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Fish Report: August 29, 2008

Christian Berg | Outdoors

August 28, 2008

Smallmouth bass and trout action is good in rivers and streams across the region, but we could really use some rain to prevent water levels from falling to critically low levels.

Anglers are finding trout stacked up in the deeper holes of area trout streams, and reports of decent catches are coming from the Little Lehigh, Monocacy and Bushkill creeks. Trout action is also good in the Lehigh River, where fish up to 17 inches have been taken on butterworms.

Smallmouth bass anglers are catching plenty of fish in the Lehigh and Delaware rivers, with many fishermen reporting 50 or more fish in a day on a combination of topwater lures, tubes and crankbaits. Smallies also are active at Lake Wallenpaupack, where fish are hitting live shiners. Walleye action is heating up at Wallenpaupack too, with fish up to five pounds hitting crankbaits in 15 feet of water.

Largemouth bass are biting at Lake Nockamixon, Mauch Chunk Lake, Lake Ontelaunee and Shohola Lake and Peck's Pond. At Peck's, anglers are catching good numbers of fish on Senko worms, live shiners and scum frogs. Lots of pickerel are also being caught by bass anglers at Peck's.

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Saltwater highlights: Bluefishing remains excellent along the New Jersey coast. Night trips on party boats are producing non-stop action for slammer blues up to 15 pounds, while surf anglers report daily bluefish blitzes along the beach at Sandy Hook.

Fluke and sea bass fishing remains good on the Jersey reef sites, and plenty of keeper sea bass are being caught at Shrewsbury Rocks.

Down in Rehoboth Beach, Del., surf anglers are reeling in a mix of kingfish, croakers, spot and bluefish, while boaters in the Indian River Inlet are enjoying good daytime flounder action and a decent striper bite at night.

Berks man wins national fishing contest: William Rocco of Reading is planning a fishing trip to Blue Marsh Lake after winning a new, 17-foot Lowe boat in the national Take Me Fishing baseball sweepstakes sponsored by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation.

Rocco was announced as the grand prize winner and presented with his fully-equipped Lowe Stinger 175 (valued at $14,395) at Thursday night's Reading Phillies game.

Rocco entered the sweepstakes at a Reading Phillies game in July at the urging of his 17-year-old son Steve, an avid angler. He ended up being selected as the winner from a pool of more than 55,000 entrants who registered at 33 minor league parks nationwide.

''I was speechless when I found out,'' Rocco said. ''It was quite a shock.''

The contest was part of the foundation's Take Me Fishing marketing campaign, which aims to get more people out on the water fishing and boating.

Rocco said the new boat should provide additional opportunities to spend time with Steve as well as his wife and 14-year-old daughter.

''I think fishing will be a nice diversion from the daily grind,'' he said. ''It's a good way for families to hang out together and get away from it all.''

SHOP TALK

-- FRESHWATER

Wallenpaupack Sports Shop, Hawley (570-226-4797): Walleyes have turned on at Lake Wallenpaupack...fish from three to five pounds have been hitting Mann's and Cotton Cordell crankbaits in 15 feet of water as dusk...smallmouth bass are hitting live shiners, Tiny Torpedoes and Rebel lures...yellow perch and bluegills are taking mealworms...look for them around weed beds and docks...catfish up to 20 pounds are being caught throughout the lake...Fairview Lake is producing plenty of smallmouth bass up to 18 inches and pickerel on live shiners...bass at Shohola Lake are hitting rubber worms.

Peck's Pond Store, Dingmans Ferry, (570-775-7237): Corey says large bass are hitting Senko worms, live shiners, poppers and scum frogs at Peck's Pond...pickerel hitting live shiners and Slug-Gos...yellow perch are being caught on spinners and small rattling lures...bluegill taking baby nightcrawlers, red worms and small jigs.

Four Seasons Sporting Goods, Jim Thorpe (570-325-4364): Brian says local streams are quite low but water temperatures are down thanks to chilly nights...Lehigh River trout are active and anglers are catching fish up to 17 inches on butterworms...Beltzville Lake slow, and things should remain tough through Labor Day weekend thanks to heavy boating traffic...best smallmouth fishing of the year at Beltzville often occurs in late September and early October...some walleyes still being caught at Beltzville...catfishing has been very good at Mauch Chunk Lake...nightcrawlers working well, with some channel catfish pushing 30 inches reported in recent days...bass action at Mauch Chunk just so-so...bass bite good at Tuscarora Lake...one customer reported landing 30 fish up to 21/2 pounds in one day last week...jigs and Senko worms were the ticket.

Willie's Bait & Tackle, Cementon (610-261-2767): Willie says some bass being caught at Mauch Chunk Lake...plenty of pickerel and some bass being caught at Peck's Pond...Leaser Lake slow...plenty of smallmouth bass being caught from the Lehigh River, but water level is very low...trout active in Little Lehigh and Monocacy creeks.