HUDSON RIVER
We haven’t heard much about tommy cod recently. Dorothy Levey said some have been caught in the Hudson along with white perch.
DELAWARE RIVER
Dave Bank’s brother Drew took third prize in the Forks of the Delaware shad contest, with a fish that went nearly 6-1/2 pounds. He is still catching some shad in the Shawnee area.
NORTH JERSEY
Largemouth bass are bedding in Lake Hopatcong, but Kevin of the Ledgewood Ramsey Outdoors store said some guys are catching and releasing a few by using a 6-inch black lizard. Insomniacs are catching hybrid bass late at night near the lit barges around the River Styx Cove.
Want trout? I spoke to Adrian of Fairfield Sporting Goods in Pine Brook. She recommends the brightest Power Bait around.
Shad have been caught at the Dundee Dam on the Passaic. Customers in Garfield reported that the shad are around the dam.
We found out that Lou Prestifilippo caught a 3.10-pound brown in the Rockaway River on a fathead. Tom Companion also hit a 3-pound rainbow at Speedwell Lake on Route 202 in Morris Plains. He added that crappie are hitting at the Jersey City Reservoir.
Al of Bill’s Sport Shop in Clifton trolled Lake Hopatcong last Thursday. He caught four largemouth bass plus a 4-pound walleye and several pickerel, all on a Rebel plug.
Country Sportsman in Riverdale was where Don said that Terry Wespestad showed him a 2-pound brookie he caught on a silver Rapala in the Wanaque River. Don also said that Power Bait is what the Pequannock rainbows want most.
LAKE HOPATCONG
From Dow’s Boat Rentals came word that the shallows are where most hybrid bass and walleye are biting. She weighed walleyes to 6.13-pounds, and the biggest “Rocket” (hybrid) went 8.10-pounds. Nice!
ROUND VALLEY RESERVOIR
Billy the Plumber put a 13-pound laker on the scale at Lebanon Bait and Tackle on Saturday. It ate a herring.
MERRILL CREEK RESERVOIR
I had nine lakers from 16 to 21 inches on Monday as well as three keeper sized brownies. The browns weighed up to 4 pounds.
CENTRAL JERSEY
Dave Barrett weighed his 3.1-pound brown in at Efingers Sport Shop in Bound Brook on Friday. He hit it on a Rooster Tail on the Pequest River.
The County Contest at Shenandoah Lake the weekend before last was well attended, by angler and fish alike. Sue reported that 4-year-young Ryan Smith caught a 1.11-pound pickerel, Travis Cribb netted a 2.7-pound catfish, Jamie and Jeff Jonach nailed a double limit of trout, and Michael, Tara and Dad Mastriana landed 22 trout and a crappie.
Red Power Bait is tops for Spring Lake trout now, and Greg of Brielle Bait and Tackle still has some in stock. He said that the lake also has perch and crappie action.
SOUTH JERSEY
Herring remain available in the Delaware around Trenton. Ron said that the river has a fine run of big channel catfish. He also said that trout lovers are catching them in the Canal.
Down in Mount Holly, Mike’s Sporting Goods said that largemouth bass are being caught in Rancocas Creek on shiners at the Centerton Bridge.
All three lakes at Assunpink Bait and Tackle are good, but Ed said that on Saturday, Bob caught quite a few bass at the lily pads in the big lake. Same day, a boat rental customer caught seven assorted fish on shiners at Stone Tavern. The day before, another boat put seven bass back that weighed up to 6 pounds.
Chris Titel fished a public lake in Medford and caught a monster 26-inch chain pickerel. Bob Dawson caught a 19-5/8-inch chain at Lebanon Lakes.
