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Not fall stocked:

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 8:39 am
by BillSmith
Myself and other have been asking for fall trout stocking on the main stem of the Raritan river near Duke Island Park in Bridgewater for over 6 years now.

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 8:40 am
by BillSmith
Big water needs big fish.

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 11:46 am
by Jaybird
Didn't the main stem of the Raritan receive a load of smaller trout last fall, or spring ???? Any signs of those fish ?

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 12:37 pm
by Drossi
How's the smallmouth fishing through there? I come through that way once a week and am always looking to expand my angling horizons.

And yeah if they stock Saddle River they should throw some there too.

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 12:41 pm
by BillSmith
Yes. Last year some 40,000 (I think) small trout were stocked in Piscataway. I haven't heard anything for 2018. Those fish would only be able to swim up as far as Island Farm Fish Weir since the entrance to the fish ladder was slammed shut by New Jersey American Water back in August. With that being said we do get some trout that seem to mysteriously appear near Bridgewater every November, I have no clue where these trout come from.

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 12:42 pm
by BillSmith
Fickle river when it comes to catching, the fish are there.

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 1:31 pm
by Jaybird
That's a great spot

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 4:14 pm
by martalus
that’s a nice looking rainbow! Doesn’t look like a fresh stocker at all.

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 8:25 am
by Troutman
Most of those trout become stripper food :o ................

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 10:18 am
by martalus
It would take a pretty big striper to take down a 18-20 inch rainbow. An 8" stocker on the other hand..

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 12:12 pm
by lightenup
Troutman wrote:
Fri Oct 12, 2018 8:25 am
Most of those trout become stripper food :o ................
I have some stripper food, in my pants!!!! :D ;)

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 7:12 pm
by Troutman
lightenup wrote:
Fri Oct 12, 2018 12:12 pm
Troutman wrote:
Fri Oct 12, 2018 8:25 am
Most of those trout become stripper food :o ................
I have some stripper food, in my pants!!!! :D ;)
:o ................ :lol:

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 7:15 pm
by Troutman
martalus wrote:
Fri Oct 12, 2018 10:18 am
It would take a pretty big striper to take down a 18-20 inch rainbow. An 8" stocker on the other hand..
Seen a few big strippers hanging @ the musky outflow to the big D waiting for these lost souls.

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 9:21 pm
by BillSmith
Not one person complained when they threw Broun Trout in the Manasquan river for 20 years. Put them in the Raritan and they suddenly become food for Striped Bass, why is that ?

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 8:44 am
by Troutman
BillSmith wrote:
Fri Oct 12, 2018 9:21 pm
Not one person complained when they threw Broun Trout in the Manasquan river for 20 years. Put them in the Raritan and they suddenly become food for Striped Bass, why is that ?
Who's complaining ?

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 8:56 am
by Rusty Spinner
BillSmith wrote:
Fri Oct 12, 2018 9:21 pm
Not one person complained when they threw Broun Trout in the Manasquan river for 20 years. Put them in the Raritan and they suddenly become food for Striped Bass, why is that ?
Two entirely different scenarios. The failed brown trout stockings were done as an attempt to establish a sea run brown trout population, but it never worked. Yes, a few anglers caught the browns and even browns that had spent time in brackish water, but the returns were not in any way significant and the anglers failed to report their catches to the Division. So that was easy to shut down entirely once furunculosis broke out at Pequest, and that stocking is likely to never be continued even if they begin to raise browns again one day.

Striped bass and native brook trout evolved together in certain watersheds, including the Musconetcong and Raritan rivers. The bass will eat anything that swims, but they are primarily after the river herring and shadlings when they enter the smaller tribs of the Delaware.

Re: Not fall stocked:

Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2018 7:14 pm
by coaltrout
Dont get why they dont stock it just a bit.
It gets plenty of angler interest in the spring despite both branches being stocked.
No question that people prefer bigger water vs the branches.
More access on this river, more space to fish, more places for the fish to holdup in, etc.

I fished it once this year with 4 other people fishing in direct sight, all of us catching fish, and everyone had plenty of room.