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

I checked with Nick over at Bullet Hole Annex and he had a mixed report from us. He told me smallmouth fishing is good in Beltsville, Split Rock Reservoir, Round Valley, Merrill Creek, Areoflex and Greenwood Lake. He said some of the larger northern streams like the Raritan, South Branch, lower Musconetcong and Paulinskill are seeing some good smallmouth fishing on small plugs, topwater baits and jig combinations. Lastly he said a lot of the northern lakes; especially the smaller ones were off color from the recent heavy rains which has been pushing dirty water into them. Some of the major streams, as of this report, are also off color from the rains and this is hurting the smallmouth and panfishing in them that was decent for the last couple months.

A call to Laurie Murphy over at Dow’s Boat Rentals gave us news of some decent fishing, but once again crowds have been light even going into the Holiday weekend. She told us the bass fishing continues to be good in what’s left of the weed beds on topwater baits and weedless rigged plasticbaits. Evening fishing has also been a nice mix of walleyes and hybrids on swimming plugs and live bait. Catfishing has also been very good with a lot of bullheads and mixed size channels cats giving anglers plenty of action. Lastly she said crappies and perch are also hitting well in the evenings.

From Joe over at Fairfield Fishing Tackle Comes word of some decent fishing in the Passaic River. Kayakers and anglers wading from the shoreline are into some nice pike around the bridges in the deeper waters, while smallies are in the ripples and eddies and panfish and catfish are also in good supply taking jig-swimbait combos and small swimming plugs. He also mentioned some good bass and crappie fishing in Greenwood Lake, Splitrock Reservoir and other northern waters, as well as in most of the smaller lakes and ponds.

Over at Old School Outdoors in Ewing John Bullock told me catfish continue to be all over the river and fishing well especially in the evenings. He also mentioned a decent smallmouth bite in the river and some fair to good Bass and crappie action in local lakes and ponds. John said the store will have its annual fall bass contest on from September 18, 19 and 28. Entrance fee is $25 for adults and $15 for kids under 18.

I gave a call to Rick over at Tackle World and he told me he just got back from fishing in Alaska and only had one report. He said water temps are starting to cool down and vegetation is starting to disappear. This is a good sign that the fall feed will start soon in most waters, it’s time to get out on the water and get in on one of the best times of the year to fish.

Over at Creekside Outfitters Tom P told it was a stormy quiet week in fresh water this past week. He said a few anglers have been fishing Ocean Acres and picking up bass to 3 pounds, pickerel and panfish on Chatterbaits and killies. Batsto Lake has also been giving up bass and pickerel, while Waretown Lake has been seeing some good catches of catfish. A recent HOFNOD fishing contest produced bass, pickerel and panfish with Lilly catching a 3-pound largemouth.

The word from Dennis over at Hook House Bait and Tackle was also a slower week of fishing caused by several severe storms. Dennis said it was nice to see the rain as we needed it; however the storms we have been getting have been very severe. He said the one report they did get was from Manasquan Reservoir where the anglers that were fishing there hammering the crappies and panfish on small jigs fished just above the rip rap and some nice bass just off the drop-off next to the trees.

Our first report from the central portion of the state comes from Amanda over at Jersey Hooker Outfitters who told us Manasquan Reservoir and Lake Carasaljo were the two top spots this past week both were giving up bass, crappies and occasional pickerel mainly on jig combinations. In Manasquan Reservoir the bass were in the deeper water off the drop next to the rip rap, while the crappies were in the rip rap. In Carasaljo some of the best fishing is early and late in the day on constant motion surface lures like buzzbaits, jitterbugs and Chatterbaits. Lastly she said pickerel fishing in the near by cedar waters was also fishing better on livelined killies, especially around springs .Some other places that saw decent fishing was Lake of the Lilies, Twilight Lake and Holiday Lakes she said.

From the lower part of the state Justin over at Allens Dock told us that the sweetwater in his area was also slower this past week, The best fishing going was in the lakes and ponds in the nearby campgrounds where bass and panfish were giving campers some good fishing. Justin closed his report by saying the recent storms have raised water levels in the tidal streams especially in the upper areas.

Over at Hands Too Bait and Tackle in Cape May the word was fair largemouth in local lakes and ponds and plenty of catfishing being caught in Ponderlodge Lake. The one lake that had the number one spot this past week was Dennisville where bass and plenty of panfish were on the menu.

A call to Owen over at Dave’s Sporting Goods in Doylestown got us a report of continued good fishing in Lake Nockamixon. He said bass, hybrids and other fish including muskies are still suspended in the thermocline in 10- to 20 feet down. He said most of the fish he has been catching are hitting deep diving plugs and drifted live shiners. He also told me there is still some surface plugs action early and late in the day. Early in the week he got news of some good smallmouth fishing in the Delaware on jig combinations and live bait when the water was in good shape. He ended his report by saying most smaller lakes and ponds were roiled from the recent rains which dumped a lot of water on upper bucks County.

Over at Smith Bait and Tackle in Leipsic Steve told me with water temps in the upper 70s the summer pattern of early and late day fishing remains the rule. Bass, snakeheads and crappies are giving anglers some good topwater fishing and some of the bigger bass are taking plasticbaits fished in the shadows of the weed lines. Steve also mentioned some crappie, perch and panfish action in the spillways below the dams in most lakes and ponds.