Garden State Trout

The slow roll of info on this change is working well. Fisheries biologists from the Division are on state stocked waters making sure they aren't crowded. I observed no more than three vehicles and often only one if any at popular spots along many of the northern NJ rivers yesterday. I hit a spot on the Flatrbrook and had one of the finest Hendrickson hatches I've ever witnessed here in NJ. And holdover fish were on them like white on rice.

Rumor has it all stocking will be completed and ended by April 17th.

BillSmith wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 02, 2020 9:14 pm

Rumor has it all stocking will be completed and ended by April 17th.

i wonder what difference we will see in trout fishing in later months like early june, maybe the dump of trout will force them to spread out more than normal? Maybe everyone will fish em out by May if they stay clumped together?

BillSmith wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 02, 2020 9:14 pm

Rumor has it all stocking will be completed and ended by April 17th.

Just to be clear - Are you saying they will not stock into May as usual, all allocated fish for a given stream will be in by April 17th?

That is one of my concerns. Will fisherman get greedy in the beginning and impact the later months?

CheeseburgerFly wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 03, 2020 3:10 pm

That is one of my concerns. Will fisherman get greedy in the beginning and impact the later months?

If anglers are out there to bring h9me their limit every time they fish, I would call them greedy. Who wants to eat a small 9 inch stocked trout anyway?

garden hackle wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 03, 2020 4:48 pm

CheeseburgerFly wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 03, 2020 3:10 pm

That is one of my concerns. Will fisherman get greedy in the beginning and impact the later months?

If anglers are out there to bring h9me their limit every time they fish, I would call them greedy. Who wants to eat a small 9 inch stocked trout anyway?

Unfortunately Plenty of guys .....they love em smoked...and some will fish everyday and take there limit,,,,,, till there gone...with more ppl home and boredom kicking in I would imagine more fisherppl as well....only time will tell

Fished the Passaic by one of the stocking points briefly last year, as I have to cross it when going to work. This brief encounter was my first and last time to every fish that part of the river. I decided that if that's what I would have to resort to call trout fishing, I would switch to being a Bass only guy.

Jerzguy21 wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:31 pm

Fished the Passaic by one of the stocking points briefly last year, as I have to cross it when going to work. This brief encounter was my first and last time to every fish that part of the river. I decided that if that's what I would have to resort to call trout fishing, I would switch to being a Bass only guy.

Oh for sure, it's not a trout river (down by stocking points) by any means. It's pike, pickerel, perch, bass and carp. The trout they stock are just a way to keep them all big and well fed

The passaic is better up by Millington for trout. As soon as it gets near Wayne its a wrap

Millington is where I was, not my idea of trout fishing in a snag filled ditch.

The beginning of this thread suggested that in season stocking would continue this year except that it will done randomly and stocking day closures will not be in effect. I’ve seen nothing to suggest that all stocking will be completed by April 17th or that the entire season allotments are currently being stocked. Maybe Rusty could clarify for us.

Jerzguy21 wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 04, 2020 11:18 am

Millington is where I was, not my idea of trout fishing in a snag filled ditch.

Same thoughts here. Id rather drive another 30 minutes & hit the SBR or the Musky

WW II Sea Mine?

WW II Sea Mine???

Well - The word must of got out - LOL. Went Saturday morning to a local stocked stream, had a nice stretch to myself with just another guy spin fishing one hole. Lots of trout, stopped counting at 20, some nice size ones, and for stocked fish they had some fight in them. Kudo's to the state for the quality, not one Frankenstein trout in the lot. Picked them up on nymphs, streamers and a few on top with a caddis. As the morning got later more guys showed up so I left.

I noticed that the trout were very pretty and some had a mark under there chin...reddish orange...are these cut bows or some other strain of rainbows?????would really love some sort of official word on this ...thx

Johnw wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 04, 2020 12:51 pm

The beginning of this thread suggested that in season stocking would continue this year except that it will done randomly and stocking day closures will not be in effect. I’ve seen nothing to suggest that all stocking will be completed by April 17th or that the entire season allotments are currently being stocked. Maybe Rusty could clarify for us.

That was their goal. Get all fish out by 4/17.

Fishybig wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 06, 2020 8:32 am

I noticed that the trout were very pretty and some had a mark under there chin...reddish orange...are these cut bows or some other strain of rainbows?????would really love some sort of official word on this ...thx

Standard run of the mill Oncorhynchus mykiss, the rainbow trout. Same genetics they have used since opening Pequest decades ago.