Garden State Trout

Admittedly I haven't followed trout stream regulations much since i'm 100% C&R, but reading the compendium this year I noticed the SBRR regulations on the upper section. Has this river become the premier trout fishing river in NJ? I've fished upstream from High Bridge the most in the last fifteen years, and have enjoyed loads of trout on my line, notably a wild 14" brookie and 22" wild brown, small wild rainbows, LOTS of beautiful large rainbows that were obviously holdovers, among MANY great fish.

Of course, the section of RR in Manville holds promise...

Dave

Thou Ken Lockwood Gorge is nice. I find other rivers just as or nicer. The lower Musky for me get much love. Imo the Musky Gorge is way nicer & lower fishing psi. The Pequest is a great contender also. Big Flat Brook is okay. But has seen its better days. Paulingskill has some nice spots in more obscured area's that you have to hike a bit.

I guess it all depends on your definition of what "premier" means. I have always categorized the SBR from Budd Lake to the Solitude Dam at the bottom of the Gorge below the private Solitude Club as the best larger water trout stream in NJ, hands down. That would mean better in that regard than the Musky, Pequest, Paulinskill, Lopatcong, Pohatcong, Flatbrook, Rockaway, Pequannock, etc. At least when it comes to wild trout in decent numbers. The Division wanted to see if the upper SBR can be a solid wild trout fishery with a focus on our native brook trout and our wild brown trout that inhabit that section of the river for the most part in what is now unstocked water from the Budd Lake dam downstream to the Schooley Mountain Road bridge (actually, the old mill dam just upstream of that bridge) in downtown Long Valley. But when it comes to pure wild trout numbers, some of the smaller streams would be far better than the SBR in that area.

But "premier" might mean fishing open water just below a private club and catching many big, stocked fish for some. It might mean putting a beat down on fresh stockies for others. And it might be chasing the native brookie over 13" or wild brown over 20" for others.

There are no trout in the SBR, go fish the Pequest Hatchery run, all the fish in the state are there!!!

Troutman wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 13, 2019 9:03 pm

Thou Ken Lockwood Gorge is nice. I find other rivers just as or nicer. The lower Musky for me get much love. Imo the Musky Gorge is way nicer & lower fishing psi. The Pequest is a great contender also. Big Flat Brook is okay. But has seen its better days. Paulingskill has some nice spots in more obscured area's that you have to hike a bit.

I keep waiting for Brian to guide me to the Musky gorge

Seriously, been meaning to get there for years, but my fishing days per year keep going down (instead of up) as I get older, and the distance to fish increased (for trout, anyways) significantly.
Puts a crimp on getting there.

Enough crying, love all the "major" trout waters I've been to. Love wild, stocked, and any species (except stocked bows in the south jersey waters, always loved brookies more "down here")

robtf wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 15, 2019 3:58 pm

Troutman wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 13, 2019 9:03 pm

Thou Ken Lockwood Gorge is nice. I find other rivers just as or nicer. The lower Musky for me get much love. Imo the Musky Gorge is way nicer & lower fishing psi. The Pequest is a great contender also. Big Flat Brook is okay. But has seen its better days. Paulingskill has some nice spots in more obscured area's that you have to hike a bit.

I keep waiting for Brian to guide me to the Musky gorge

Seriously, been meaning to get there for years, but my fishing days per year keep going down (instead of up) as I get older, and the distance to fish increased (for trout, anyways) significantly.
Puts a crimp on getting there.

Enough crying, love all the "major" trout waters I've been to. Love wild, stocked, and any species (except stocked bows in the south jersey waters, always loved brookies more "down here")

I fished it occasionally . But its a long azz hike into it. I can imagine their will be more trout in that area now since they blew down the Hughesville Dam. Trout can not migrate up there. The Warren Glen Dam is the next obstacle from the Delaware River

I would say that the SBRR is the most productive wild trout mid-sized stream in NJ and hopefully additional land around the watershed will be protected.

For wild trout i would agree its the best river we have. Got a nice wild brown there last week.

NJpatbee wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 16, 2019 11:07 am

I would say that the SBRR is the most productive wild trout mid-sized stream in NJ and hopefully additional land around the watershed will be protected.

I second Pat's response, with "mid-sized stream" emphasized. I know far better smaller streams for wild trout (i.e., ones you can leap over). Now, whether you can access them legally is another point entirely

How the heck do I create a URL out of my photo pf the KLG fish I want to post..It was a nice wild brown, so Yes, The SBR is the premier medium sized wild trout fishery in NJ, just in my limited experience. It used to be better, but it still holds them.

lightenup wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 19, 2019 12:31 pm

How the heck do I create a URL out of my photo pf the KLG fish I want to post..It was a nice wild brown, so Yes, The SBR is the premier medium sized wild trout fishery in NJ, just in my limited experience. It used to be better, but it still holds them.

You can see it on NEFF. it's easy to put pictures up there...lol

Copy paste a link to your IG

Jaybird wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 19, 2019 12:37 pm

Copy paste a link to your IG

Hahaha, I don't know how to do that...

I'd rank it about 40th in NJ. lol

Thanks, I think i figured it out...https://www.instagram.com/p/BvKSAlQjh8f/