FISHERMAN'S CALENDAR

SO—season opened (or opens); SC—season closed (or closes).
C—clear water; D—water dirty or roily; M—water muddy.
N—water at normal height; SH—slightly high; H—high; VH—very high; L—low; R—rising; F—falling.
WT50—water temperature 50°.
FG—fishing good; FF—fishing fair; FP—fishing poor.
OG—outlook good; OF—outlook fair; OP—outlook poor.

STRIPED BASS: NEW JERSEY: Joseph Nemeth of Manasquan caught 61-pound 4-ounce striper off Manasquan jetty on metal squid and pork-rind lure, to break former state record by 2 pounds, last Saturday; 47-pounder taken from surf at Seaside Park last week, also on metal. Surf fishing is fairly hot between Ortley Beach and Long Beach Island (where 1,500 entrants in local derby stand shoulder to shoulder at best holes, inspired by tang of salt air in their nostrils and vision of first-prize, 20-foot motorboat in their heads); bass are running big, and best daylight lure is tin or chrome squid, with feathers or pork-rind optional; OG through November and possibly until SC Dec. 31.

NORTH CAROLINA: Muddy waters slowed trolling for stripers in Croatan and Roanoke sounds last week; OG through November if water clears but only for trolling in sounds, not for surf.

VIRGINIA: Stripers are being taken in good numbers in Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, with best sport in lower Rappahannock and OG next two weeks.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Prof. Jack Crawford of University of South Carolina caught over 20 stripers to 12 pounds from the Congaree River in front of his Columbia home last summer; last week he tried his luck again, landed one 35-pounder and lost bigger one when it busted line. Many limits reported from Santee-Cooper diversion canal on fresh shad bait; FF, OF at Lake Moultrie for trollers and bait casters.

CALIFORNIA: Bass have moved out of San Pablo Bay into San Joaquin River; hot spots upstream from Antioch Bridge are at Big Break and Napa River; most fish are under 12 pounds but sprinkling of 25-to 30-pounders reported, with bullhead bait doing briskest business. Party boats out of Crockett and Vallejo limiting, and OVG.

TROUT: ONTARIO: All streams flowing into Lake Ontario in Durham and Northumberland counties now open for rainbow fishing, and big spawners should provide fast action. Manitou River spy says rainbows still taking spin lures when they can get them.

CALIFORNIA: General SC Oct. 31 but OG in year-round lakes, especially Shasta, Tahoe, Isabella and Almanor.

NEVADA: FF/G after summer lull at Pyramid and Walker lakes; wobblers cast from shore taking sizable rainbows at Pyramid while trolled wobblers are producing outsize cutthroats at Walker; OVG at both.

SNOOK: FLORIDA: West coast agent says snook are moving into bays and up rivers, with 6- to 8-pounders fairly plentiful in Myakka River and in Venice area.

BLACK BASS: TENNESSEE: Now-cold waters of Dale Hollow Reservoir churned last week as walleyes competed with bass for bait and lures; A. R. Miller of Russellville, Ky. garnered limit of smallmouths (to 4½ pounds) with 12-pound walleye; FG and OG. At Center Hill Reservoir best bass catch last week was 7-pound bigmouth boated by Nashville Disc Jockey Eddie Hill, and OG for bass and walleyes through next fortnight. Kentucky Lake spy says strong winds blew cream-puff-type fishermen off water but F was G for hardy souls who braved elements, and OG.

FLORIDA: FF/P in most central-state waters but a few limits (8 fish) reported from Little Lake Harris; near Leesburg; OP.

MISSOURI: Lake of the Ozarks (Niangua region) C, N, FVG, OVG with most bass in 2-pound class and medium-deep lures most effective. Tunnell Lake ditto.

NORTH CAROLINA: Robert Cook and Guy Potter of Maryville, Tenn. fished Fontana Lake last week and had their pictures taken with 10-pound 6-ounce, 9-pound and 8½-pound largemouths, best of 25 they kept; OG.

VIRGINIA: Buggs Island Reservoir FG, OVG; bass are averaging 4 pounds for skillful anglers.

MISSISSIPPI: Bigmouths to 3 pounds are molesting plugs in Sardis, Enid and Grenada reservoirs; OG, with bass-bugs showing good results along shoreline.

LOUISIANA: Cajun agent lists Ouachita River at Jonesville, Anacoco Lake and Cheniere Lake (near West Monroe) as likely spots for the bass-minded.

PENNSYLVANIA: Few fishermen abroad, says spy, but FG and OG in Susquehanna, Juniata, Allegheny and main tribs until SC Nov. 3; bait and deep-running plugs best.

CHANNEL BASS: TEXAS: Best redfish reports coming from Palacios Bay and the Tres Palacios River. A few bulls to 30 pounds in surf along Mustang and Padre islands but FP. Channels around Port Aransas thick with rat-reds to 3 pounds, and OG with live shrimp or spoons on incoming tide, with light tackle.

FLORIDA: Redfish are busting out all over, says NW Florida spy, as bass from two to 20 pounds provide red-hot action at Ochlockonee, St. Marks, Crooked and other rivers in area. At Sarasota Bay, local fisherman Hal Wright hooked big redfish on 6-pound spin tackle, played it gently until line tangled in propeller of his boat, dove into bay and hoisted exhausted 35-inch fish into boat.

LOUISIANA: Reds from five to eight pounds are abundant in Grand Lake (below Lake Charles) and OG next two weeks.

NORTH CAROLINA: Surf fishing F/G between Kitty Hawk and Ocracoke Inlet; biggest bass of week was landed from surf near Hatteras village by Henry W. Stelwagon of Philadelphia, president of the Association of Surf Anglers Clubs, and weighed 50 pounds. OVG for big channel bass through November.

STEELHEAD TROUT: OREGON: Coastal fishing improving in north-coast streams as they recede and clear. Nestucca, Siletz, Alsea, Salmon and Siuslaw rivers producing some fish on bait, and next high water should bring major runs into rivers; OG for bait fishing. John Day River in central Oregon L, C, FF/G on spin lures, late summer-run fish still in good condition here and OG for fly-fishers.

CALIFORNIA: Upper Klamath fishermen clipping barbs off flies as limits come easy. Heavy rains moving down from northwest and should open bars of most coastal streams. Lower Klamath, Smith, Trinity and Eel rivers providing good sport and big fish; OG.

BRITISH COLUMBIA: All Vancouver Island and most coastal streams bank-high or higher; runoff will continue through this week in most sections but winter steelhead should be in and ready to take when waters drop to normal.