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

It was a good week of fishing on the freshwater front this past week according to Nick over at Bullet Hole Annex. Nick said he got good reports on the northern pike, smallmouth and catfish fishing in the Passaic which is enjoying the best conditions of the year so far. He also mentioned good walleye and smallmouth action in Greenwood and Lake Hopatcong. He too told us of some very good trout fishing in most of the northern streams and many of the spring stocked ponds and lakes. Local small ponds and lakes are also giving up some good numbers of panfish and crappies, as well as largemouth and occasional pickerel he said.

I spoke with Laurie Murphy over at Dow’s Boat Rentals and she told us fishing on the big lake is serving up a variety of fish. This past week saw white perch out number the yellow perch in panfish catches which is usually the other way around. Crappie fishing was hit or miss as many of the crappies are still on the spawn. Walleye and hybrid stripers are giving anglers some good but spotty action early and late in the day. Largemouth are on the spawning beds and have been moving on and off the beds because of fluctuation water temps Trout are still being trolled on spinners and spoons and some nice pickerel are being caught as well. Lastly catfish are also in good supply but they too are on the spawn. Fishing pressure has been light on the lake and Laurie said if you put in the time you’ll catch some fish.

“Conditions on the Passaic River are very good and anglers are into a mix of northerns, bass, perch and catfish,” said Joe over at Fairfield Fishing Tackle. In addition he said northern trout streams are also in excellent shape and producing some very good trout fishing. On the bass fishing from Joe told us smallies and largemouth are being caught in most of the northern reservoirs and Greenwood, Monksville and Hopatcong are serving up some walleyes and smallies.

Over at Ramsey Outdoors in Succasunna we also got a good report card on the trout fishing in the northern streams with the Rockaway, Ramapo, Pequest and Flat Brook at the top of the list. They also mentioned Round Valley and Merrill Creek as fishing well for rainbows and lakers. Most of the reservoirs and lakes in the northern portion of the state are seeing their largemouth populations on the spawning beds, we were told. I also checked with the Ramsey store and they told us they too got good reports on the trout fishing in the northern streams and this fishing should continue into June because of good water levels and cool water temps. The only other report they had was of some good smallmouth fishing in the northern reservoirs.

Over at Tackle World Mark echoed the good reports on the trout fishing in the streams and said some of the spring stocked lakes are still producing trout as well. He said Greenwood and Monksville are seeing some decent catches of smallies and walleyes.

Over at Creekside Outfitters Tom P had several reports for us. He said the best reports are coming from Ocean Acres where kayak fishermen and shoreline fishermen are into bass, pickerel and crappies. Wells Mills is also giving up some bass to 6-pounds and pickerel. The bass are on the spawning beds in the Lacey Lakes and some nice fish are being caught and released there. Tom also mentioned he got good reports on the trout fishing in the upper Toms River in the Jackson area and good pickerel fishing in the cedar bogs and lakes in the Waretown area.

We got a trio of reports from Dennis over at Hook House Bait and Tackle. He said pickerel remains the number one fish with good catches coming from Bamber Lake, Lake Riviera and the cedar ponds and bogs to the west of the store. Trout fishing has remained good in the upper Toms River in the Jackson area and some fish are still being caught from Spring Lake. Lastly perch action is good in the lower Toms and most of the tidal streams.

A call to the folks over at Jersey Hooker Outfitters got us a report of some bass, crappies and pickerel being caught at Lake Riviera on inline spinners. They also mentioned some trout still being caught from the Manasquan River from the Pump house up stream.

I checked with John Bullock over at Old School Outdoors in Ewing and he told me he is hearing of hit of miss shad action from Trenton north. Likewise some better numbers of stripers were caught n the Trenton area and walleye fishing has been very good after dark. The shop also got good reports on the trout fishing in the northern streams this past week, he said.

White perch and pickerel were at the top of the list when we spoke with Justin over at Allen’s Dock on Bass River. He said Mullica and other tidal streams are loaded with white perch and all you need is some worms or small jigs tipped with small plasticbaits. The best pickerel fishing is on live lined killies, he said.

The big news over at Hands Too Bait and Tackle in Cape May was the big bass, estimated 7-plus pounds which was caught and released from Ponderlodge Lake this past week. Needless to say the bass spawn is on in the big lake and some trout from the spring stockings are still being caught as well. In addition we were told some of the local small ponds and lakes are seeing some decent crappie and pickerel fishing.

I spoke with Diane over at Dave’s Sporting Goods in Doylestown and she told us she is still hearing of sporadic catches of shad in the river at Lambertville and to the north. In addition she said some stripers are also being caught from Trenton north to Bulls Island. On the down side Diane said trout reports have stopped all together in the last week.

White perch and crappies are supplying some very good panfishing in the dam spillways at Garrisons Lake, Silver Lake and Massey Mill stated Steve over at Smith Bait and Tackle in Leipsic. Steve said he also got good reports on the bass fishing in those lakes along with Wyomissing Lake and Horsey’s Pond. Here too the word was the trout fishing was still going strong in White Clay Creek.