Garden State Trout

Good luck, with the low water it's going to be a blood bath. [/quote] It wasn't at least for the hour or so I was out. The nice weather brought out a lot of people but I only saw two fish caught. I got a nice holdover rainbow and I saw 1 other guy catch what looked to be a brown. Otherwise there wa...

I'm going to be out for the opening bell. It's what I've done for 49 years running, no need to stop now. Tradition and memories. If I catch anything that's just a bonus.

One of the few bigger NJ streams that I've never fished, I probably should hit it and cross it off the "bucket" list. Anybody fish in on the NY in the Tuxedo area?

Nice to see the way overpriced beef jerky booth was still there. Along with umpteenth outfitters for exotic places I'll never travel. The seminars were even a bit meh on Saturday, the 2 I really wanted to see about wet fly fishing conflicted with one another and were the 1st ones scheduled, I got ca...

I'm considering buying a small smoker. Trying to gather some intel beforehand, do any of you smoke trout, like the typical NJ stockies? It's been a very long time since I've had any and was wondering if they are any good as the years have invariably clouded my memory. Anyone that does regularly smok...

As long as the Division relies on license sales for a significant portion of its finding, I doubt if it will happen. To many people the faux "Opening Day" has become a tradition. A lot of them buy a license and trout stamp (for the same prices as avid fishers), and only go fishing once or twice a y...

Castaline wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 20, 2025 8:54 am

I know there was a proposal floated out there in August about eliminating the closed March>opening day period. Does anyone know if this is fully adopted and in play for 2026?

I don't think that made it but I believe the creel limit reduction from 4 to 2 after June 1st did get in.

Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 18, 2025 11:52 am

Stop by and visit me at the Native Fish Coalition booth if you go to the show. Over the decades, I have both worked it and attended it, and it is always great to see old friends. Hope to see some of you there.

Will you be preaching the gospel of fallfish over wild brown trout?

Given the state official position of never stocking/rearing Brookies, is there any hope of changing this by petition or by getting Brookies stocked from somewhere else? I know it’s probably hopeless, but I’m a bit pissed as I’ve heard through the FB grapevine that this is simply a money play. Thoug...

But, like it or not, the hatchery rearing of fish and game is waning and hunters and anglers prefer wild fish and game over pen reared. That very well may be true but with limited water that supports enough reproduction to sustain a quality fishery, especially in NJ, will beget limited opportunity....

Given the state official position of never stocking/rearing Brookies, is there any hope of changing this by petition or by getting Brookies stocked from somewhere else? I know it’s probably hopeless, but I’m a bit pissed as I’ve heard through the FB grapevine that this is simply a money play. Thoug...

stock brooks, stock browns, stock all arounds.....or don't. NJ has opted for don't and it doesn't look like that will change anytime soon.

Appreciate what you have, there may come a day when you don't

Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 29, 2025 10:29 am

Fingers crossed that we get at least 2.5" of rain tomorrow into early Friday. It's a start, but we so desperately need more and a lot more!

How did the SBR watershed fare? I'm skeptical of the USGS gauges with the govt shutdown.

Sweet!

Castaline wrote: ↑

Wed May 14, 2025 11:07 am

A few sulphurs on the Flatbrook yesterday. Some caddis and a March Brown or two

I saw a few pop off last night but alas the river was hammering high and the color of weak coffee.

Before the rains drove me away last evening the caddis were busting on the Rockaway. Only sporadic risers but the wet fly takes were savage, especially on the top dropper that was dancing near the surface. :) No sulphurs seen but that stream doesn't have a good sulfur hatch usually until later in th...

Nice.

Caddis, caddis, and more caddis on the Rockaway. Nothing working on top but fish were bananas for soft hackle partridge and orange as well as GHRE wet fly.

Random question. Is a picture of the front and back of a license on one's phone legal? Strictly for informational purposes, I had my license displayed in a clear holder but the holder was smaller so I had to tri-fold the license. The CO asked that I take the license out so he could fully inspect it...

I got license checked on opening day on the Rockaway. Warden's name was Sikora, nice guy we chatted it up a bit after he looked at my license. I gave him some additional intel on where I usually see guys doing nefarious things.