Ocean run American Shad are related to the tarpon and herring.   They are born in the Delaware River, spend three or four years in the Atlantic Ocean and return to the place of their birth to spawn.   The best time to catch these strong fighters in our region is from late April through June.   The males, or bucks, average two to four pounds and the roe shad will go up to seven pounds.   Open face spinning gear with four or six pound test line or fly tackle may be used.   Lure selection should be shad darts, flutter spoons, spinners and weighted flashy streamers.

The Upper Delaware River system has one of the finest wild trout fisheries in the United States.   The main stem of the Delaware begins in Hancock, New York and runs south - has a wild strain of rainbow trout which dates back to the days of the Erie railroad at the turn of the century.   These hard fighting rainbows can be found in the riffles and at the heads of the eddys.

The Upper Delaware River system has an abundance of caddis, mayflies and stoneflies which hatch from late April through September.   Early in the season when the water may be high and off color, spin fishermen using spoons or heavy spinners will have their day.   The best time to target trout will be from late April through early July and again from September through November.

These hard fighting scrappy fish can be caught from June through November.  When the water temperatures are in the upper sixties to mid seventies, smallmouth bass will be found in the riffs or near rock structures during the daylight hours and in the weed bed flats at dusk or on overcast days.

Catches of fifteen to thirty fish are possible using small floating Rapalas and Tiny Torpedos.   When the water cools in the fall, jigs tipped with Kalin or Berkley chartreuse grubs or small Rebel crawdad crankbaits are the way to go since the bronzebacks will be in the deeper pools.