersey & Delaware Bay - New Jersey & Delaware Bay Freshwater Fishing Reports

“Most of the small ponds in the northern portion of the state are waking up and producing bass, crappies, pickerel and panfish,” said Nick over at Bullet Hole Annex. The bulk of the fishing has been on live bait and jig combinations fished under floats. In addition he mentioned some decent pike fishing in the Passaic River and plenty of small stripers being caught in the tidal Passaic and Hackensack rivers. The store has been busy with trout tackle sales as most fishermen are getting set for the trout opener.

“The lake levels have come up some, but you still need to use caution while navigating around any shallow areas,” reported Laurie Murphy at Dow’s Boat Rentals. Main lake temps are slowly climbing and as of this report were sitting in the lower 40s while the shallower areas have crept into the mid 40’s. The crappie and yellow perch bite is in full swing with the best fishing in areas with the warmest water temps such as the backs of coves, sandy flats or hard bottom areas. Jigs fished under floats, small suspending jerkbaits or tiny swimbaits along with minnows and grubs taking the bulk of the fish. Bass and pickerel are also being caught mixed in with the crappies and perch on the same baits. Dows is now open for bait and tackle sales and will start renting boats in early April.

“We are up and running fulltime and our shelves are stocked with trout gear for the season opener,” said Joe over at Fairfield Fishing Tackle, who said in late March that the only consistent fishing report he had been getting was of good pike fishing in the Passaic River. Water levels are normal for this time of the year and big swimming plugs, spinnerbaits and shiners are taking the bulk of the pike. As of this report northern trout streams are in excellent shape and hopefully this will be the case when the season opens on April 8, he said.

I spoke with Tom over at the Fisherman’s Den in Belmar and he said he has been seeing a lot of interest in the April 8 trout opener. He said the shop is well stocked with all types of trout and freshwater fishing gear for the spring season and anglers who have been fishing for flounder or on party boats have also been stocking up on trout gear as well.

It was a slow month of March for anglers stopping in at Ramsey Outdoors. Don told us the only two reports he got were of some pike being caught in the Passaic River which has been in very good shape, and some local ponds serving up some panfish, bass and crappies. He too he said as of this report trout streams are in excellent shape with plenty of clean, cold water and hopefully this will not change before the April 8 opener. The store has gotten all its trout supplies in so if you need to pick up some tackle for the trout opener stop on by.

We spoke with the folks at Tackle World who told us most of their attention in the freshwater realm has been centered on the April 8 New Jersey trout opener. Streams are in excellent shape and a by the time you read this many of the state’s waters will already be stocked. The store is well stocked with all your trout needs. In addition we were told that most smaller lakes and ponds are seeing some decent bass, crappie and panfish action. They also mention some nice northerns being caught from the Passaic River.

Pickerel was also the word over at Creekside Outfitters. Sources there also mentioned the mild winter as the reason that the pickerel fishing was so good. They told us they expect to see the bass and crappie fishing pick up during the first half of April and the pickerel fishing to keep on producing good fishing until the water gets too warm.

Pickerel fishing was the name of the game in the cedar waters along the coast according to Dennis over at Hook House Bait and Tackle. He said the mild winter produced excellent pickerel fishing and anglers livelining killies had no problem catching fish. The last part of March also saw an uptick in the bass and crappie fishing in many waters. “With trout season just around the corner most fishermen have been stopping by and picking up trout gear and the store is well stocked with trout needs for the April 8 opener,” he said.

“The fishing in the first half of March left a lot to be desired, however the second half of the month saw a marked increase in the bass and crappie fishing to go along with the very good pickerel fishing we saw this past winter,” said Amanda over at Jersey Hooker Outfitters. Amanda said pickerel fishing should remain very good on killies in the local cedar waters and the bass fishing to pick up in areas of lakes and ponds that warm up fast with live bait, swimming plugs and spinners the top producers. When it comes to the crappie fishing she said the same areas should also see good fishing with jig combinations and small minnows producing best.

A big welcome to the folks over at Allen’s Dock in Bass River Township to our freshwater fishing report this season. Sources there told us pickerel fishing was decent all winter in the nearby cedar waters and should continue to be good in April on livelined killies. In addition they mentioned some good white perch fishing in the tidal streams and some crappies and bass starting to hit in local lakes and ponds.

Farther south, Steve at Blackwater Sport Center said the mild weather this past winter kept the pickerel active and livelining killies was the ticket to some really good fishing. As of the end of March the bass and crappie fishing was just starting up and Steve said he expects to see both fisheries really turn on in early April especially if water temps jump into the upper 50s. Most of the store’s regulars were slowly coming into the trout mode and are looking forward to the trout opener.

The word from Diane over at Dave’s Sporting Goods in Doylestown is crappie fishing has started up in Lake Nockamixon with a few bass also being caught mainly in the afternoons. Diane also mentioned that she got word of the fish shad being caught in the Delaware around Saint Patty’s Day and we should have some good numbers of bucks in the river by the beginning of April.

Trout fishing is open and providing some good fishing, while bass and crappie action is heating up as well according to Steve over at Smith Bait and Tackle in Leipsic. Kelli Craoft tipped the scale with a 3-pound plus rainbow and Dan McGraw had a 3-3/4-pound bow from Tidbury Pond. Rob Noredjr had a 3-pound, 7-ounce bow. Stephen Grabowski had the biggest bass of the week ending March 25 with a 6.3-pound largemouth from McGinnis Pond while his son Mike had a 5-1/4-pound bass from Millsboro Pond. In addition Steve said crappie fishing is red not on small minnows fished under floats and white perch is very good in the dam spillways.